C/C++ Sources

• IPC mechanisms: UNIX sockets, TLI, Named pipes (UNIX and NT), STREAM pipes
• Event multiplexing: select() and poll()
• Threads: Solaris, POSIX Pthreads, and Win32 threads
• Explicit dynamic linking facilities: dlopen/dlsym/dlclose
• Memory-mapped files: file access with the speed of RAM
• System V IPC: shared memory, semaphores, message queues
• Remote Procedure Calls: Sun RPC and GNU rpc++

Additionally ACE contains a higher-level network programming framework that integrates and enhances the lower-level C++ wrappers. This framework supports the dynamic configuration of concurrent network daemons composed of application services. This is similar to the "inetd" mechanism in Unix.

ACE is currently being used in a number of commercial products such as an ATM signaling softwaret, PBX monitoring, network management for mobile communications systems, and an enterprise-wide distributed medical imaging system for medical engineering.

Diffpack: object-oriented framework for PDEs

The "Diffpack home page" (http://www.nobjects.com/Diffpack/) organizes all related documentation and source code for the SINTEF Diffpack project at the University of Oslo (Norway). The goal of Diffpack is to develop a fully object-oriented framework in C++ for solution of partial differential equations (PDEs). PDEs often arise in the mathematical modeling of physical processes involving for example fluid mechanics or waves. The best demonstration of the power of Diffpack is to look at some of the successful application areas in which its used:

• Standard model PDEs
• 1D/2D/3D linear wave equation
• Convection-diffusion problems
• Boussinesq equations
• Two-phase porous media flow
• Nonlinear 3D wave equations
• Incompressible Navier-Stokes
• 2D/3D linear elasticity
• Stochastic ODEs
• Stochastic groundwater flow
• Solidification of alloys

Of course, the raw data from Diffpack is much more useful if you have something to visualize it with. Diffpack can interface with gnuPlot and plotmtv. You can even construct MPEG movies from multiple visualization frames. Fig. 2 shows a Diffpack visualization of a finite element based simulator for two-phase (oil/water) porous media flow.

Diffpack has been certified to run on any of the following environments: Hewlett Packard HP-UX 9.05 and C++ 3.50, Silicon Graphics IRIX 5.2 and C++ 3.2.1, Sun Sparc Solaris 2.3/SunOS 5.3 and C++ 4.0

Available on C/C++ Users Group CD-ROM

FRESCO: A Fresh Look at User-Interfaces

The Fresco Home Page (http://www.faslab.com/fresco/HomePage.html) is maintained by Denis Bohm and provides detailed documentation and source code on the Fresco user-interface system. Fresco is an object-oriented application programming interface (API) for graphical user interfaces, covering functionality in Xlib and Xt, and adding structured graphics and application embedding. The Fresco specification and sample implementation are under development by the X Consortium as an open, multi-vendor standard. Fresco offers a broad range of functionality, including low-level display and window management, structured graphics hierarchies, and UI widgets such as buttons and editors. An application may choose to use part of Fresco within another environment, such as using Fresco structured graphics capabilities from within Xt, or an application may choose to use Fresco solely. Fresco uses the CORBA standard object model, which allows for object distribution and provides a high-level Interface Definition Language (IDL). Fresco has been certified to run on the following platforms:

• SUN Sparc: Solaris 2.4, Sun C 3.0.1, X11
• MIPS: IRIX 5.2, C 3.2.1, X11
• Pentium: Windows NT 3.5, VC 2.0, X11
• Pentium: Windows NT 3.5 & Windows 95, VC 2.1, Win32
• PowerPC Macintosh

FOCUS ON SOFTWARE TOOLS

XWindows Software Tools Page

• makeAppDef: converts standard X11 App-defaults files to C
• ui2C: parses a user interface description file and generates C code
• xDev: generates C code for simulations in XWindows
• other XWindows code in C

Software Tools Page

C/C++ MAILBAG

np76ba@mail.telepac.pt writes:
    "Please, can you tell me where I can get a freeware version of C++.  I'm
    new and I would like to try and get some information about this
    language"

C/C++ Answer Man:
    Your first stop should be DJ Delore's home page where you can find out
    where to get the GNU C++ compiler (known by insiders as "g++").  Here's
    a link for you to try -- http://www.delorie.com/gnu/


kory@sodak.net writes:
    "I would like the Internet Header Files for Programming in c/c++."

C/C++ Answer Man:
    Well, its hard to tell you much without knowing the exact protocol
    that you want, but I can tell you that you can find all the Internet
    RFCs (Requests For Comment) at --
    http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/information/rfc.html
    Each RFC contains all of the constants and structures that you'll need
    and thus serves the same purpose as a header (.h) file.


ores@mad.servicom.es writes:
    "I am very much interested in C++ programming.  I have started to use
    the STL with G++ 2.7.0 and I am in troubles.  I thought this was a good
    point to find some help.  I would like to get news periodically about
    what's going on in the C++ world.  Thank you."

C/C++ Answer Man:
    Although I'm far from an expert on use of the Standard Template Library,
    there are plenty of folks out there who can give you a hand.  Here's a
    handful of STL pointers that may help you!

    Mummit's STL Newbie Guide
       http://www.xraylith.wisc.edu/~khan/software/stl/STL.newbie.html (164k)
    STL Web Site
       http://weber.u.washington.edu/~bytewave/bytewave_stl.html (2k)
    Standard Template Library
       http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~musser/stl.html (5k)
    STL Resources on th Web
       http://corsa.ucr.edu/~jcharvat/stl.html (2k)

    Please also read the September 1996 issue of C/C++ Users Journal coming,
    very soon, check http://www.cuj.com/ to subscribe.


clements_t@4j.lane.edu writes:
    "We would to know how to program a MUD with c++, and your help would
    be VERY helpful and appreaciated."

C/C++ Answer Man:
    There's two great freeware programs you should try out:
      * Mordor is a MUD server, which allows multiple individuals to log
        in and play. This is often called the driver or engine.
      * Muddle is a MUD client, and can be used by players to log into
        MUDs. It allows you to automate many functions of your character
        through a relatively simple scripting language.
    Both of these are written in C and can be found at
    http://moria.bio.uci.edu/req.html


jon@acm.org writes:
    "Right now I'm hunting for a grammar for C++"

C/C++ Answer Man:
    And well you might hunt for such a thing, even though it should be
    included with your compiler.  You'll find a pointer to a C++ grammar
    in the comp.lang.c++ FAQ.  Here's a pointer to the relevant portion
        http://osiris.sund.ac.uk/online/C++/part19#Q126


    The grammar can be accessed by anonymous ftp from the following sites:
     * ftp://ics.uci.edu/ftp/gnu/c++grammar2.0.tar.Z and
                                 byacc1.8.tar.Z
     * ftp://mach1.npac.syr.edu/ftp/pub/C++/c++grammar2.0.tar.Z and
                                 byacc1.8.tar.z

      Jim Roskind can be reached at jar@hq.ileaf.com