Thread: APIs for windowing in other systems

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Posts
    4,912

    APIs for windowing in other systems

    I'm learning the Win32 API, but I'd also like to learn the standard C APIs for Windowing in other systems once I'm done. I've tried Googling, but the few relevant results that were brought up seemed to conflict with eachother, and I had no idea what was a reliable source and what wasn't. What I'm interested in is primarily the API for the Mac and it's sister systems (I'm really not sure how Apple fits in there...), and then if there is a generally accepted windowing library for use in Linux systems I'd like to learn some more about that.

  2. #2
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    2,001
    There is no general api, each OS has it's own api's. In the case of linux there are several...well...2 mainly, but there could easily be more. Not sure about MAC. Basically, if you're going to write an app that works on all OS's, it'd have to be a command line prog.
    PHP and XML
    Let's talk about SAX

  3. #3
    Registered User caroundw5h's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    751
    Its so funny you mentioned one for apple. I stumbled across this apple site the other day. It has an amazing amount of source code for everyhting on the mac. Check it out.
    For linux you might want to check out the fsf haven't really delved into it though.

    [edit]Just wanted to add that waldo is correct about each os being different and such. that's an obvious point. The apple site allows you to code in C as well as some other languages as well. hope that helps[/edit]
    Last edited by caroundw5h; 08-22-2004 at 10:57 PM.
    Warning: Opinions subject to change without notice

    The C Library Reference Guide
    Understand the fundamentals
    Then have some more fun

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Posts
    4,912
    There is no general api, each OS has it's own api's. In the case of linux there are several...well...2 mainly, but there could easily be more. Not sure about MAC. Basically, if you're going to write an app that works on all OS's, it'd have to be a command line prog.
    Oh I know. I just want to have a version of my app available for all the common operating systems. I'm making an engine that will run on any OS that just "plugs into" an interface. And I'm find with making the interface over and over again for each OS.

    As far as linux, if there are two, do they both work on all (I know there are probably some exceptions, but for the most part...) Unix-based systems? I know I'd probably have to just release the source code, but I'd still like to have a fairly good Windowing API already in there. So to sum this paragraph up - does it make a difference to the *nix user what API I use?

  5. #5
    'AlHamdulillah
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    790
    In the case of linux there are several...well...2 mainly, but there could easily be more.
    X11
    QT
    GTK
    ... and I think there are two or so more that are fairly small.
    there used to be something here, but not anymore

  6. #6
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    2,001
    >>I'm making an engine that will run on any OS that just "plugs into" an interface

    They already have something like that...it's called java...but if you come up with something better than that piece of ::explitive deleted:: more power to you
    PHP and XML
    Let's talk about SAX

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. Systems Programming
    By shabbirhussain in forum C Programming
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 10-05-2008, 07:22 AM
  2. how to copy binary files using Unix API's
    By rohan_ak1 in forum C Programming
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 05-07-2008, 09:12 AM
  3. Any good windows system APIs?
    By taelmx in forum Windows Programming
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 11-08-2006, 12:43 AM
  4. What's a job as a systems administrator like?
    By Terrance in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-09-2004, 08:37 AM