From: M. Nutter <manutter@grove.iup.edu>
Subject: Re: What is Prograph(TW)?
Organization: iup
X-Xxdate: Thu, 27 Aug 92 21:43:23 GMT
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d7
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 20:41:10 GMT
X-Posted-From: mozart.cc.iup.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <2951@voodoo.UUCP> Tom Locke, toml@voodoo.boeing.com writes:
>I am interested in finding out what Prograph is all about. I've
>just got an offer from TGS Systems of Prograph for $199.  Is it
>a good deal? But my question is: Can I use Prograph to create
>any type of programs I want? Can it generate C code?
>Or should I just ignore it and get a Think C (or MPW...) for 
>pure Macintosh programming environment?
>E-mail or post is welcome.
>
>Thanks a lot
>-- 
>Tom Locke                         Work: (206) 865-6568
>Boeing Computer Services        E-mail: toml@voodoo.boeing.com 
>P.O. Box 24346  M/S 7K-20           or: uunet!bcstec!voodoo!toml
>Seattle, WA  98124-0346

Prograph is an interpreter/editor/compiler for the Prograph programming
language.  The language itself is object-oriented, dataflow-oriented,
and icon-based.  The package includes a complete application shell, a
flexible ISAM database engine, and support for all functions in IM I-VI,
including a simple means of adding balloon help to any menu, button, or
other control-type item.

The Prograph compiler will generate standalone double-clickable Macintosh
applications.  The Interpreter/Editor lets you design and implement your
applications in a development environment that will actually let you add
code to your application *while it is running*!  This is the feature that
has always impressed me the most.  I can use the built-in Application
editor
to add a menu item to my app, run the app, and select the new item, and
Prograph
will stop, inform me that there is no code for that operation, and then
let
me add the code on-the-fly, so to speak, with live, viewable/editable
variables
and everything.

Prograph is a complete programming language for application development,
and
there are facilities for writing external commands (XPRIMS) and for
interfacing
Pascal and C libraries for use in Prograph applications.  Prograph will
NOT
generate C code (though you can get the compiler to generate an assembly
listing of your code), and it will NOT generate DA's, code resources, or
anything else besides full-blown applications.

If you include the application shell, your programs will compile to about
a
200-300K application, minimum.  Since Prograph includes all Mac Toolbox
calls,
however, you don't have to include the shell if you don't want to.  I have
used Prograph to create working, minimal-interface-type programs of about
20-30K.

I think the $199 price is a pretty good deal provided you are looking
primarily for an application-development environment, and not for
a code-resource generator/DA maker, etc.  The database engine is nice,
and it
is royalty free, like any app you create with Prograph.  TGS Systems has
telephone tech support, and also subscribes to the Info-Prograph
discussion
list (send mail to info-prograph-request@grove.iup.edu) where they
answer (so far) all questions posted by Prograph users on the list.

MacUser gave Prograph 4 mice in this month's issue (p. 76, Oct '92).

+------------------------------------+
| Mark Nutter                        |
| manutter@grove.iup.edu             |
+------------------------------------+
| Apple Support Manager              |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
| G-4 Stright, Indiana, PA 15705     |
+------------------------------------+
| Bonus question:  Which of these    |
|   two statements is correct?       |
|     A) Statement "B" is false.     |
|     B) Statement "A" is true.      |
+------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer