Feb 93 Newsbits
Volume Number: 9
Issue Number: 2
Column Tag: Newsbits
By Neil Ticktin, Editor-in-Chief
Neuron Data’s Open Interface Supports Windows NT
Neuron Data, Inc. has announced Open Interface’s support of the Microsoft
Windows NT™ operating system. Neuron Data Open Interface is a GUI development tool
that provides application portability across all standard windowing environments,
including: Windows, Windows NT, Motif, Presentation Manager, Open Look, and
Macintosh. Available on over 20 platforms.
For more information, contact Neuron Data, Inc., 156 University Avenue, Palo
Alto, California 94301, Voice: 415/321-4488, Fax: 415/321-9648.
Storm Technology Ships Image Handling Tools
Storm Technology® announces the release of its new version of PicturePress®
software. PicturePress 2.5 is a suite of essential image handling tools for the
Macintosh® computer designed to accelerate and simplify the use of color images.
PicturePress 2.5 offers image file compression, conversion to various color
modes, bit depths and file formats, and basic image management features including
caption text and thumbnails. The PicturePress product line supports the full baseline
JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert’s Group) image compression standard.
PicturePress is Apple Events-savvy and functions can be scripted under System
7. Frontier Runtime™ from UserLand Software and scripts are included with
PicturePress, enabling color imaging professionals to automate their image handling
operations. Users can simply drag and drop files to be converted into a designated
folder and PicturePress will automatically process the images in the background, then
deliver them to another folder for use by anyone on the network. Users can automate
many image related operations by purchasing UserLand Frontier™ development
software for writing custom scripts that integrate PicturePress and other Apple
events-aware applications.
PicturePress 2.5 incorporates Storm Technology’s new software compression
engine. PicturePress 2.5 facilitates file compatibility across Macintosh and MS-DOS
platforms by supporting JPEG, TIFF, and EPS file formats. PicturePress reads and
writes the popular Macintosh PICT format and creates EPS and EPS-JPEG files for
output.
PicturePress is the first application to generate 24-bit PICT-JPEG previews for
EPS and EPS-JPEG files by using QuickTime™. Users of page layout programs will see
higher quality previews by using PICT-JPEG, and will save disk space because a
compressed 24-bit preview requires significantly less storage space than an 8-bit
PICT preview.
PicturePress includes a plug-in module for Adobe Photoshop that provides JPEG
image compression and decompression for gray-scale, RGB, and CMYK images. With
the plug-in, users can save Photoshop paths, a clipping path, caption text, and a
thumbnail - a small representation of the image that serves as a visual identifier -
with their image. PicturePress software can be accelerated by SuperMac Technology’s
ThunderStorm™ Accelerator and DayStar Digital’s Charger™. These accelerator cards
deliver 60 MIPS (million instructions per second) of power.
PicturePress software has a suggested list price of $199. Registered
PicturePress customers will be able to upgrade their software directly from Storm
Technology for only $59.
Also included with PicturePress are PictureDecomPress, QuickPress, and Apple
QuickTime 1.5. PictureDecomPress is a decompression-only application that enables
users to decompress and view JPEG images, and save them as PICT or TIFF files.
PictureDecomPress may be distributed by users with their PicturePress compressed
images. QuickPress is Storm Technology’s QuickTime JPEG compressor component that
routes all QuickTime JPEG calls through a PhotoFlash, Charger, or ThunderStorm
accelerator, resulting in faster performance and higher quality than Apple’s
Photo-JPEG compressor. QuickPress has a suggested list price of $69.
For more information, contact Storm Technology, 1861 Landings Drive,
Mountain View, California 94043, Voice: 415/691-6600, Fax: 415/691-9825,
AppleLink: STORMTECH.
Working Software’s Writeswell Jr. and Last Resort Programmer’s Edition
Working Software, Inc. has released a free Apple Events word processor for the
Macintosh. Writeswell Jr. is a small text-editing word-processor intended as a useful
utility and to demonstrate Apple Events and the Word Services Suite. The Word
Services Suite was developed by Working Software and is endorsed by Apple as the
public standard protocol for interaction between programs that handle text processing,
such as spelling checkers and grammar checkers. Writeswell Jr. supports all related
Apple Events to open, save and print documents, and control the font and style of text on
the screen.
Working Software also provides the Writeswell Jr. source code on the program
disk. This source code demonstrates the use of Apple Events and the Word Services
Suite, and facilitates developer implementation of the Word Services Suite in
applications.
Working Software also ships Last Resort which records every keystroke to a file
on your hard disk. If something goes wrong (because of a power failure, system crash,
forgetting to save or deleting lines) and you lose a word, phrase, or document you can
look in the Last Resort keystroke file and recover what you typed. The Programmer’s
Edition records mouse events and control keys (as well as every keystroke) to a file on
your hard disk. This is e specially useful for program testers, and for technical
support and help desks.
For more information, contact Working Software Inc., PO Box 1844, Santa Cruz,
California 95061-1844, Voice: 408-423-5699.
ACI Ships 4th Dimension 3.0
After months of anticipation, ACI has shipped both 4th Dimension 3.0. 4D 3.0
has been designed to increase user productivity and efficiency when performing the
same variety of reliable data management tasks as previous versions. And with the
addition of over 140 new features to Version 3.0, 4D's appeal to a broad spectrum of
users has been further strengthened. Any 4D 2.0 database can be opened and used with
4D 3.0; the conversion is done automatically.
4D Dimension 3.0 is the first desktop relational database with its own built-in
multi-tasking system that allows even casual users to perform multiple tasks
simulatneously. For example, with 4D 3.0, users can import data, print reports and
design custom forms at the same time, all without programming.
4D 3.0 also cuts development time by letting users edit database objects while
the objects are in use. Database designers can test both stylistic and functional changes
without having to close one window and open another.
4D 3.0 provides the easiest and most complete implementation of multiple
windws for database applications. Thanks to 4D 3.0’s multi-tasking system, each
window is active, independent and controlled by a separate, independent process. One
process can even “talk” to another. Using inter-process communication, actions in
one window can update data in another automatically.
For more information, contact ACI US, Inc., 10351 Bubb Road, Cupertino,
California 95014, Voice: 408/252-444, Fax: 408/252-0831, AppleLink: D4444.
New Version of BBEdit
BBEdit 2.2 is now available from an archive site, information service, or BBS
near you! BBEdit 2.2 includes the following new functionality:
Support for the MPW ToolServer scripting back-end. Support for the MPW
“411” Toolbox programming reference. Import and Export of popular
word-processor formats via the Claris XTND system. Built-in “Compare” for
determining differences between files. Improved text-manipulation capabilities.
Support for programmer-defined external code resources. Improved User Interface.
Improved support for MPW Projector. Automatic translation of DOS and Unix-format
text files. Various bug fixes and performance improvements.
BBEdit is available immediately from most popular Internet archive sites, as
well as CompuServe, America Online, and various other information services and
BBSs.
Full documentation is now included with the distribution package in
machine-readable form. Printed copies can be ordered.
To obtain BBEdit 2.2, download it from your favorite site, or send an 800K
floppy and self-addressed stamped disk mailer to the address given above.
Alternatively, simply send five dollars, and the disk and mailer will be provided for
you.
For more information, contact Rich Siegel, 1 Larkspur Way, #4, Natick,
Massachusetts 01760, Internet: siegel@world.std.com, Voice: 415/321-4488, Fax:
415/321-9648.