Left to its own devices, APL plots on the bus

ABSTRACT

The IEEE-488 General-Purpose Interface Bus is a convenient vehicle through which APL can run a variety of devices and computers. This paper shows how a PC can be used with APL as a device on the bus, in contrast to the PC's more usual role as system controller. As an example, an APL workspace that emulates an x-y plotter attached to the GPIB is shown. This illustrates the GPIB providing input to an APL workspace, and techniques by which APL can report the status of the device.

REFERENCES

• 1: IBM part number 6451503, IBM Personal Computer General Purpose Interface Bus Adapter. GPIB adapters for PCs, PS/2s and other computers are available from National Instruments, 6504 Bridge Point Parkway, Austin, TX 78730- 5039. 512:794-0100, 800:433-3488.
• 2: IBM part number 6024201, IBM Personal Computer General Purpose Imerface Bus Adapter Programming Support (for DOS 2.0- DOS 3.1). National Instruments NI-488 MS-DOS software for the GPIB-PCIIA card, part 776015-01 with a 5.25-inch diskette (or part 776165-11 with a 3.5-inch diskette), will work with the IBM GPIB card and AP488NI. Drivers supplied by National Instnmaents with adapters for the AT and PS/2 will also work with AP488NI.
• 3: Curtis A. Jones, APL catches the bus, ACM SIGAPL APL Quote Quad, v.21 n.2, p.9-14, Dec. 1990 [doi>10.1145/122382.122385]

INDEX TERMS

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

          Nouns: APL

Additional Classification:
  B. Hardware
  B.4 INPUT/OUTPUT AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS
      B.4.3 Interconnections (subsystems)
          Subjects: Topology (e.g., bus, point-to-point)

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.8 PERSONAL COMPUTING

      Nouns: IBM PC

General Terms:
Algorithms, Languages