Chapter 1 Moving to Motif and CDE

This chapter discusses the different types of Motif available to Solaris CDE developers, and provides the paths through this manual for the different tasks you may want to perform in relation to them.

• "Summary of Motif Toolkits"

• "Moving to Motif"

• "Moving to Solaris CDE"

Summary of Motif Toolkits

This section summarizes the differences between the Motif toolkits supported by the Solaris environment. Any Solaris Motif application that is compiled on the Solaris 2.4, 2.5, 2.5.1, or 2.6 operating environment is binary compatible with Solaris 7 CDE.

• Solaris 7 Motif: Based on The Open Group's Motif 2.1 with additional bugfixes and enhancements. The Solaris 7 software always includes the Motif toolkit.

• Solaris 2.6 Motif: Based on OSF/Motif 1.2.5 with additional bugfixes and enhancements. The Solaris 2.6 software always includes the Motif toolkit.

• Solaris 2.5.1 Motif: Based on OSF/Motif 1.2.3 with additional bugfixes and enhancements. The Solaris 2.5.1 software always includes the Motif toolkit.

• Solaris 2.5 Motif: Based on OSF/Motif 1.2.3 with additional bugfixes and enhancements. The Solaris 2.5 software always includes the Motif toolkit.

• Solaris 2.4 Motif: Based on OSF/Motif 1.2.3 with additional bugfixes and enhancements. The exact release of Motif depends on what version of CDE has been installed on that system. The Solaris 2.4 software does not always include the Motif toolkit.

• Motif available for Solaris 2.3: A version of IXI Motif based on OSF/Motif 1.2.2. An application compiled with this Motif library may not run on later versions of Solaris. However any Solaris 2.3 Motif application that is currently running on Solaris 2.4, 2.5, or 2.5.1 will run on Solaris 2.6 in the same way. The Solaris 2.3 software does not always include the Motif toolkit.

In the Solaris CDE environment, you gain access to additional widgets (such as a menu button widget and a terminal emulator widget and library) through the libDtWidget library. See Chapter 3, Solaris Motif Toolkits for more details.

Moving to Motif

Programming or porting tasks you probably want to perform in relation to Motif are:

• Running existing Motif applications on the OpenWindows 3.6 desktop

• Developing Solaris Motif applications for the OpenWindows 3.6 desktop

Running Existing Motif Applications on the OpenWindows Desktop

Any standard Motif 1.2 or Solaris Motif application will run on the OpenWindows 3.6 desktop.

Developing Solaris Motif Applications for the OpenWindows Desktop

If you are familiar with Motif and want to develop a Solaris Motif application for the OpenWindows 3.6 desktop, read Chapter 2, Motif Environment.

You might also want to read Chapter 3, Solaris Motif Toolkits, which compares the Motif toolkits that the Solaris environment supports.

If you are an OPEN LOOK developer and want to develop a Solaris Motif application for the OpenWindows 3.6 desktop, you should read the chapters and appendixes just mentioned in this section. In addition, read:

• Chapter 5, Toolkit Transition Issues, for a comparison of the OPEN LOOK and Motif graphical user interface (GUI) and widgets.

• Chapter 6, Porting Issues and Ideas, particularly those parts pertaining to GUI transitions.

• "Motif 2.1 Documentation" and "Motif Programming " for lists of books that will familiarize you with Motif programming.

Moving to Solaris CDE

You do not need to port your OPEN LOOK or Motif application to the Solaris CDE environment for it to run on the Solaris CDE desktop. However, if you decide to port, refer to the CDE documentation and read the chapters mentioned below. See "CDE Documentation" for a list of the available CDE documentation.

The main programming or porting tasks you probably want to perform in relation to Solaris CDE are:

• Running existing OLIT, XView, or Motif applications on the Solaris CDE desktop

• Porting OpenWindows applications to the Solaris CDE desktop

• Porting Motif applications to the Solaris CDE desktop

• Developing Solaris Motif applications for the Solaris CDE desktop

Running Existing Applications on the Solaris CDE Desktop

Existing OLIT, XView, or Motif applications will run on the Solaris CDE desktop.

If you want your application to appear integrated with the Solaris CDE desktop but do not want to modify your application code, you can perform basic integration. This first level of Solaris CDE integration is described in "Basic Integration".

Porting OpenWindows Applications to the Solaris CDE Desktop

Existing OpenWindows applications can run unmodified on the Solaris CDE desktop. If you want to move your applications to the Solaris CDE environment and to begin using its broader set of standard services, read this book to help you understand the differences between the OPEN LOOK and Motif toolkits, and the OpenWindows and Solaris CDE desktops.

Porting Motif Applications to the Solaris CDE Desktop

If your application is Motif 2.1 style guide-compliant, you are well on your way to it being CDE style guide-compliant. Solaris Motif is based on the Motif 2.1 toolkit and the CDE style guide is based on the Motif 2.1 style guide. Still, you may have to make some GUI changes to port your application to Solaris Motif.

To help port your Motif application to the Solaris CDE desktop, read:

• Chapter 3, Solaris Motif Toolkits, to find out about the enhancements in Solaris Motif and the CDE widgets available to you

• Chapter 4, Development Environment Transition Issues, which compares and contrasts the OpenWindows and Solaris CDE development environments

Refer to the checklist in the Common Desktop Environment: Style Guide and Certification Checklist to see how the CDE style guidelines are similar to and differ from those for Motif 1.2.

Developing and Debuggging Applications for the Solaris CDE Desktop

Solaris CDE shared libraries are built with the latest Solaris loader technology to optimize their interfaces and performance. This technology conflicts with debuggers that were released prior to SPARCworks version 3.0.1. Therefore, use SPARCworks version 3.0.1 or later when developing and debugging applications in CDE.

Developing Solaris Motif Applications

If you are familiar with Motif and want to develop a Solaris Motif application for the Solaris CDE desktop, refer to the CDE documentation.

If you are an OPEN LOOK developer and want to develop a Solaris Motif application for the Solaris CDE desktop, read this book and refer to the CDE documentation.

In either case, see Appendix C, Recommended Reading for a list of the CDE documentation as well as other books to help you with Motif programming.

Solaris CDE Naming Conventions

Solaris CDE uses the prefixes DT and SDT in uppercase and lowercase combinations, in names for desktop clients, desktop libraries, and so on. Do not use these prefixes in any Solaris CDE desktop application you write.