George Vanous (Delta, BC) submits his library of essential and efficient C-callable functions. Although oriented towards MS-DOS, many of the algorithms are relevant on other platforms such as Windows and Unix. BESTLibrary consists of 282 functions coded in assembler and 68 functions written in C. All calls require far pointers (e.g. Large memory model). The library functions are roughly categorized as:
BESTLibrary is freeware, but the author would like to hear all comments from users of the library (email or postcards). The CUG Library distribution includes code for the 68 functions with C source. For the source to the assembly language portion, you must register with the author for a nominal fee of $10. BESTLibrary v2.32 (released 09/12/94) is immediately available as CUG #440.
George Vanous' also submits his VGA Editor for editing and animating graphics images with full mouse support. The VGA Editor creates graphics files that are fully portable into C and Pascal programs in conjunction with BESTLibrary (CUG #440). The editor is ideal for drawing small pictures and animations for use with 16-color VGA modes. VGA Editor will also read in Windows .ICO files for editing (but does not yet support writing them). The editor can accomodate multiple-frame animations in a single editing session. Fig. 1 shows the zoom style of editing on a single frame.
VGA Editor is distributed as shareware and you must register the product if you find it worthy of continued use. Registration is only $5 and includes complete documentation on the operation of VGA Editor and integrating graphics into your programs. Addtionally, the complete C source code for VGA Edtor is also available for $10.
Ted Jensen (Redwood City, CA) has contributed his manuscript "A Tutorial on Pointers and Arrays in C" to help novice C programmers learn proper usage of these critical language elements. Looking back to my own apprenticeship in C more than 10 years ago, I still have vivid memories of my trials with pointers. Jensen's work is based on a tutorial originally found in Bob Stout's popular "SNIPPETS" C code collection.
Jensen provides ten chapters of tutorial information which is profusely illustrated with detailed source code, as shown below:
Version 0.2 of the tutorial (released 12/19/95) is immediately available as CUG #442.
Martin Steppler (Aachen University of Technology, Germany) submits the Communication Networks Class Library (CNCL), a C++ library created by the Communication Networks department of Aachen. CNCL is both a class library featuring generic C++ classes as well as a simulation library with strong points in random number generation, statistics, and event-driven simulation.
CNCL is distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 2, and thus includes source code. Although the graphics require DEC Ultrix, the remaining classes should work fine with any GNU compatible C++ compiler. PC users MUST obtain WinZip or similar utility to unpack the files which are Tarred and Zipped (.TZ). CNCL v1.4 (released 01/05/96) is immediately available as CUG #442.
Mendel Cooper (Grantsville, MD) contributes a volume of MS-DOS games: Wordy, ChessClock, and Chaos Game. Wordy is an educational word-game study system that builds pattern and word recognition skills used in Scrabble (tm) and Boggle (tm). The Wordy practice game checks words you unscramble against a 100,000 word dictionary. Wordy also includes standalone Search, Anagram, UnScramble, and word-pattern find utilities. A BINGO utility looks up all valid permutations of letters of a word. The 1DIF utility finds all legal words constructed by substituting a single letter. WORDY received a five-star (highest possible) rating in PC COMPUTING magazine (December 1995, p. 365).
ChessClock includes a digital display, move counter, pause function, and more. It requires VGA and 386 or better to run. Its also useful for timing Scrabble (tm) games because the clocks may be paused.
One of the discoveries of the new science of Chaos is that there seems to be an underlying order in randomness. The Chaos Game uses the Sierpinsky Gasket, a figure with a fractal dimension of less than two (see Fig. 2). Requires VGA and 386 or better to run.
The CUG Library edition includes full Borland C/C++ source code for each program. Each of Mendel's programs is shareware with an extremely low registration fee (less than $5) for each program. Mendel's Games (released 12/22/95) is immediately available as CUG #445.
Mendel's second volume includes an eclectic mixture of ten different text and graphics utility and algorithm demonstrations. Here's a list of what you'll find:
The CUG Library edition includes full Borland C/C++ source code for each program. Each of Mendel's programs is shareware with an extremely low registration fee (less than $5) for each program. Mendel's Utilities (released 12/22/95) is immediately available as CUG #445.
