APL and GDDM - a high performance toolkit

ABSTRACT

Performance of APL applications is an important consideration; especially when it can be achieved without compromising development time and maintainability.This paper explores some aspects of creating a high-performance toolkit for APL2-based applications using IBM's Graphical Data Display Manager (GDDM) software to provide the user interface. The performance achieved by these tools is considerably greater than that given by use of IBM's own workspaces distributed with the APL2 product, but the resulting application code is equally comprehensible and easy to write.Applications developed using these tools have provided performance equal to (or better than) equivalent applications coded in FORTRAN and have extended the domain of effective APL use.The paper makes no attempt to describe GDDM except in the broadest sense; it deals only with how it can be accessed from an APL application.

REFERENCES

• Br86: Brown, I. A.,"Algorithms for AI in APL2". APL86 Tutorials, pp. 87-150
• Ht87: Hetrick, V. R., "Introduction to GDDM - Beginning Graphics with GDDM". SEAS Spring Meeting, 1987, pp. 995-1017
• IB87a: IBM Corporation, APL2 Programming: System Services Reference, Order Number: SH20-9218
• IB87b: IBM Corporation, APL2 Programming: Using the Supplied Routines, Order Number: SH20-9233
• IB87c: IBM Corporation, GDD,M Base Programming Reference, Order Number SC33-0332
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INDEX TERMS

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

          Nouns: APL

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.4 Graphics Utilities
          Subjects: Application packages
      I.3.6 Methodology and Techniques
          Subjects: Interaction techniques

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.2 HISTORY OF COMPUTING

      Nouns: APL

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Languages, Performance