A modern APL windows user interface with DOS downwards compatibility: the solution for two years onwards

ABSTRACT

Windows 3.1 represents the biggest revolution to APL technology since the advent of full screen techniques. This creates a new challenge to APLers migrating their applications from mainframe or PC DOS environments into Windows 3.1. This paper describes an ease means to adapt existing and new applications to exploit Windows Graphical User Interfaces (GUI). By using the techniques described below one can utilize most GUI features without needing to comprehend the massive amount of detail typical to Windows programming. Additionally, any application will also be backwards compatible to the DOS character based screen interface.

REFERENCES

• 1: IBM SAA Common User Access Advanced Interface Design Guide
• 2: Richard R. N. Eller, How to manage large APL projects: a user interface management system approach, Proceedings of the international conference on APL '91, p.150-160, August 04-08, 1991, Palo Alto, California, United States
• 3: APL'I'Plus II/386 version 5, Windows Interface Manual, Washington, D.C., 1992
• 4: C. Petzold, Programming Windows, Microsoft Press, Redmond, WA, 1988
• 5: Windows Open Software Access (WOSA), Microsoft press, 1992
• 6: Windows Programming Reference, Microsoft Corporation, 1991
• 7: Mare Adler: An Overview of Windows development Tools, Microsoft Systems Journal, July 1991, pp 99- 109.
• 8: Kevin P. Welch: Extending the Windows 3.0 Interface with Installable Custom Controls, Microsoft Systems Journal, July 1990, pp. 29-51.
• 9: Richard Hale Shaw: Programming Windows with a Touch of Class: The Microsoft Foundation Classes, Microsoft Systems Journal, November 1992, pp. 19- 38.
• 10: Mare Adler: Enhancing the Presentation Manager User Interface with Formatted Edit Fields, Microsoft Systems Journal, January 1990, pp. 35-45.
• 11: Microsoft C/C++ version 7, Class Libraries User's Guide, pp 337-341 (Deriving Controls from a Standard Control), Microsoft Corporation, Ireland, 1991

INDEX TERMS

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

          Nouns: APL

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques

          Nouns: Windows
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.0 General

          Nouns: DOS

  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Windowing systems; Interaction styles (e.g., commands, menus, forms, direct manipulation)

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Languages, Verification