Newsbits

By Neil Ticktin, Editor-in-Chief and, Raj Dosaj, Editorial Assistant

MacFortran II 3.2

Absoft Corporation is now shipping its new v3.2 release of MacFortran II. Features of the new 3.2 release include a revised MacFortran Runtime Window Environment (MRWE) that automatically creates a complete Macintosh interface for each compiled program. In addition to MRWE, MacFortran II v3.2 is the only Macintosh FORTRAN to offer a true 68040 code generation option specifically designed to exploit the full performance of the Macintosh Quadra series. The 68040 option, combined with Absoft's high speed 68040 math library, can increase execution speed by up to 200% over 68020/030 based Macintoshes.

Version 3.2 allows programmers to create applications that utilize the advanced features of System 7: Publish and Subscribe, Aliases, Apple Events, and Scripting. In addition, MacFortran II is compatible with a wide variety of 3rd party applications including Excel, AppMaker, Mathematica, Spyglass data visualization tools, and all MPW compatible tools and languages.

Bundled with the latest version of MPW, release 3.2 of MacFortran II includes new documentation covering use of the MPW editor and linker, Macintosh specific programming, and interfacing with other computing environments. A quick reference options guide is also included. Inexperienced or occasional FORTRAN users will find MacFortran II easy to learn, while experienced "power users" will appreciate its flexibility and wide range of options.

Retail price of MacFortran II v3.2 is $595.00. From now until May 15, 1993, updates are available directly from Absoft for $149.00 to owners on any FORTRAN product for the Macintosh.

For more information, contact Absoft, 2781 Bond Street, Rochester Hills, MI 48309, Voice: 313/853-0050, Fax: 313/853-0108.

MacWireFrame 4.0

Amplified Intelligence has recently released MacWireFrame Version 4.0. New features include solid modeling capabilities using filled polygons to achieve hidden line removal and shading, plus the ability to publish 3 dimensional objects using System 7's Edition Manager.

This solid modeling capability is built on top of MacWireFrame's 3 dimensional modeling capabilities which provide rotation translation, scaling, cutting, copying, pasting, and 3 dimensional components of 3 dimensional wireframes.

MacWireFrame includes a complete library of 3 dimensional graphics routines and an example application program both with complete source code. Retail price is $299.95, includes 50 page user's manual and 180 page programmer's guide.

For more information, contact Amplified Intelligence, P.O. Box 189279, Sacramento, CA 95818, Voice: 916/737-1550.

Safe source

One Tree Software is now shipping SourceSafe 2.1 for the Macintosh, a port of the popular PC-based version control system.

PC programmers have long used SourceSafe to coordinate multiple developers and track old versions of code. Among SourceSafe's features are its project oriented approach to version control, its ability to organize large systems and track shared code.

Running under the MPW command-line shell, SourceSafe 2.1 provides Macintosh developers with the same power, speed, and ease of use that DOS users have come to expect. More importantly, SourceSafe for Macintosh is 100% compatible with its PC counterpart, and even shares the same database, so a programmer can update a file on the Macintosh, and his changes will be reflected on the PC. Best of all, SourceSafe handles issues such as filename-length, resource forks, and end-of-line characters that differ between the PC and the Macintosh, so programmers can simply concentrate on coding.

SourceSafe for the Macintosh costs $295 for one user, $1,195 for five users, $1,995 for ten users, $3,795 for twenty, and $8,145 for fifty. The compatible products for DOS and Windows are sold separately.

For more information, contact One Tree, P.O. Box 11639, Raleigh, NC 27604, Voice: 800/397-2323, Fax: 919/821-5222.

Exception Handling

Koyn Software is now shipping Exceptions for C, a new library that provides exception handling resembling the Ada language for any ANSI standard compliant C compiler. Exceptions for C enhances clarity of programs by providing a uniform exception handling mechanism, allowing the bulk of error handling code to be moved away from the code to handle the normal case.

Any block of code may have an exception handler expressed as follows:

xc_with_handling

code for normal path of execution (exceptions may be raised here or in routines called from here.)

xc_on_exception handling code (exception handler)
 xc_end_exception

An exception occurs when either the raise() or xraise() (extended raise) routines is called. When either of these routines is called, control passes to the most recently established exception handler (which can be several function calls up the stack). When an exception handler is activated, information about the exception is passed to the handler. The xc_raise() call allows you to raise an exception by passing an exception code and message. The xc_raise() or xc_xraise() call activates the first handler up in the stack. A handler that does not recognize a particular exception code may pass the exception code to the nest handler up in the call stack by calling xc_reraise().

An alternate form of exception handling allows for the use of clean up code that executes regardless of whether there is an exception. When there is an exception, execution jumps directly to the clean up code. The syntax is as follows:

xc_with_handling
 code for formal path of execution
xc_cleanup
 cleanup code 
xc_end_cleanup

Single copy: $29.95, Site License: $29.95 for the first user + $5.95 for each additional user, minimum 5 users.

For more information, contact Koyn Software, 1754 Sprucedale, St. Louis, MO 63146, Voice: 314/878-9125.

MADA News

MADA is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with Mjolner Informatics of Aarhus, Denmark to be the exclusive publisher of the Macintosh version of the Mjolner BETA System in the U.S. and Canada, and non-exclusive distributor of the complete Mjolner BETA product line throughout the world. BETA is a new, powerful object-oriented development environment from the Scandinavian School of object orientation, the same research environment that developed the original object-oriented language Simula in the 1960s.

BETA has powerful abstraction mechanisms for classes, procedures, functions, coroutines, processes, and exceptions, all based on the same entity called a pattern. In addition, a programmer can specify virtual patterns (much like C++ virtual procedures) and subpatterns (much like subclasses) for each of the abstractions. BETA is the culmination of some of the most significant new design work in object-oriented technology in the last decade.

MADA has also announced the availability of a new CD-ROM to commemorate five years of the organization's championing of object-oriented technology. Titled "5 Years of Objects" the CD-ROM contains: a cumulative index for FrameWorks, the source code files and disk-based articles for all FrameWorks issues from Apr, 1991 to Jan, 1993; AppleLink MacApp technical archives from 1991 through 1993; a copy of Apple's official outstanding bug list for MacApp; demonstration versions of several object-oriented developer tools.

For more information, contact MADA, 10062 Miller Avenue, Suite 202B, Cupertino, CA 95014, Voice: 408/253-2765, Fax: 408/253-2767, AppleLink: MADA.

epsiTalk 2.0!

epsiTalk 2.0 adds simultaneous read & write multiuser access to HyperCard database stacks with record locking and instant update. The MultiMaker utility creates a client/server environment, and does not require a dedicated server. It analyzes the stack and creates a report to guide the scripter in multiuser conversion of their stack. It works with single and multiple background stacks. The Network Directory displays icons of epsiTalk Macs which you can call and connect to, and gives you access to what System, Mac type, running programs and available client stacks other Macs on network have.

epsiTalk also has built-in network messaging features like Electronic Mail, Instant Messages, real-time Meetings, and simultaneous background file transfer. It is fully extendable with HyperTalk. epsiTalk 2.0 AppleTalk XCMDs take advantage of HyperCard 2.x features, Apple's peer-peer connectivity, ADSP, 32-bit and internet support.

For more information, contact epsi Computer Systems, Inc., 11238 Kendale View, Delta, BC V4C 3P9, Canada, Voice: 604/589-4412, Fax: 604/589-4104, AppleLink: CDA0394.