Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!decwrl!decvax!tektronix!tekig5!danm
From: danm@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM (Daniel Milliron)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Prototyper opinions?
Summary: I like prototyper
Message-ID: <3768@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM>
Date: 10 Feb 89 18:28:22 GMT
References: <9128@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> <3635@geaclib.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.
Lines: 38

In article <3635@geaclib.UUCP>, rae@geaclib.UUCP (Reid Ellis) writes:
> Warning: as of the last time I looked, Prototyper did not handle the
> "newer" bits of the Macintosh user interface like popup menus, hier-
> archical menus, and tear-off menus.  Also, it only created Pascal code.
> Now you are using Pascal, so that's ok.
> 
> I played with it a bit in June of last year and it seemed primitive, sort of
> archaic in what it would and would not handle.  Of course, if your needs
> are simple, this may be the program for you.  Personally, I was very
> disappointed with the product.  But then again, I know of no better
> alternate for you to try..
> 
> Reid

I bought the original version and have ordered the upgrade to version 2.0,
which handles popup menus, hierarchal menus, the C language, and has a cleaner
user interface.  I program in C, but bought the Pascal-only version anyway.
I wrote one fairly large application with Prototyper, and ended up translating
from Pascal to C.  I had never written a Mac application.  My verdict: Proto-
typer saved me weeks of trouble.  I *highly* recommend the program.

Since it is fairly inexpensive (new version lists at $295 = 6 hours of
programming time @ $50/hr.), and since it does not inhibit a programmer by
constraining him to any software architecture, the only reason I can see
for not using Prototyper is if a person either is capable of generating
equivalent code in similar time or enjoys creating the low-level program code
of a user interface.  An analogous issue is the high-level vs. assembly
language programming debate, although in the case of interface builders,
the speed of execution penalty is negligable.

But wait, there's an added bonus.  With Prototyper, you get to experiment with
user interface options at a speed that is at least an order of magnitude
greater than if you were hand-coding and using some other resource editor.

Dan Milliron

Disclaimer: I have no relationship with Smethers Barnes besides being a
	    customer.