From: fbm@ptcburp.ptcbu.oz.au (Farrell McKay)
Newsgroups: fj.mail-lists.x-window
Subject: ANNOUNCING Xcb - X cut buffers, version 2.0
Date: 4 Nov 92 21:33:48 GMT
Distribution: fj
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation

Date: 4 Nov 92 08:50:44 GMT
Message-Id: <1992Nov4.085044.9980@ptcburp.ptcbu.oz.au>
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d,comp.windows.x,alt.sources.d

Archive-name: xcb-2.0
Submitted-by: fbm@ptcburp.ptcbu.oz.au (Farrell McKay)

This is to announce the third release of xcb, an X11 program for
providing easy access to your X server cut buffers.

Xcb has now been ported to a wide variety of sites and environments.
This release is a complete rewrite of xcb, and adds several new
features.  See the README file below for some details.

You can obtain xcb by sending me an email message, or by ftp
from export.lcs.mit.edu (fetch the file contrib/xcb-2.0.tar.Z).
Xcb has also been posted to the comp.sources.x newsgroup, but there is
typically a large lead time for postings to appear in that newsgroup.

Many thanks go to all those people who took the time to send
back their comments/suggestions/patches after the last release.
Keep that feedback rolling in!

And once again, *be warned*, using this program can be addictive.  :-)

Enjoy.
Farrell.
--
      -m-------  Farrell McKay,                   fbm@ptcburp.oz.au
    ---mmm-----  Pyramid Technology Aust.,        ...!munnari!ptcburp.oz!fbm
  -----mmmmm---  Research Park, Bond University,  +61 75 950256
-------mmmmmmm-  Gold Coast, Qld 4229, AUSTRALIA  +61 75 722475 FAX
----------------------------- README -------------------------------------------

What is xcb?
============
Do you ever wish you could cut two or more separate pieces of text
at once from a window?  Do you ever need to save the output from one
command for reuse in several subsequent tasks?  Do you ever find
yourself wanting some easy means of globally exporting data, e.g.
to a parent shell, to another xterm or application, or to another
machine or user?  If you answer yes to any of these questions, then
xcb is for you.

Xcb provides access to the 8 cut buffers built into every X server.
It allows the buffers to be manipulated either via the command line,
or with the mouse in a point and click manner.  The buffers can be
used as holding pens to store and retrieve arbitrary data fragments,
so up to 8 different pieces of data can be saved and recalled later.
The program is designed primarily for use with textual data.

What is so good about this release?
===================================
This release is a complete rewrite of xcb.  The program is now based
on the X Toolkit library and uses an Athena form widget as a container
and geometry manager (this allows the cut buffer windows to be
arranged in any chosen geometry, and they can even be of differing
sizes).  The program can now be configured with an unlimited number
of cut buffers.  It supports X resource specifications in .Xdefaults
files, .xrdb files etc.  It uses translation tables for its actions,
so, for example, the mouse button bindings can be freely altered.
It also adds compatibility with XView 2.0 and 3.0 applications.
See the CHANGES file for a full list of modifications.

Yes, but has it been ported to WHIZ-IX 12.1A.00x, on SRS-80 27-bit CPUs?
========================================================================
Xcb has been ported to a wide variety of sites and systems.
In no particular order, the machines and operating systems known
to be running xcb include:-

	o  OSx (5.1a)  -  Pyramid MIS-2/02
	o  DC/OSx (1.0)  -  Pyramid MIServer-S 1/32 r3000
	o  AT&T SYSV (SVR3.2, SVR4)  -  i386, DG Aviion 5200
	o  HP-UX (lots of versions)  -  HP 9000/710,720,730,750
	o  SunOS (4.1)  -  Sun3, Sun4, Solbourne Series5, SPARCstations
	o  SPARC/OS (1.1)
	o  Irix (4.0)  -  SGI
	o  ULTRIX (4.2)  -  DECstations
	o  UNICOS (6.1)  -  Cray Y-MP
	o  ConvexOS (10.0.2)  -  Convex 3100
	o  DYNIX (V3.0.17.10)  -  Sequent Symmetry S81
	o  AIX (?)
	o  RISC/os (4.52)  -  MIPS
	o  Domain/OS (10.4)  -  Apollo DN3000, 3500, 4500, 5500
	o  Linux (0.96b)  -  i386


Xcb has been written to compile using both ANSI and non-ANSI compilers.
It is in use in both X11 R4 and R5 environments.  The current version
is built on top of the Xaw and Xt libraries.

Ok, where is it available?
==========================
Versions of xcb can be obtained.....

	o  from the comp.sources.x newsgroup, or any of its archive sites.
	o  or by ftp, from export.lcs.mit.edu in the file contrib/xcb-2.0.tar.Z
	o  or by sending me an email message.

So, it will compile, will it?
=============================
Yes!  The only compile time switch in the source is -DXVIEW.  If you
wish to cut and paste text between xcb and XView applications, you
should add this switch to the Imakefile or Makefile.std.

Also, AT&T SVR4 sites need libnsl.a during linking.  If you are using
SVR4, and you don't like Imakefiles, you will need to add -lnsl to the
LIBS in Makefile.std.

And how do I set the thing up?
==============================
That is pretty easy too.  Once you have compiled the program,
you can start using it straight away - just put it in your favourite
bin directory.  The program contains fallback resources so that it will
behave itself even if there are no X resource specifications for it to
feed on.  To install the program, plus its application defaults file, and
the man page, simply type 'make install install.man', after checking
the target directories for the install in the Imakefile/Makefile.std.

Who is to blame?  Where do I send complaints?
=============================================
Blame me.  The xcb factory is in the sunny Gold Coast region of
Queensland, Australia.  Don't bother trying to find us - even
the postman has trouble getting here sometimes.

If you ever get around to compiling and installing xcb on your machine,
please tell me.  I am interested in tracking the size of xcb's user base.
I am also interested in bug reports, porting problems, comments,
suggestions, patches, etc. etc.  If typing a mail message seems like
too much bother to you, then just run the "ack" script enclosed.  It
will do all the work for you.

Enjoy.
Farrell McKay (fbm@ptcburp.ptcbu.oz.au)
November 1992