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Article #649Re: XTANGO: Where to get?
From: John Stasko
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:03
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:03
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3859 bytes
In article <1992Dec8.041709.8598@nuscc.nus.sg> isc10295@nusunix1.nus.sg (QUEK KENG OEI) writes: > > Apologies if this is a FAQ but where can I get a copy of Xtango? >I'll also like to know its licencing policy. > Thanks in advance. > Below is a little info blurb about xtango. It has ftp info, etc. Please note that I will be putting a new release of the system on the ftp around the end of December. Version 1.42 is currently there, 1.43 will be the new one. --John ------------ XTANGO is a general purpose algorithm animation system that supports programmers developing color, real-time, 2 & 1/2 dimensional, smooth animations of their own algorithms and programs. The focus of the system is on ease-of-use. XTANGO utilizes the path-transition animation paradigm which helps move animation design to an abstract, high level. Programmers need not be graphics experts to develop their own animations. The basic process of animation consists of implementing the algorithm in C (another language can be used, but it must just produce a trace file which is read by a C program driver) and then deciding on the important events to be portrayed during the execution of the algorithm. These events then activate animation routines implemented in a separate file using the XTANGO animation package to create and manipulate objects (circles, squares, lines, and so on). Transitions on objects include movement, color change, resizing, and filling, as well as others. For example, the animation for binary search consists of a series of rectangles, each representaing one of the elements being searched. A bouncing circle hits the current dividing element, which changes color. The ball then bounces to the next dividing element and continues to do this until the desired element has been found. To learn more about XTANGO, see the September 1990 issue of IEEE Computer which has an article about the TANGO system, a descendant of XTANGO. XTANGO is implemented on top of UNIX and the X11 Window System. It can be run on either color or black-and-white monitors. XTANGO is available for use via anonymous ftp from par.cc.gatech.edu (130.207.119.254). To acquire it, do the following: % ftp par.cc.gatech.edu login: ftp password: yourname@yoursite > cd pub > binary > get xtango.tar.Z > quit Then uncompress the file (% uncompress xtango.tar.Z) and tar it out (% tar xvf xtango.tar). This will create a directory called xtango with all the appropriate files. From there, examine the file README in that directory and just follow directions from there. The distribution includes source, documentation, and a directory of over 40 sample animations. Over 400 sites have accessed the system since it was set out for anonymous ftp in early 1991. To be put on a mailing list about the system, to suggest new algorithms to be animated, or to just ask questions about XTANGO, please direct correspondence to John Stasko via the address below. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Stasko, Assistant Professor Graphics, Viz., and Usability Center College of Computing (404) 853-9386 Georgia Institute of Technology Internet: stasko@cc.gatech.edu Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0280 uucp: ...!gatech!cc!stasko
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Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.apps Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!gatech!cc.gatech.edu!news From: stasko@cc.gatech.edu (John Stasko) Subject: Re: XTANGO: Where to get? Message-ID: <1992Dec14.200315.19762@cc.gatech.edu> Sender: news@cc.gatech.edu Reply-To: stasko@cc.gatech.edu (John Stasko) Organization: College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology References: <1992Dec8.041709.8598@nuscc.nus.sg> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:03:15 GMT Lines: 74