Jul 98 Newsbits
Volume Number: 14
Issue Number: 7
Column Tag: Newsbits
July 1998 Newsbits
by Jessica Courtney
AppMaker Improves Support for Apple's Appearance
Manager; Announces Mac OS X "Carbon" Plans
Bowers Development announced that it is now shipping AppMaker CD #10. It is in the
mail to all current subscribers, domestic and international.
AppMaker's view editor and simulator more fully support Apple's Appearance
Manager. It supports more kinds of controls and more options, such as bevel buttons
with icon and text and menus; left and right icon buttons; clock controls; password
fields; group boxes with the 3D look and with checkbox or popup titles; and Apple's Tab
Panels.
Beyond building the user interface, AppMaker also helps users define the data engine
part of their programs. Users can define data items and connect them to user interface
items. AppMaker #10 supports more data types and also lets users define function
members. AppMaker generates accessor functions for the data and generates code to Get
and Set data values.
For PowerPlant, AppMaker generates the compatibility classes rather than the old GA
classes. PowerPlant at runtime decides whether to use the new Appearance controls or
the old GA classes. For C++, AppMaker now generates dialogs as classes rather than
procedural code. This provides the same UI-Data interaction formerly available only
with windows. It also simplifies some of the library code for handling dialogs.
The AppMaker-generated code is already more than 90% Carbon-compatible. Bowers
plans to support Navigation Services in a release later this year. The few remaining
incompatibilities will be updated as soon as Apple release new APIs.
http://members.aol.com/bowersdev/
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Web FM 4.0 SDK Now Available for FileMaker Pro 4.0
Developer Edition
Web Broadcasting is now shipping the WEB FM 4.0 Solutions Distribution Kit (SDK)
for FileMaker Pro 4.0 Developer Edition from FileMaker Inc.
WEB FM 4.0 SDK allows unlimited, royalty-free distribution of the WEB FM 4.0
plug-in with the Macintosh runtime database engine version of FileMaker Pro
Developer Edition (or FileMaker Pro 3.0 SDK). FileMaker Pro 4.0 Developer Edition
will include an enhanced version of the FileMaker Pro runtime binding engine, which
does not require end users to install a full copy of FileMaker Pro. With WEB FM 4.0
SDK, developers bind a version of WEB FM 4.0 to work with their run-time
application.
WEB FM 4.0 SDK provides FileMaker Pro developers with a fast,cost-effective way to
compete in the Internet product space and distribute customized World Wide Web
products to consumers. Enterprising FileMaker Pro developers can now distribute
their desktop applications and solutions as powerful Internet or Intranet applications
and solutions. Current products that use the runtime database engine of FileMaker Pro
and WEB FM SDK include Simply Surveys, LOG FM, and FM@iler.
Version 4.0 of WEB FM introduced easy-to-use, Internet standard Template files with
context-sensitive [field name] token support. A breakthrough, highly intelligent
parsing algorithm automatically selects pop-up/pull-down menu items and
automatically checks radio button or checkbox elements using database record
information. Other new, advanced features includes support for Virtual Hosts, add-on
Processors, and enhanced record-level security.
WEB FM 4.0 SDK includes the ability to assign auto-configured values for:
• Suffix
• Action
• Creator extension
• Settings file name
• And more...
WEB FM 4.0 SDK may be purchased direct from Web Broadcasting for $1495 until
July 31st, 1998. After July 31st, 1998, pricing will be $1995. Upgrades from WEB
FM 3.0 SDK are only $495.
http://webfm.com/
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Microspot To License 3D World Shared Library To Software
Developers
Microspot, longtime 3D developer, today announced the Microspot 3D World Developer
Partner Program. Many application developers could enhance their products by
including 3D, but this is a challenging and time consuming task. Microspot is now
offering developers, who join the Microspot 3D World Developer Partner Program,
access to 3D World 3.0 as a solution for Windows and Macintosh applications. Through
this program a developer may license code which is based upon Microspot's 3D World
3.0 due for release in July 1998.
3D World is designed as a completely modular 3D modeling and animation application.
It is comprised of an application shell, and a shared library (which acts as a C++
wrapper to QuickDraw 3D, and provides numerous utility routines to aid
development), functionality is add by way of plug-ins Microspot has written over 100
plug-ins which range from import and export to modeling to animation and navigation.
Being based on QuickDraw 3D enables 3D World to make use of high end QD3D plug-in
renders like those from LightWork Design. (See
http://www.diamondschmitt.com/beta4.html for examples of how a renowned
architect uses 3D World and LightWorks to produce awesome renderings of proposed
buildings).
Microspot is making available for license the 3D World Plug-in API, Application API,
Shared Library API, and C++ headers. Developers can license all or some of these
components to write their own 3D world plug-ins, 3D applications or to integrate 3D
into their existing applications. This enables them to address their own vertical
markets and include their own content.
Currently, there are four levels in the DPP program. Depending on the level at which
developers join, they will receive technical support help and a large number of
plug-ins to bundle with their application. Developers will be able to include a Powered
by 3D World logo on their box, so their users will recognize the technology that the
product is based upon.
http://www.microspot.com/dev
http://www.macsourcery.com
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Roundabout Logic, Inc. Ships Widgetizer 1.0
Roundabout Logic, Inc. announced that it is now shipping the final version of
Widgetizer 1.0, the ultimate tool for the creation of QuickTime VR Object Movies. The
shipping product features a fresh look, including a new logo and brilliant retail
package. Widgetizer 1.0 comes with a printed manual, as well as electronic tutorial
and extensive samples of QuickTime VR. As an added bonus, Apple's new QuickTime 3.0
PRO is included FREE.
Widgetizer is Roundabout Logic's peerless rapid object editor for QuickTime VR.
Widgetizer generates interactive QTVR object movies which look in at a central point,
simulating the effect of holding an object in the hand and turning it around to view it
from all angles.
Widgetizer 1.0 is the most advanced program available for producing interactive QTVR
Object movies for the web and multimedia presentations. The final exported QTVR
movies are playable on both Macintosh and Windows PCs. Widgetizer features a
user-friendly interface, definable hot-spots, custom backgrounds, frame-based
animation, sound integration, image editor and supports all cameras and device
software controlled QTVR object rigs. All the user adds is the creativity.
http://www.roundaboutlogic.com
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Mac OS Runtime for Java Debugging Update
The recent release of MRJ 2.1 early access 1 on the Apple & Java web site
http://developer.apple.com/java/ did not support debugging with either Metrowerks
CodeWarrior Pro or Symantec Visual Café. Apple has been working diligently to
remove this limitation and we now have an update that enables debugging with
Metrowerks CodeWarrior Pro 3. As soon as we have an update available for Symantec
Visual Café, we will make it available as well.
Note that this update does not work with earlier versions of CodeWarrior.
http://developer.apple.com/java/text/prerelease.html