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Text File | 1994-05-29 | 12.7 KB | 266 lines

1 #### # # # # # # # # # The FreeWare C library for # # ## ### # # # # ### RISC OS machines # # # # # # # # # # # ___________________________________ # # #### ### ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Please refer to the accompanying #### ### #### # # ##### # ### documentation for conditions of use _______________________________________________________________________ Note that although this software is supplied free of charge, copyright applies to it. All rights are reserved, except for the following: This software may be copied and distributed without restriction so long as the following conditions are met: a) The copyright messages and these conditions are distributed intact in all such copies b) Only original, unaltered copies of this software are to be distributed (so that this library remains consistent over time) -PLEASE DON'T alter the library and pass it on: Alter it and send alterations back to the moderator (see below) so that your code becomes an official update rather than a hack. c) No profit is made through such distribution This software may be used in the production of any piece of software so long as the authors acknowledge in the final product distribution that DeskLib (or parts thereof) was used. *********************************************************************** * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, * * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of * * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. * * Bug reports, fixes, or any extra code may be sent to the moderator, * * who may or may not act on them as he deems fit. * *********************************************************************** _______________________________________________________________________ NOTE ALSO that DeskLib is totally unaffiliated to anyone or anything. Just because I now work for Computer Concepts does not mean that this product is in any way related to Computer Concepts Ltd. All comments about people and companies in this product are either personal opinion or were factual at the time of writing. Most such comments are included only so that the user knows the REASON for things having been done as they were. _______________________________________________________________________ About DeskLib ============= After some bad experiences with Acorn's RISC OS Lib, I decided that a new, well written, professionally-finished library would be very useful. Acorn appeared to be uninterested in fixing RISC OS Lib for me, so I managed to rustle up a band of merry programmers to help me write a completely new library, from scratch, and design things before they were written. The result is (or will be ?!) DeskLib. DeskLib is a set of ANSI C and ARM assembler sources intended to add to or replace PARTS of the libraries supplied with Acorn Desktop C. Many parts of DeskLib replace parts of the Acorn Libraries, but many portions of the library code can be used in conjunction with Acorn's libraries, or as a base from which you will be able to more easily write code for use with Acorn's Libraries, so don't go away just yet! This library is intended both as an alternative to Acorn's RISC OS Lib as well as a useful source of fragments of code to include into your own sources. All efforts have been spent to make the library code as generic, robust, and useful as possible, as well as attempting to provide a comprehensive range of function calls, from basic SWI-level support to high-level functions such as automatic dialogue-box creation, handling and result-return in a single function. Where possible, routines have been optimised (to some extent) for efficiency, but the primary goals are high-level interfaces that make WIMP programming quick and easy. (If the user wants to specifically do something special, and wants it fast, the source code for DeskLib is available, so any functions can be adapted for the user's needs as necessary...) All possible action is taken to keep code size down without adversely affecting the functionality of the library: Individual functions are added to the library separately, so that including one function in your code does NOT include the (unwanted and unneeded) code for several others. Where possible, code is written as a standalone unit to avoid pulling in too much other DeskLib code when you include a function. Attempts have also been made to rationalise the naming conventions used, while keeping as much compatibility with the Acorn libraries as possible. Thus, data structures are as similar to acorn conventions as possible, but with occasional names altered to improve readability and/or consistency. We have reverted back to basing our naming on Acorn's very well designed SWI interfaces and their use, rather than sticking with Acorn's RISC OS Lib abstractions to keep this environment closer to it's Assembler and BASIC cousins, which will make it easier to port programmers between environments. As a result, DeskLib has been developed by individual programmers working to some basic guidelines, with me, the moderator, taking in the code, tidying up any "loose ends" I find, and then including the final code in the Library. This has helped to keep everything as consistent as possible throughout the library. (Though I can't guarantee that the library is perfect, I believe it is far superior to RISC OS Lib in the areas it currently covers) The code has been written to provide a high-level interface that supports, encourages, and all BUT forces programmers to use a more consistent interface design, which will be brought into line with the Acorn Style Guide as soon as Acorn make up their minds... The programmer using DeskLib is encouraged to use our more generic template and menu routines, so that the END USER of the product has more control of the look, feel, layout, and hotkeys used in the program. However, another important concept is that YOU are in charge, and DeskLib is just a tool for you to use, so it should not force you against your will if possible. Thus, we provide unrestricted low-level access as