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From: jwhitnel@csib.UUCP (Jerry Whitnell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Info desired on mac interface generators...
Message-ID: <1157@csib.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Aug-87 12:11:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: csib.1157
Posted: Mon Aug  3 12:11:18 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Aug-87 05:04:52 EDT
References: <364@uoregon.UUCP|
Reply-To: jwhitnel@csib.UUCP (Jerry Whitnell)
Distribution: na
Organization: Communications Solutions Inc., San Jose, Ca
Lines: 39

In article <364@uoregon.UUCP| jessen@uoregon.UUCP (Bob) writes:
|
|  I too am interested in finding information about MacExpress, MacApp, and any
|other extended programming environments for Mac Software development.(in 
|reference to George Lippert's posting).
|
|
|Any information provided along these lines would be greatly appreciated.  I am
|especially interested in hearing from users of these products. How have these 
|products helped you and where do you see pitfalls in them.

MacExpress is a subroutine library + main() replacement.  You link it in with
your program (or put it in your LightspeedC project).  It basicly works like
a high-level ROM, providing you with subroutine to create a complete window
(including scroll bars, multiple panels like Word 1.x, etc.), menus and icons.

The main code handles events, DAs etc. itself, and calls your code only
when there is something your application needs to do (like redraw a window).

Window operations such as growing, moving and scrolling are all handled
automatically, with your code called only to update the window.  With menus
you tell MacExpress what you want in the menus (with subroutine calls) and
give it a routine that tells it whether the menu item is enabled or not and
another to call to process the menu item.  Lots of options to choose from,
but the defaults will give you a standard Mac application.

MacAppl is basicly the same thing but is implemented in Object Pascal and
requires MPW Pascal from Apple.  

The advantage to both of these is the time saved in writting and debugging
the interface code.  With both all you need to do is write the
application-dependent code, saving you a significant amount of time.  The
disadvantage is usually performance, which can vary widly depending on
how closly your application fits the model.  Some people swear by these
packages, others swear at them.

Jerry Whitnell                           It's a damn poor mind that can only
Communication Solutions, Inc.            think of one way to spell a word.
						-- Andrew Jackson