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aCupOfCoffee1.2beta.txt
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1996-04-16
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PRESS RELEASE: aCupOfCoffee 1.2 beta with demo of aCupOfCoffePro
-----------------------------------------------------------------
melonSoft Ralf Suckow Berlin e-mail: suckow@contrib.de
Koenigswinterstrasse 12 fax: (+4930) 5030 595
10318 Berlin, Germany
melonSoft announces availability of aCupOfCoffee 1.2 beta.
aCupOfCoffee is a Java Interface Builder for Sun's Abstract Windows
Toolkit (AWT), implemented as palette for the NEXTSTEP InterfaceBuilder.
NEW FEATURES:
--> AbsoluteLayout manager
Here's what Sun says about absolute layouts in its Java tutorial:
"Absolute positioning is usually unsuitable for applets and other
platform-independent programs, since the size of Components
can be different on different platforms."
This is not true anymore. With AbsoluteLayout manager, you get resizing
windows and components adapting to platform specific size, all that based
on the absolute positioning defined in InterfaceBuilder. This is possible
thanks to an algorithm called "regional resizing". AbsoluteLayout supports
the full set of constraints as defined in InterfaceBuilder's Size Inspector.
This way you can test resizing behaviour immediately in InterfaceBuilder.
--> Box class
Imagine a NEXTSTEP interface without the Box class. It's impossible.
Java interfaces were without box classes until yesterday. But not anymore.
The aCupOfCoffee Box class supports the full functionality of the Appkit
Box class, with the same layout. The creation of a Box class in the AWT is
difficult due to the platform-specific repainting behavior and since
transparent panels are not possible with the AWT, but the delivered
Box class shows that it is possible to work around these limitations.
--> For a number of smaller improvements (Components ordered in output,
test mode working around bug in IB, better event handler, custom imports,
an additional text field attribute) and fixes of all known bugs,
see the release notes, please.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK, so much about aCupOfCoffee 1.2. But that's not all.
Now, there is a companion palette for it called
aCupOfCoffeePro
Using this palette, the difference between using InterfaceBuilder
for Appkit development and Java development vanishes, almost.
--> Generic Custom Component
OK, thats not very surprising.
--> Generic Custom Object
Hey, what's that? What does that mean?
--> Class List (Class Information Repository)
You already got the idea?
--> Connection Inspector
For all standard and custom components and objects?
Define outlets and actions of your custom application classes as well
as user interface classes in a class repository.
Then link application objects and user interface objects together by
drawing lines between them and double-clicking on outlet and
action names to make the connection perfect. This works for standard
java components as well as for custom components. You can also make
connections from one interface component to another interface component,
or between two application objects.
There is no easier and more flexible way to link an application with
its user interface. NeXT's InterfaceBuilder is still the only GUI
development tool that supports this feature. And now you get it for Java.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For non-commercial use, aCupOfCoffee is free. Please see the README file
in the submission for more information about the use of aCupOfCoffee.
The beta software, including a demo of aCupOfCoffeePro, has been submitted to
ftp://ftp.informatik.uni-muenchen.de/pub/comp/platforms/next/Developer/resources
/palettes/aCupOfCoffee.1.2b2.NIHS.b.tar.gz
and
ftp://next-ftp.peak.org/pub/next/submissions/aCupOfCoffee.1.2b2.NIHS.tar.gz
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
For commercial purposes (including intranet applications or web pages of
commercial organizations) aCupOfCoffee comes at a retail price of US$299.
There is a special offer of US$99 valid until April 30, 1996.
The commercial price of aCupOfCoffee includes aCupOfCoffeePro.
For students, aCupOfCoffeePro is available at a price of US$10.
Ralf Suckow
---------------> The little green monster strikes again <-------------------
Java is a trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
NEXTSTEP is a trademark of NeXT Computer, Inc.
aCupOfCoffee is a trademark of melonSoft Ralf Suckow Berlin.
All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.