well. And by providing the sources, we make it possible for you to do low-level "tweaks" on our high-level data structures without the fear that you might be treading on the toes of some other code... We also feel it is important to distribute the library sources freely, so that you may improve or alter the library to suit your own needs, and hopefully send back any improvements or bug fixes to me so that they may be officially incorporated into the DeskLib distribution. Also, you can SEE what functions do, and thus KNOW what they do, and therefore be able to cope with what they do, rather than tripping over low-level implementation details/bugs that the author didn't bother to make you aware of. We have absolutely NO objection to including SEVERAL DIFFERENT code modules that do essentially the same thing, so that you may CHOOSE the one that suits you best. The future As well as growing to include more and more code resources, three important goals for the future of this Library are: * Conversion to assembler. Small and simple functions (Icon_Select, etc) are extremely easy to convert to assembler. This also has the advantage of reducing their size at the same time as increasing efficiency. The goal is to convert as much of the library as possible to a more efficient implementation over time. This will not affect the interface, so existing applications can benefit from the conversion by simply relinking with the new functions. * Support for Glazier's 'Glass' template format, including menu, window, icon and hotkey templates, and special creatures such as 'meta-icons' (things like slider icons which are made up of more than one Wimp icon, but can be treated by the main program as a single entity) * Production of a shared DeskLib code library relocatable module, along similar lines to the existing ANSI SharedCLibrary. This will basically move the most important small functions into a SMALL relocatable module so that the code resources may be shared by all desktop tasks, including ones written in C, assembler, and (hopefully) BASIC. Authors If code you have written is incorporated into this library, you still retain your copyright for it. However, if you wish to retract copy-permission for a part of DeskLib you have written, then it will be removed from *future* releases of the distribuion, and the retraction will not affect previous release versions of the library, or any software product that used them. Probably an equivalent bit of code will then be written by somebody else to fill the gap. If DeskLib is updated by someone writing code based upon your suggestions and/or code, then they retain copyright for that which they have written, though you will be credited in the updated file(s). If you write any FreeWare using the DeskLib libraries, it would be really nice of you to send me a copy of the sources and final application to possibly be included in future DeskLib releases as tutorial/demonstration code, or at least distribute your sources (or parts thereof) with your application so that they may serve as example code for others. For documentation on using DeskLib in your own programming projects, and submitting your own code/ideas for inclusion in DeskLib, please read the files in the Docs directory. Note that most of the documentation of function calls is provided in the form of comments in the relevant header (.h) files at present. The last point is that although we are trying to provide complete useful code, some bugs are bound to fall through the net... Some decisions on naming or data structures may seem bad to you (some do to me), but we have our reasons (usually consistency) for doing things this way. We are doing our best: Constructive criticism is welcome, but please don't winge at us - If you don't like something, then don't bother me - go away and spend a year writing the code yourself... I don't welcome criticism from people who are unwilling to write the code themselves. Now please go back and read the conditions that you skipped at the top of this file, because they are important ;-) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Authors: This library has been built up by a group of authors. Individual files contain copyright notices for the author(s) who created them. The authors (and other contributors) I've remembered to write down here are (alphabetically): Philip Banks Shaun Blackmore Tim Browse Tony Bryant Philip Colmer Erik de Kort Jason Howat Peter Gaunt Tom Kirby-Green Ainsley Pereira David Pilling Edouard Poor Keith Marlow Stuart Martin Julian Smith Robin Watts Jason Williams Mark H. Wilkinson John Winters Thanks also to the numerous others who have offered suggestions, etc. Thanks to Acorn for designing the machine and the compiler. And for RISC OS Lib?? I guess so, or this would never have appeared, and I would be forced to relax in the weekends ;-) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contacting the moderator: If you find any bugs or problems in DeskLib, or if you can supply suggestions or code for alterations, additions, or tutorial applications, then please write to: Jason Williams, Computer Concepts Limited, Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 6EX England. (including a small lump of cash (1 british pound would suffice) to cover return postage would be appreciated!) or email: jason@cconcepts.co.uk These addresses were valid as of the release date. If you fail to reach me at any of them, then I can also generally be contacted by posting an article onto usenet's comp.sys.acorn newsgroup, which I (or someone) will be watching regardless of where I happen to be living. Updates to this library are likely to be distributed over comp.sources.acorn, various Archive servers, selected "PD" Libraries, and by high velocity llama. If you wish to use DeskLib in a commercial product (or ANY important or global-release software for that matter), then PLEASE write to me at the above address enclosing a blank 3.5" disc, and I will endeavour to answer any queries you have, and forward you the latest version of the library sources. It is in your own best interests! The only way to get support is by contacting me.