[3890] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
FREEWARE: V C++ GUI Released for OS/2
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bruce Wampler)
Sat Mar 7 02:31:11 1998
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 27 Feb 1998 01:03:00 -0500
From: bruce@objectcentral.com (Bruce Wampler)
Reply-To: bruce@objectcentral.com
Reply-to: bruce@objectcentral.com
[Followups directed to comp.os.os2.programmer.tools]
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Announcing the Release of TWO Object-Oriented Products
V Version 1.17 -- The Easiest Way to Write C++ GUI Applications
*** AND ***
The Essence of Object-Oriented Programming - An On-line Tutorial
February 25, 1998
V C++ GUI Version 1.17
-----------------------
Dr. Bruce E. Wampler, founder of Object Central, announces the release of V
Version 1.17, a free, easy to program cross-platform C++ GUI Framework. V
was designed to make it the easiest way to write C++ graphical user
interface applications available -- commercial, shareware, or freeware. The
V framework has been used several semesters for the software engineering
class at the University of New Mexico, and has proven to be extremely easy
to learn and use, as well as reliable as commercial software.
The current release of V includes support for X Windows using free custom
3-D Athena widgets (to keep it free!), all Microsoft Windows platforms (3.1,
95, NT), and OS/2 PM. V is available under the terms of the GNU Library
General Public License, so will remain freely available to the public. See
the Object Central web page:
http://www.objectcentral.com or the ftp site
ftp://objectcentral.com
for details about the new version.
*** WHAT IS V?
V is a portable C++ GUI Framework intended to develop a wide variety of
applications on different graphical interface platforms. While it is
probably not suitable for developing state-of-the art commercial
applications with all the latest interface components, it is very complete
and suitable for a large majority of custom GUI applications. Applications
developed using V will have the look and feel of the native platform, yet
will be portable across platforms.
Most standard GUI objects are supported by V, including windows with menus,
status bars, tool bars, and a drawing canvas; modal and modeless dialogs
with the most common controls (buttons, lists, labels, text entry, check and
radio buttons, etc.); and portable printing support.
*** WHO WILL WANT TO USE V?
There are two main groups of programmers who will find V useful. First, V is
an excellent tool to use for teaching programming to computer science
students. It has been used at the University of New Mexico for several
semesters for the Senior level software engineering class for developing
large projects. It has also been used successfully for the Junior level
programming class where students get their first real programming
assignments.
At both levels, V has proven to be a very effective tool. Because of its
design, it is amazingly easy to learn to use. For the first time, our
students have been able to easily develop GUI programs that work on the
University's X Windows systems, or often on the students own Linux systems.
The design and implementation of V itself is also an excellent C++ case
study. The code is commercial quality, and extensively documented. It
provides not only a good case study of an object-oriented design, it
provides excellent examples of the low level interface to the native GUI
tool kits for X Windows and Microsoft Windows.
V is also an excellent tool for developing many custom applications. It is a
suitable tool for research labs, small custom software shops, engineering
firms, or individuals that need to develop an application that needs a
graphical user interface, especially for multiple platforms. Because of its
design, V is far easier to learn and use than the native GUI tool kits. It
is also easier to learn than larger frameworks such as MFC or OWL. Since it
is freeware, licensed under the GNU Library General Public License, it will
always be available with its source code for public use.
*** WHAT IS INCLUDED WITH V?
The V distribution contains the complete source code for the Windows
versions and the X Windows 3-D Athena version. The Windows versions have
been tested with most Windows compilers. The X version has been developed
using the Gnu g++ compiler, and has been tested on Linux, SunOS, and SGI
machines.
There is a 170 page indexed reference manual included. The manual is
available in LaTeX, HTML, dvi, or PostScript versions. There are also
several example programs included in the distribution.
An incomplete list of the features supported by the V Framework
includes the following:
Command Windows with
Pull Down Menus
Drawing Canvas with
Colors, Brushes, and Pens
Drawing Shapes (rectangle, line, etc.)
Text (in various native fonts)
Icons/Bitmaps
Mouse and Keyboard
Command/Tool Bar with same controls a Dialogs
Status Bar
Modal and Modeless Dialogs with
Platform independent layout control
Most common controls, including
Push Button, Blank, Check Box, Color Button,
ComboBox, Frame, Icon, Icon Button, Label,
List, Progress Bar, Radio Button, Slider,
Spinner, Text Input, Text Output
Platform Independent Printer Support
PostScript for X
Standard Windows Printers for Windows
Portable treatment of Fonts
Same drawing support as Drawing Canvas
Other Support
Timers
Utility Dialogs
To keep it simple, V does not include support for non-GUI objects such as
containers or other typical C++ objects. There are other libraries available
for those tools.
************************
The Essence of Object-Oriented Programming
------------------------------------------
This is a draft version of the first part of a book on Object-Oriented
Programming being written by Dr. Wampler. The goal of the book is to give
the essence of objects. Dr. Wampler has tried to give just what you need to
understand and use objects, and to design good object-oriented programs.
There is enough here to help you get started on really understanding
objects. These chapters were used with great success teaching
object-oriented programming to software engineering students at the
University of New Mexico. Now, for the first time, this part of book is now
available for free browsing on the Object Central web site. If you've never
really understood objects and some of the terminology that goes with
objects, these chapters should start to make things clear.
************************
*** WHAT'S THE CATCH?
There aren't many, really. V has been in use for over 2 years now, so
represents a fairly mature product. V does not have every bell and whistle
available with native GUI tool kits, but it is really easy to use and learn,
and will handle 95% of applications most people need to develop.
The Essence of Object-Oriented Programming is free for reading from your
browser. If you download a permanent version, a small donation would be
appreciated.
*** WHERE TO GET V and The Essence of Object-Oriented Programming
The V distribution and the OO tutorial can be found on the Object Central
web site and ftp server. The web page is http://www.objectcentral. com .
The page has links to the V distribution, as well as a complete HTML version
of the V Reference Manual, which you can read to get more details about V.
The distribution is also available by anonymous ftp at
ftp://objectcentral.com . See the "README" file.
*** WHO IS BRUCE WAMPLER?
Dr. Bruce Wampler is the designer and author of the V GUI Framework. He has
recently moved to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and just founded a new
company, Object Central, to promote Object-Oriented programming. Until
recently, he was an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the University
of New Mexico. He has been a part of the PC revolution since its beginning.
He developed some of the first spelling checking software available for PCs
way back in TRS-80 and CP/M days. He was the founder of two successful
software companies, Aspen Software in the early 1980's, and Reference
Software International in 1985. Dr. Wampler was the principal author of the
widely known grammar checker, Grammatik.
In 1992, WordPerfect acquired Reference Software and Grammatik. Since that
time, Dr. Wampler has been following other interests, which include teaching
and developing V. He sees V as a way to give back something to the software
community.
--
Bruce E. Wampler, Ph.D.
Author of the V C++ GUI Framework
e-mail: bruce@objectcentral.com
web: www.objectcentral.com
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