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
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".
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.
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.
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.
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 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.