Nebula 1995 August/NEBULA.mdf/Documents/FAQ/Objective-C-faq/classes

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From: [e-mail] (Tiggr)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.objective-c,comp.answers,news.answers
Subject: comp.lang.objective-c FAQ, part 2/3: ClassWare Listing
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Followup-To: comp.lang.objective-c
Date: 17 Aug 1993 10:09:55 GMT
Organization: Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands
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Summary: This second part of the comp.lang.objective-c FAQ postings
        gives an overview of available class libraries.
Originator: [e-mail]
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu comp.lang.objective-c:1504 comp.answers:1639 news.answers:11485

Archive-name: Objective-C/classes
Version: $Id: classes,v 1.7 1993/08/17 10:05:56 tiggr Exp $



                Objective-C

                 ClassWare Listing



This is the second of three FAQ postings for comp.lang.objective-c.  This
posting lists available kits and classes, to aid the reader in answering the
question `to re-use or to re-invent?'.  In order to keep this list up to date
and as interesting and diverse as possible, send your additions, deletions
and suggestions to [e-mail].

The available classes and kits are categorized as follows:

    Stepstone    Stepstone libraries,
            for use with Stepstone's environment
    NeXT        NeXT kits, for use with NEXTSTEP
    FSF        FSF maintained/released classes
            for use with GNU CC
    Third Party    commercial classes
    GNU        classes released under the GPL
    Public Domain    public domain classes---!GPL


Stepstone

    Bundled with the compiler is ICpak 101---Foundation Class Library.
    Available separately for most systems are: ICpak 201---Graphical User
    Interface and ICpak 301---GRAPHpak

    Contact

    The Stepstone Corporation
    75 Glen Road
    Sandy Hook, CT 06482
    tel: [phone]
    fax: [phone]
    telex: 506127

NeXT

    Common Classes

    Several classes provided with NeXTSTEP do not belong to a specific
    kit: Object (core of the runtime system, root of the general class
    hierarchy), Storage, List (an abstract array), HashTable (to store
    (key, object) associations), StreamTable (to write data to streams)
    and NXStringTable (to store (key, string) associations).

    Application Kit

    The Application Kit defines a set of Objective-C classes and
    protocols, C functions, and assorted constants and data types that
    are used by virtually every NeXTSTEP application.  The pith of the
    Kit are the tools it provides for implementing a graphical,
    event-driven user interface:

        The Application Kit provides classes---most notably Window and
        View---that make drawing on the screen exquisitely succinct.
        Much of the unromantic work that's involved in
        drawing---communicating with hardware devices and screen
        buffers, clearing areas of the screen before drawing,
        coordinating overlapping drawing areas---is taken care of for
        you, letting you concentrate on the much more gratifying task of
        supplying code that simply draws.  And even this task is
        assisted by many of the other classes and a number of C
        functions that provide drawing code for you.

        The Application Kit makes event handling extremely simple.  The
        Responder class, from which many of the Kit's classes inherit,
        defines a mechanism by which the user's actions are passed to
        the objects in your application that can best respond to them.
        The Application class, which inherits from Responder,
        establishes the low-level connections that makes this system
        possible.  It provides methods that inform your application of
        watershed events, such as when the user makes the application
        active and inactive, and when the user logs out or turns off the
        computer.

    By using these tools, you bless your application with a look and
    feel that's similar to other applications, making it easier for the
    user to recognize and use.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "Application Kit"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    Database Kit

    The Database Kit provides a comprehensive set of tools, classes, and
    protocols for building applications that use a high-level
    entity-relationship model to manipulate database servers such as
    those provided by Oracle or Sybase.  The kit provides services that
    include:

        Communication with client-server databases.

        Modeling properties (attributes and relationships) of each
        database.

        Record management and buffering.

        Data flow between record managers and the application user
        interface.

        User interface objects for display and editing.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "Database Kit"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    Distributed Objects

    The Distributed Objects system provides a relatively simple way for
    applications to communicate with one another by allowing them to
    share Objective-C objects, even amongst applications running on
    different machines across a network.  They are useful for
    implementing client-server and cooperative applications.  The
    Distributed Objects system subsumes the network aspects of typical
    remote procedure call (RPC) programming, and allow an application to
    send messages to remote objects using ordinary Objective-C syntax.

    The Distributed Objects system takes the form of two classes,
    NXConnection and NXProxy.  NXConnection objects are primarily
    bookkeepers that manage resources passed between applications.
    NXProxy objects are local objects that represent remote objects.
    When a remote object is passed to your application, it is passed in
    the form of a proxy that stands in for the remote object; messages
    to the proxy are forwarded to the remote object, so for most intents
    and purposes the proxy can be treated as though it were the object
    itself.  Note that direct access to instance variables of the remote
    object isn't available through the proxy.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "Distributed Objects"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    Indexing Kit

    The Indexing Kit is a set of programmatic tools for managing data,
    especially the large amounts of data characteristic of information
    intensive applications.  Much as the Application Kit provides a
    framework for a graphical interface, the Indexing Kit provides a
    framework for data management.

