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Dear Netters,

	I am calling for information that will enable us to make some
software aquisition decisions to support our research over the next few
years.  I hope that you can help by passing on your own experiences.


	We are developing graphical tools for control systems design.
The tools we are developing are essentially schematic diagram editors.
We want to use an object-oriented language for the code, X-11 graphics
for the user interface components and GKS or PHIGS for the application
graphics.  We desire also reasonably sophisticated and easy to use code
development, documentation and project support tools for version
control and configuration management across a multi-programmer project.
We are not really into the analysis and design tools that are popular
in CASE (we don't really understand them!), although support for an
object-oriented design methodolology such as Rumbaugh's
Object-Management Technique might be a useful tool to have available.


	At the moment we are making use of C, FORTRAN and C++
compilers, X11, Xt intrinsics and OLIT for the graphics and the ONTOS
object-oriented database. We'd probably want to continue to use those
languages and facilities although perhaps we should be thinking of some
other object-oriented language like Eiffel or objective-C (all views on
this issue would be welcome).  We are prepared to consider Motif for
the interface graphics and are interested in PEX for the application
graphics.



	Our current thoughts are running along the lines of:

	HP's Softbench for the project support environment. How well are
	other tools like CodeCenter, ONTOS, Framemaker integrated. Are there
	better (more well developed) frameworks: e.g. how do IDE's
	C Development Environment, SunSofts's SPARC Works or DEC's FUSE
	compare. How 'open' are these frameworks really --- is it possible to
	use the frameworks to support tools that we develop for example.	

	Centerline's ObjectCenter for C++, C and FORTRAN support (does this
	provide C and FORTRAN support or do we also need CodeCenter).


	Should we use the GNU C++ compiler, or might there be problems
	later with possible exploitation?


	The Motif and Open Look toolkits, are there proper class libraries
	for these?

	PEX --- how well does this link with X, is there good
	separation between user interface and application graphics
	(e.g. can you still use widgets for menus within a PEX graphics
	window, how easy is it to merge the two types of graphics
	provision). Have you experience in using PEX from C++.


	What is the best documentation tool for software projects. Which
	provides for both design and code documentation as well as end-user
	documentation?	

	Which graphical user interface development environments should
	we be aware about given that our constraints are to
	object-oriented programming (probably in C++) and either Open
	Look or Motif look and feel.


	What design methods should we consider. Which are supported by tools.


	

Please share your experience of satisfying any or several of these
requirements, and any other help and advice you are prepared to give.
Please reply if possible by E-mail, I will summarize to the net and let
you know what we finally decide.  Thank you in advance.

Chris <eechris@pyr.swan.ac.uk>
-- 
\     Chris Jobling, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,      /
 \      University College, Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK      / 
  \                   email: eechris@pyr.swan.ac.uk                          /  
   \-------------Phone: +44-792-295580 Fax: +44-792-295686------------------/