VAX Ada (?)

VAX Ada (?)

[cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.e]

	Hi netters, I want to thank you all who replied to my first posting
about invoking VMS command line from an Ada program.  I tried it and it
worked like a charm.

	But I have another question which is not related to my first question.
For my class group assignment I have to write a program that involves menus;
like highlight-bars, cursor movements, etc.  I have done something like that
before using another language, and I do not like it.  First of all, it works
slow, not real slow, but noticeably slow.  Second of all, I had to go through
so much hassles to get it working.

	Now my question is, does VAX Ada has anything that will make my life
easier?  For example, do I have to treat arrow keys as characters or Ada has
something that will it even easier?  More importantly, does VAX Ada have
anything on formatting the CRT?  Like cursor placement, clear screen, etc or
do I have to use the loveable VT100 escape sequences.

	I do not really mind going through the hassles to get the menu system
working, but I do not want to go through the hassles and to, later, find out
that it could have been easier.

	Thank you for reading my article.  If you have any suggestion,
pointer, comment, or anything that you would like to say, please e-mail it
to me since I do not usually get this newsgroup.
--
Francis Hartojo                  | DECnet:   ENVMSA::YHARTOJO
                                 | Bitnet:   AUYXH@ASUACVAX.BITNET
Comp. Science & Engr. Department | Internet: YHARTOJO@ENVMSA.EAS.ASU.EDU
Arizona State University         | Phone:    (602) 921-1342

Re: VAX Ada (?)

[Bud Bach]

yhartojo@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Francis Hartojo) writes:

>	Now my question is, does VAX Ada has anything that will make my life
>easier?  For example, do I have to treat arrow keys as characters or Ada has
>something that will it even easier?  More importantly, does VAX Ada have
>anything on formatting the CRT?  Like cursor placement, clear screen, etc or
>do I have to use the loveable VT100 escape sequences.

> [...]

Take a look at the VMS "SMG" routines.  They can greatly simplify building
applications for VT devices.  They are also "smart" about various flavors
of VT style terminals.  

DEC also provides Ada bindings I believe.

Hope this helps.  -- Bud


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Re: VAX Ada (?)

[Bob Kitzberger @midnight]

>	Now my question is, does VAX Ada has anything that will make my life
>easier?  For example, do I have to treat arrow keys as characters or Ada has
>something that will it even easier?  More importantly, does VAX Ada have
>anything on formatting the CRT?  Like cursor placement, clear screen, etc or
>do I have to use the loveable VT100 escape sequences.

Take a look at the Screen Management system libraries (SMG) provided with VMS,
and callable by any language (I think ;-).  It's been a few years since
I've done any VMS work, but the last time I checked, SMG was what you want.

	.Bob.
-- 
Bob Kitzberger               Internet : rlk@telesoft.com
TeleSoft                     uucp     : ...!ucsd.ucsd.edu!telesoft!rlk
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Re: VAX Ada (?)

[pa.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!news.crl.dec.com!hollie.rdg.dec.com!player.e]

Have a look at ADA$PREDEFINED:SMG_.ADC .