    The Indexing Kit supplies facilities for building custom databases
    and for searching the UNIX file system.  Key benefits include
    guaranteed data integrity, excellent performance, thread-safe
    operation, tight integration with the NeXTSTEP programming
    environment, and the ability to efficiently store and retrieve
    Objective-C objects and unstructured data like text, sound, and
    images.

    The Indexing Kit consists of:

        A transaction-oriented foundation for storing and retrieving
        persistent data, using virtual memory mapping for efficient
        random access to parts of a file without reading or writing the
        entire file. Transactions guarantee data integrity on persistent
        storage media, and are also used to manage concurrent access to
        shared data.

        Fast sequential and associative access to stored data.
        Associative access is untyped, in that the programmer defines
        the data types of keys and their ordering by means of a
        comparison function or a format string.

        A simple data management capability based on the Objective-C
        run-time system.  Records can be moved efficiently between
        working memory and the storage substrate in the form of
        Objective-C objects.  Multiple indexes can be built over
        programmer-defined attributes, so that records can be ordered
        and retrieved by the values of their indexed attributes.

        A general query processing facility, including a declarative
        query language and its interpreter.  Queries can be applied to
        individual objects, to collections of objects, or to the
        attribute/value lists produced by Indexing Kit's customizable
        text processing tools.

        High-level file system searching facilities based on the
        supporting layers described above, including fast literal
        searching of file contents.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "Indexing Kit"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    Mach Kit

    The Mach Kit provides an object-oriented interface to some of the
    features of the Mach operating system.  At this time, it is most
    useful to applications that make use of the Distributed Objects
    system, since these applications rely upon Mach's message sending
    abilities to transport objects, ports, and data between processes.
    The Mach Kit may also be useful for drivers and multithreaded
    applications.  The Mach Kit provides several classes and protocols,
    listed below.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "Mach Kit"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    NextInfo Kit

    The NetInfo Kit is a collection of classes and a single function
    used to provide a connection to and interface with NetInfo domains.
    The NetInfo Kit provides classes for basic interface with a domain
    as well as specialized panels.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "NetInfo Kit"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    3D Kit

    The 3D Graphics Kit enables NeXTSTEP applications to model and
    render 3-dimensional scenes.  Much as the Application Kit's 2D
    graphics capabilities are based on the Display PostScript
    interpreter, the 3D Kit's capabilities are based on the Interactive
    RenderMan renderer.  There are both similarities and differences in
    the inner workings of the two implementations.

    One similarity is that both are implemented with a client-server
    model, in which client applications send drawing code to the Window
    Server, which does the actual drawing.  Another similarity is that
    N3DCamera---the 3D Kit's View---generates all drawing code, both 2D
    and 3D, when its drawSelf: method is invoked.  This keeps the
    Application Kit's display mechanism intact for both PostScript and
    RenderMan drawing.

    One difference in the implementations is in the code generated for
    drawing. For 2D drawing, a View sends PostScript code to the Window
    Server's Display PostScript interpreter.  For 3D drawing, a View
    sends RenderMan Interface Bytestream (RIB) code to the Window
    Server's Interactive RenderMan renderer.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "3D Graphics Kit"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    Sound Kit

    XXX

    NXLiveVideoView

    The NXLiveVideoView class provides API for interactive display of
    live video on the screen of a NeXTdimension Computer.  The
    NXLiveVideoView class specification provides a complete discussion
    of the NeXTdimension Computer's video capabilities and the API
    provided by NXLiveVideoView.

    (Introduction from the NeXTSTEP General Reference, "Video"
    reprinted with permission.  Copyright (c) 1993 NeXT Computer, Inc.
    All rights reserved.)

    Applications

    There are several classes which solely exist to enable the
    programmer to add functionality to specific existing NEXTSTEP
    applications:

        IBPalette, IBInspector

        These classes allow developers to expand the functionality
        of the Interface Builder application, creating their own
        palettes of objects that can be dragged into an interface,
        and inspectors to set and view the attributes of those
        objects.

        Layout

        This class allows developers to add their own modules to the
        Preferences application.

        WMInspector

        This class allows developers to add their own file contents
        inspectors to the Workspace Manager application.

    Other

    Before NeXTSTEP 3.0, MusicKit was distributed as part of NEXTSTEP.
    MusicKit is now maintained and made available by CCRMA (see the
    entry under `Public Domain Kits').  Also until the advent of
    NeXTSTEP 3.0, PhoneKit was part of NeXTSTEP.  PhoneKit classes
    provided easy to ISDN connections.

    Contact

    NeXT Computer Inc.
    XXX


FSF

    Object

    Currently, Object is the only class available from the FSF.  It
    comes as part of the Objective-C runtime library provided with the
    GNU CC compiler.

