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From: greg@vecpyr.UUCP (Greg Millar)
Newsgroups: net.graphics
Subject: Re: Language bindings for GKS and VDI (VDM?)
Message-ID: <124@vecpyr.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 9-Mar-85 00:55:37 EST
Article-I.D.: vecpyr.124
Posted: Sat Mar  9 00:55:37 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Mar-85 07:17:23 EST
References: <423@cadovax.UUCP>
Organization: Visual Engineering, San Jose, Calif
Lines: 50

> I'm trying to find out what the least painless method of obtaining
> information on GKS language bindings for 'C', Pascal, and (gasp) Basic
> or at least what state they are now in, if not the specific bindings
> themselves.  GKS appears to have gone through so many different hands,
> it seems as if no one standards commitee is carrying the ball.  And
> I have no idea what it is like to deal with any of the commitees, or
> where I can get in touch with who I'd need to contact to get copies
> of the standards.

There is a C binding for GKS out now, but it has not been fully approved yet.
The last set of changes were quite minor.  You can get any of the binding 
specs from ANSI in New York (I don't have the address on hand).  

Visual Engineering's GKS (Visual:GKS) uses this proposed GKS binding, which 
is quite firm at this point.  It has provisions for long and short function
names also.

I don't think there is a Pascal binding done yet, but I have heard there
is a BASIC binding. There is a FORTRAN binding.

> In addition, I'm also trying to get whatever information I can on VDI, which
> I heard rumored is being re-named VDM.  I do get the definite impression that
> it is not cast in concrete yet, which may mean all I could obtain is 
> preliminary specs.  Anything would help at this stage though.

VDI/VDM (Virtual Device Interface/Metafile) is now being called 
CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) because there is a European Company
named VDI (at least this is what I hear) that doesn't want to share
the name.  The VDI saga is quite a mess.  The ANSI group has taken it
upon itself to make VDI into a package like GKS (a higher level graphics
development package, NOT a Virtual Device Interface, as it was supposed
to be originally).  The "standard" has been in such flux that no two
VDI's are the same (a standard??).
 
On the other hand the GKS standard is very solid. We have had 
customers link GKS test programs (in C) to Visual:GKS and another
GKS that uses the ANSI C binding with no problem!  VDI won't do that
right now.

It is too bad because a standard VDI would be nice to have, but don't
hold your breath.

		
			Greg Millar

			...{ucbvax,decwrl}!dual!vecpyr!greg
			Visual Engineering, Inc.  
			2680 N. First
			San Jose, CA 95134
			(408) 945-9055