From: suit@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU (The Simple User Interface Toolkit) Subject: TECH: Easy-to-Learn, Portable, GUI toolkit Date: 14 Sep 92 12:41:34 GMT Organization: UVa Computer Science Dept. Crosspost from comp.sys.mac.announce SUIT The Simple User Interface Toolkit is now available for anonymous FTP. Copyright 1990, 1991, 1992, the University of Virginia --------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Is SUIT? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUIT is a standard library of GUI screen components (buttons, menus, sliders, etc.), and allows *interactive layout* and specification of user interfaces even while the application runs. SUIT is portable. Programs using SUIT are written in ANSI-C, and run across all platforms with exactly the same source code. Currently, SUIT runs on: * UNIX/X platforms: SPARC, SGI, IBM RS/6000, DECSTATION, Sun3 * Color Macintosh & Macintosh Powerbooks * DOS 5.0 * MS-Windows 3.1 This file contains information about what SUIT is, who uses it, where to go if you need help with SUIT and of course, what you need to do to get SUIT installed where you are. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why SUIT? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After experiences with other GUI toolkits, we found them all TOO HARD TO LEARN, and have spent the last two years building a system that is easy to learn. How easy? We've documented that undergraduates can use SUIT productively after 2 hours with our ten page tutorial. We also have a 160 page detailed reference manual, and tons of example programs that show how to use various widgets and features. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who Uses SUIT? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUIT has already been used at a large number of beta sites; to help convince you that SUIT isn't "flakeware," we are asking for "soliticed testimonials" from SUIT users, vouching for SUIT's stability and ease of use. Look for them on this newsgroup. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who Can Get SUIT? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUIT, including all its source code, is available without charge to Universities and other non-profit institutions. For-profit organizations can license SUIT for a hefty fee (site licenses only; money is used to support students doing SUIT maintenance. Email suit@uvacs.cs.virginia.edu if you'd like to license SUIT.) No one may redistribute SUIT without our express written permission, although executable programs built with SUIT may be redistributed. Anyone may ftp SUIT for evaluation purposes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Do I Need At My Site In Order To Use SUIT? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This depends on the platform you will use: UNIX/X: You will need at least X11R4 and gcc 2.1 or later or any ANSI-compatible C compiler. (If all you have is gcc 1.3X, send us mail. 'gcc -v' is how to find out what you have). On the RS6000, SUIT is known to work with version 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 of the operating system and version 1.1 of the xlc compiler. MAC: System 6.0 or 7.0 and Think C 5.0 DOS: DOS version 5.0 and Borland C++ version 3.1 WINDOWS: Microsoft Windows 3.1 and Borland C++ version 3.1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Do I Get SUIT? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting SUIT is easy: below are instructions for getting the SUIT demo program and a README file that walks you through some of SUIT's most powerful features. This README also shows you how to get the entire SUIT distribution. The more verbose set of instructions included below is also available by typing finger suit@uvacs.cs.virginia.edu Short Instructions For Wizards: ------------------------------- anonymous ftp to 128.143.8.100 cd pub/suit/demo/{sparc,dec,etc} <----- your platform type here get README get demo.sui get demo (on DOS & MS windows, this is demo.exe) remember to use binary transfer Full Details For Normal People: ------------------------------- The demo is made up of the following files: demo -- an executable demo program (demo.exe on DOS/Windows platforms) demo.sui -- a support data file that demo needs README -- an ASCII text file that explains SUIT and tells how to get the whole SUIT distribution The files are in the directory pub/suit/demo/ where is one of the following supported architectures: sparc sun3 rs6000 sgi (note: this version uses X-windows, not "straight GL") dec dos windows_3.1 mac (these files are binhexed) Download these three files and run demo program (detailed directions are below, if you need them). If you like the demo, the README file has step by step instructions for getting the entire SUIT distribution. Again, thanks for your interest in SUIT. ---- The SUIT Development Team ================================================= DETAILED DIRECTIONS FOR DOWNLOADING THE SUIT DEMO: ================================================= ------------------------------ 1.) Initiate ftp to our machine at UVa. Type the following command: ftp 128.143.8.100 You should see something that looks like: Connected to 128.143.8.100. 220 server0 FTP server (Version 6.10 Tue Mar 17 09:07:50 EST 1992) ready. Name (128.143.8.100:CookieMonster): where "CookieMonster" is your login ID. ------------------------------ 2.) Log in to our machine at UVa. At the prompt, type: anonymous You should see something like this: 331 Guest login ok, send ident as password. Password: ------------------------------ 3.) Type in your local login ID as a courtesy. This will not be echoed back to you, so don't panic. You will see: 230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply. ftp> ------------------------------ 4.) Set the transfer mode to binary. Type: binary ------------------------------ 5.) Change to the SUIT demo directory. Type: cd /pub/suit/demo ------------------------------ 6.) Change into the directory for your machine type choices are: sparc sun3 Type: cd sparc OR cd sun3 ETC.. ------------------------------ 7.) Get the files. Type: get README get demo.sui get demo demo is a big file. It might take some time. ------------------------------ 8.) Quit ftp Type: quit ------------------------------ 9.) Make the file runnable: Type: chmod ugo+x demo ------------------------------ 10.) For Unix users: Get into X windows, if you are not already there ------------------------------ 11.) Run the demo Type: demo And read the README file, which will tell you how to interact with the demo program. ======================================================================== --------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Do I Get SUIT Help? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As we said, SUIT comes with a 160 page reference manual and lots of example programs. If you need more help, you can sign up to the SUIT mailing list. Just send mail to suit-users-request@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU to sign up for the mailing list. After that, you can post messages to the mailing list after you're signed up by sending mail to suit-users@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU If you need to talk to one of the SUIT implementors directly, you can send mail to: suit@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU We can usually get a response to you in about 48 hours. ========================================================================= We hope you give SUIT a try. If you want more information about SUIT, or have questions that are not answered here, please feel free to send us mail. We are eager to hear your suggestions and comments. -- The SUIT Team ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _____ _ _ _____ _______ / ____) | | | | (_ _) (__ __) the Simple User Interface Toolkit / / | | | | | | | | \ \___ | | | | | | | | developed at \___ \ | | | | | | | | Computer Science Department \ \ | | | | | | | | University of Virginia ____/ / \ \__/ / _| |_ | | (_____/ \____/ (_____) |_| e-mail: suit@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU -------------------------------------------------------------------------------