    Contact

    Free Software Foundation
    675 Massachusetts Avenue
    Cambridge, MA  02139
    [phone]


Third Party Kits

    Berkeley Productivity Group

    BPG BLOCKS

        BPG BLOCKS is an open extensible manufacturing framework which
        supports a variety of applications including factory definition,
        real-time tracking, real-time scheduling, short-term planning,
        shift scheduling, production planning and capacity analysis.
        BPG BLOCKS creates a virtual reality which represents the real
        factory including the people, machines, material, processes,
        their dynamics and interactions.  BPG BLOCKS is based on an easy
        to understand design where every software object represents
        either a real-world entity, or an important concept in the
        manufacturing domain.  BPG BLOCKS' object-oriented manufacturing
        model mirrors the real world, captures numerous manufacturing
        details accurately, supports commonly used abstractions, and
        allows decisions to be made based on aggregate information.  BPG
        BLOCKS forms the basis for building custom applications which
        meet the unique needs of your particular manufacturing
        facility.

    Contact

        Christopher Lozinski
            BPG
            35032 Maidstone Court
            Newark, CA 94560
            tel: [phone]
            fax: [phone]
            email: [e-mail]


    M. Onyschuk and Associates Inc.

    OBJECT:Math

        OBJECT:Math is a comprehensive set of tools and 23 Objective-C
        classes used to add extensible math and string handling to your
        custom and commercial applications:

        Compiler---The OBJECT:Math Compiler converts math and string
        expressions (as might be typed into a spreadsheet cell,
        plotting package, etc.) into Objective-C objects.

        Unbundler---The OBJECT:Math Unbundler object allows
        end-users to extend their OBJECT:Math applications with
        custom-built or third-party OBJECT:Math function bundles.

        User Interface Objects---OBJECT:Math comes complete with a
        Lotus Improv (TM) style function picker, a variable editor,
        and objects used to display OBJECT:Math expression trees and
        other tree structures.

        As product sources are available the product may even be of
        interest to non-NeXT Objective-C programmers

    Contact

        Mark Onyschuk
        M. Onyschuk and Associates Inc.
        tel: [phone]
        email: [e-mail]


    Stream Technologies Inc.

    Store

        Store is an Object Oriented User Level Virtual File System.
        It is described extensively in `Store - Object Oriented Virtual
        File System' by Timo Lehtinen, which is available by anonymous
        FTP to ftp.sti.fi as /pub/sti/doc/papers/store.ps.

    Contact

        Stream Technologies Inc.
        Valkj\"arventie 2
        SF-02130 Espoo
        Finland
        tel: [phone]
        fax: [phone]
        email: [e-mail]


Third Party Classes

    no information yet


GNU Kits

    no information yet


GNU Classes

    no information yet


Public Domain Kits

    CCRMA

    MusicKit

        The Music Kit3 provides tools for designing music
        applications. These tools address three topics: music
        representation, performance, and synthesis (digital sound
        generation and processing).  The Objective-C classes defined in
        the Music Kit fall neatly into these three areas.

        The design goal of the Music Kit is to combine the interactive
        gestural control of MIDI with the precise timbral control of
        MUSIC 5-type systems in an extensible, object-oriented
        environment. To this end, the Music Kit is capable of fully
        representing MIDI.  The Music Kit accepts MIDI in and can send
        MIDI out through the two serial ports at the back of the
        computer. Nonetheless, the Music Kit isn't limited by the MIDI
        specification; for example, its resolution of frequency and
        amplitude is much finer than MIDI's highly quantized values.

        The Music Kit generates sounds by sending synthesis instructions
        to the DSP.  The generality of the synthesis software far
        surpasses that of commercial synthesizers.  While most
        synthesizers employ only one type of synthesis-the Yamaha DX-7
        uses only frequency modulation, for example-the Music Kit can
        implement virtually any sound synthesis strategy.  And since the
        synthesis engine (the DSP) and the control stream are brought
        together in a single high-performance computer, the Music Kit
        makes possible an unprecedented level of expressive control.
        (from Documentation/MusicKit+DSP/General/SoundMusicDSP.rtfd)

        MusicKit used to be supplied by NeXT as part of NeXTSTEP (pre
        3.0).  It is now maintained by CCRMA and available by FTP from
        ccrma-ftp.stanford.edu.  There are two packages:

        pub/MusicKit_3.1.pkg.tar

            Class library, header files, documentation, programming
            examples, and a suite of applications (size = 7.38MB).

        pub/MusicKitSource_3.1.pkg.tar
            Source of the MusicKit class library (size = 5.5MB).

        and some other related files:

        22333 May 27  1993 MusicKit-NWExpo93.rtf
         2379 Feb 14  1993 MusicKit.README
        60293 Dec  8  1992 MusicKit_3.1_KnownBugs

    Contact

        email: [e-mail]


Public Domain Classes

    no information yet


ADMINISTRATIVIA

    The information in this file comes AS IS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.  You may
    use the information contained in this file or distribute this file, as
    long as you do not modify it, make money out of it or take the credits.

The first version of this FAQ was written by Bill Shirly, helped by the
feedback and information given to him by a lot of people.  The current
version is maintained by Tiggr, supported by feedback from Glen Diener,
Christopher Lozinski and a lot of other people.  Mail your bug reports,
comments, suggestions and additions to [e-mail].
--
--Tiggr