Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!convex!rosenkra
From: rosenkra@convex.com (William Rosencranz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech
Subject: requirements to use VDI
Summary: does prg have to do appl_init?
Keywords: VDI ttp appl_init
Message-ID: <1991Jun19.112606.20682@convex.com>
Date: 19 Jun 91 11:26:06 GMT
Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account)
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Lines: 31
Nntp-Posting-Host: convex1.convex.com


maybe this is a dumb question but...

is it possible to call VDI routines without writing a full blown GEM
application? ideally, i would like to just use something like v_fillarea
or somesuch. i realize that i need a device handle, so maybe i need
all the other stuff (baggage) too. it would be great to be able to
use VDI in .ttp programs. can u open a device without appl_init?

if it is not possible to write a .ttp with VDI (i suppose it is not
since the extension tells the OS to either prepare for GEM or don't)
then is it possible to read command line args with a GEM program (.prg)?
i.e. one doing appl_init, open workstation, etc. if so, how? i use
alcyon. my shell is gulam. is it possible with gcc/gemfast/etc?

i'd hate to have to do the fill with line A or directly to the screen.
i only need white fills. this makes drawing 3-d xyz datasets (like
FFT maps) easy if u draw from back to front. the fill eliminates hidden
features of the plot (desirable). i have used this in full GEM progs,
but want to use it in .ttp progs where i draw points and lines (with
line A). don't beat me up about line A, either. if/when i get a TT,
i will switch. as far as i know, line A is the ONLY way to draw lines
(other than fixing pixels in Physbase) in a .ttp.

thanx...

-bill
rosenkra@convex.com
--
Bill Rosenkranz            |UUCP: {uunet,texsun}!convex!c1yankee!rosenkra
Convex Computer Corp.      |ARPA: rosenkra%c1yankee@convex.com