Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

1309.0. "X-Server driver, MOTIF, Mouse button Questions" by CURIE::HODGE () Mon Aug 21 1989 10:52

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    GeoQuest Systems is a key vendor in the Oil & Gas Exploration market
    and is currently porting to DECwindows, which they have wholeheartedly
    embraced.  Because their interpretation workstation offering requires
    dual heads they use RasterTek heads and graphics.  As a result, they
    need  to write an X server driver for the RasterTek. (This will also
    protect their VMS installed base)  The Server questions below are
    related  to this effort.  GQ is eagerly awaiting the release of DW V2.0 
    which may contain some of this information but they simply cannot wait.  
    They must have this finished ASAP.  Any help on these question is
    greatly appreciated!
    
    If this note is better posted elsewhere please let me know the best
    place for it.
    
    Thank you, 
    
    Peter
    
    
August 21, 1989


GeoQuest X-Server Questions
---------------------------

1) Are there differences in the MIT sample server DIX and the VMS server 
   DIX functions?

a) If so, what are the differences and the functions between DIX and DDX 
   for VMS?

b) How were UNIX systems calls supported under the VMS server?

c) Under UNIX there are execution time systems calls & procedures, e.g. 
   	gettime
   Many are unique to UNIX, do not exist exactly the same under VMS.  
   GeoQuest assumes DEC has had to do something to support this 
   functionality in VMS.  How did DEC do it?  Is it possible to link to 
   DEC's implementation of the functions?  How?

   Specific examples are;
 
	bcopy
	bzero
	bcomp
	ffs
	hypt

d) Does VMS X server & library support multiple displays on a single host?

e) If so, was standard X naming convention for displays followed?

	[hostname:[:]s.d


f) Has DEC stayed w/ naming conventions established in the sample (highly 
   UNIX oriented) server for structures and system level defines or has DEC 
   had to change some of these for VMS?  If some are changed what are the 
   changes?

g) To make DDX work we need to link to or have access to a module that 
   resolves externals.  e.g.  

	The parameter MAX_SCREENS is normally defined in a C include 
   file for which we do not have source.  We need Digital's version to 
   remain consistent.  How can we resolve need for definitions??


Mouse Button Questions
----------------------

1) GeoQuest has a number of commands that they want to use MOUSE BUTTON 
   commands for.  Their concern is which mouse buttons are available?  
   The Style Guide implies, for instance, that mouse buttons 2 & 3 are 
   available for general use when in fact they have specific assignments 
   in various DEC products under DW, i.e. cut & paste in DECwrite.

   The real question is how will Digital guide the use and assignment 
   in various vendor packages of mouse buttons and other commands so 
   that users don't have to learn that Mouse button 3 means a different  
   command in the various packages that they must use?  GQ is concerned 
   about being consistent and does not want to be careful not to select 
   a command that DEC will choose for its own use in future products.  

b) Given that there will be infinite combinations of commands created to 
   do the variety of commands needed, does DEC have now or are there plans 
   to set up a "clearing house" in order to help the thousands of vendors 
   understand what is being used and for what so that there will be some 
   consistancy?  Is there a mechanism for addressing conflicts?

c) GQ has read and assimilated the styly guide but feels that more 
   guidelines are needed to remain consistent.  Is this forthcoming?  
   Are these questions new?  Are other vendors asking similar question and 
   if so what is DEC telling them?

MOTIF
-----

a) Rumor to the effect that ULTRIX MOTIF available now, VMS MOTIF not 
   for a year.  Is this true?

b) GeoQuest is nervous about writing to DW without knowing what the 
   changes will be for MOTIF.  What information is available to help 
   them understand what the differences will be like?  

c) How much will the style guide change with MOTIF?

    You are asking a lot of questions about server development.  Nothing
    associated with DECwindows in VMS or UNIX is deliverable in a form that
    would aid customers to create a server.  Sources to the DECwindows
    server as you have guessed are not based on the MIT sample server and
    are not distributed.
    
    Your customers concerns should be around the new exposed transport
    interface in DECwindows V2.  VMS Field test kits and documentation have
    been available for this for over a month.
    
    Regarding Motif, nothing official from DEC has been announced.  In the
    OSF conference "availability of Motif" is being discussed.  I'd hate to
    see this conference cluttered up with more DEC-bashing for not having
    immediate availability of Motif, one conference is sufficient for that
    purpose.

    Re: .1
    
    I concur regarding MOTIF and will post that part
    of my note in the OSF notes file.  
    
    Much of what is needed regarding the Server will be coming
    out in V2 but there are already too many Field Test sites.
    Thus, I am turning to you gurus out there for help

    
    Gosh, an awful lot of the server code seems to be very much a growth
    from the original sample-servers.  And the DIX code still seems to be
    pretty portable.  But I can't imagine that it makes any difference
    unless DEC is providing support for writing DECW$FOO_DDX_XX.EXE images
    by customers.  An interesting idea, but are we?  It would seem that any
    valid X11 server "should" work just fine on VMS.
    
    

Minor nit re.1:

	The ULTRIX PMAX servers don't use the common server code but
	the MIT code. If I'm not mistaken, they plan to get rid of the	
	common server code anyways, as at least R4 code from the X consortium
	will be a lot better in the DIX code.

Peter,

You might also want to look at 282.* (esp last few replies) about V2 support
for multi-head stations.  You might be able to encourage them to use multi-head
stations with our heads instead of/in addition to the 3rd party's.

Dick