Re: Genesys vs. Design Master

[dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Note that I've directed followups to comp.sys.apple2.programmer.

In article <3v4f3e$euv@telepath.com>,
Collin B. Douglas <cbdougla@telepath.com> wrote:
> 
> I am finally going to put some serious effort into learning desktop 
> programming on the GS and wanted to know if I should get the Byteworks
> Design Master or find a used copy of Genesys (am I correct in thinking
> that Genesys is no longer being supported?).

Correct.  SSSi appeared to vanish off the face of the earth shortly
after the release of Genesys version 1.2.4 (I think that's the version
I have).  At least that version is reasonably stable, unlike earlier
ones, which I had major trouble with.

One major point about these two programs: they appear to perform the
same function, but are quite different in implementation.

Design Master is purely a resource CREATION utility.  It cannot be
used to edit an existing resource fork.  I haven't seen it (it is
one of the few ByteWorks programming tools that I haven't bought) but
I believe it allows you to create your user interface components
(menus, control layouts in windows, etc.) and save that in a special
format for further editing, and/or generate source code or resources
to create the elements.

Genesys lets you edit an existing resource fork, or create a new one
from scratch.  Its native data format is a standard resource fork.  It
can also generate source code in many languages.

My usual technique is to use Genesys to design the main resource
elements of my applications, and then generate source code for the Rez
compiler.  I then combine this with separately written resources in Rez.

If I need to make changes, I regenerate the appropriate parts of the
Rez source and merge it with the earlier versions.


Note that Genesys doesn't support any new resource types or features
added in System 6.0 or later, but it can work them.

For example, I wrote a custom control type to implement a "sliding
bar" (then Apple went and did one itself in System 6), and Genesys was
able to display this in windows I was editing, though it was not able
to edit the control settings.

Genesys isn't extendible to support new resource types (at least,
there is no information on how it can be done, if it is supported).

> I've got "Mastering the Apple IIGS Toolbox" by Dan Gookin and Morgan Davis

That is a rather rudimentary toolbox reference.  You should definitely
get Toolbox Reference volumes 1 and 2 for full documentation (if you
can find them), plus the System 6 and 6.0.1 references from ByteWorks.

I found the book "Advanced Programming Techniques for the IIgs
Toolbox" (same authors) to be a very good introduction to toolbox
programming concepts.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand