PCTE is now recognized as a good basis for the construction of software engineering environments. Recent studies in the development of PCTE-based graphical user interfaces have shown that the built-in PCTE User Interface is inadequate for many applications, particularly in the context of the X Window System, which is becoming a de facto standard. The paper gives the results of a study of PCTE and of experiments carried out in getting an implementation of PCTE to work with the X Window System. These experiments have been performed as part of work done in assessing the feasibility of using PCTE with X-based user interface development tools. The results are encouraging.
user interfaces, windowing system, object management system, co-operation
The paper is concerned with the development of procedures which facilitate co-operation between the X Window System and the portable common tool environment (PCTE) in the context of building graphical user interfaces. The major features of X and PCTE are outlined briefly, followed by discussion on the feasibility of using PCTE with X-based user interface development tools.
The X Window System ~ is a portable, networktransparent window system which is gaining wide acceptance in industry. It has become a de facto standard and is used extensively in the development of graphical user interfaces. The X Window System and associated toolkits can be used on a variety of machines with raster display devices, ranging from monochrome frame buffers to true colour graphics processors. X allows programs to display windows containing text and graphics on any hardware that supports the X protocol without modifying, recompiling, or relinking the application. This has enabled X-based applications to be used in a heterogeneous environment consisting of mainframes, workstations and personal computers through network connection.
One of the most important philosophical points about X is 'to provide hooks rather than religion'. That is to say, all functionalities necessary for base window