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From: dave@emerald.PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Prototyper (was: Re: New Mac Programmer -- HELP! ...)
Message-ID: <9641@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
Date: 20 Mar 89 22:22:31 GMT
References: <67@sppy00.UUCP> <169@indri.primate.wisc.edu> <3955@ece-csc.UUCP> <28672@sri-unix.SRI.COM> <13892@duke.cs.duke.edu> <7540@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
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In article <7540@boulder.Colorado.EDU> fozzard@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Richard Fozzard) writes:

>Has any one used the Prototyper program from Smethers Barnes? It seems a
>wonderful way to learn AND get automatic code examples for a variety of 
>things. And will it only work with Pascal or can it also generate C code
>(eg for Lightspeed C)?

I am a (relatively new) user of Prototyper.

Prototyper 2.0 provides a MacDraw-like environment for constructing
windows (all the standard types, including Dialogs), controls, and
menus (including hierarchical menus).  This includes all the standard
radio buttons, check boxes, icons in menus, etc.--basically the whole
range of interface stuff.  It then generates the resources and the
Pascal or C programs (Lightspeed, MPW, Turbo), fully commented, to put
up the menu and the windows.  The places where you drop in code to
actually DO something with the menu items, etc., are clearly marked.

Suggested retail is $249, so I expect the discount price is somewhere
near $175 (just a guess).  I don't know exactly because I upgraded
from Prototyper 1.0.

Prototyper 1.0 was buggy, and only did Pascal.  P 2.0 does C, but I
don't, so I have no opinions on that.  P 2.0 seems to have a better
interface, and I haven't hit any bugs yet, but I've been to busy to
give it a thorough workout.

For beginning programmers, I strongly recommend Prototyper.  Macintosh
programming has a very steep learning curve, and this program helps a
great deal in getting over that hump.  (At least, it helped me.)  The
code it produces is standalone and well commented, so it serves very
well for examples as well as actual use.

What Prototyper DOES do:

It creates the code to open and close windows.  It creates the code to
recognize mouse clicks and command-key presses.  It creates the code
to put up the menu.  It writes the main event loop.  Stuff like that.

What Prototyper DOESN'T do:

It does not put things into windows.  It does not do your basic
input-output operations for you.  It does not check or gray menu
items.  It does not do text editing.  It does not write reasonable
code for dealing with scroll bars or other controls.  In short, it
provides the interface, but everything behind the interface is still
your responsibility.

So I found Prototyper a great help in getting started, but it is NOT a
substitute for reading Inside Macintosh several times; and there are
very many things I still do not know how to do that Prototyper is no
help with.  After you have Lightspeed C and/or Pascal, and Inside
Macintosh, then this is the next thing to get.

[No connection with SmetherBarnes except as a semisatisfied user.]



-- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com)
-- Unisys Corp. / Paoli Research Center / PO Box 517 / Paoli PA  19301
-- Standard disclaimer:  Any resemblance between my opinions and those of my
   employer is strictly coincidental.