Writing Macintosh “applications” in APL

ABSTRACT

This paper briefly describes some features of a student enrolment and record system written for use on Macintosh PCs using APL.68000. The emphasis is on the development of the interface between the user and the APL file environment. The paper describes and illustrates the development of “applications” which use the Apple conventions and which appear like another Macintosh applications. This is achieved through the use of a series of powerful cover functions which access the Macintosh's primitives for file-handling, event-handling, windows, menus etc. and which use Quickdraw primitives for graphics and text output.

REFERENCES

• 1: Julian WG (1990). COURSES Users' Manual. Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney, 40pp.
• 2: Julian WG (1991). STUDENT Users' Manual. Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney, 64pp.
• 3: MicroAPL (1986). APL.68000TM Language Manual, MicroAPL Ltd, London, 1986.
• 4: MicroAPL (1988). APL.68000r~for the Apple Macintosh, MicroAPL Ltd, London, 1988, 86pp.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.2 Language Classifications

          Nouns: APL

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human information processing

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
  K.8 PERSONAL COMPUTING

      Nouns: Macintosh

General Terms:
Human Factors, Languages