README - Fast Light Tool Kit (FLTK) Version 1.0
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WHAT IS FLTK?
FLTK (pronounced "fulltick") is a LGPL'd C++ graphical user
interface toolkit for X (UNIX(r)), OpenGL, and WIN32 (Microsoft(r)
Windows(r) NT 4.0, 95, or 98). It is currently maintained by a small
group of developers across the world with a central repository in
the US.
FLTK was originally created to build in-house applications at
Digital Domain for image processing and 3D graphics. The original
author, Bill Spitzak, received permission from Digital Domain to
release it to the public domain in the hopes that it could be used
to make better, faster, and nicer-looking UNIX programs. Digital
Domain has since withdrawn support for FLTK, and Bill is no longer
able to actively develop it.
FEATURES
FLTK was designed to be statically linked. This was done by
splitting it into many small objects and desigining it so that
functions that are not used do not have pointers to them in the
parts that are used, and thus do not get linked in. This allows you
to make an easy-to-install program, or to modify FLTK to the exact
requirements of your appli- cation, without worrying about bloat.
FLTK works fine as a shared library, though, and has started being
included on Linux distribu- tions.
Here are some of the core features unique to FLTK:
- sizeof(Fl_Widget) == 48.
- The "core" (the "hello" program compiled & linked with a
static FLTK library using gcc on a 486 and then stripped) is
39.5K.
- A program including every widget is less than 108K. Does not
use macros, templates, multiple inheritance, or exceptions.
- Written directly atop Xlib (or the WIN32 API) for maximum
speed, and carefully optimized for code size and
performance.
- Precise low-level compatability between the X and Windows
version (only about 10% of the code is different).
- Interactive user interface builder program. Output is human-
readable and editable C++ source code.
- Support for the X double buffering extension (emulation if
not available and under Windows.)
- Support for X overlay hardware (emulation if none and under
Windows.)
- Very small & fast portable 2-D drawing library to hide Xlib
and WIN32.
- OpenGL/Mesa drawing area widget.
- Support for OpenGL overlay hardware on both X and Windows.
Emulation if none.
- Text input fields with Emacs key bindings, X cut & paste, and
foreign letter compose!
- Compatability header file for the Glut library.
- Compatability header file for the XForms library.
- Much too much to list here...
LICENSING
FLTK comes with complete free source code. FLTK is available under
the terms of the GNU Library General Public License. Contrary to
popular belief, it can be used in commercial software! (Even Bill
Gates could use it.)
WHAT DOES "FLTK" MEAN?
FLTK was originally designed to be compatable with the Forms
Library written for SGI machines. In that library all the functions
and structures started with "fl_". This naming was extended to all
new methods and widgets in the C++ library, and this prefix was
taken as the name of the library. It is almost impossible to search
for "FL" on the Internet, due to the fact that it is also the
abbreviation for Florida. After much debating and searching for a
new name for the toolkit, which was already in use by several
people, Bill came up with "FLTK", and even a bogus excuse that it
stands for "The Fast Light Tool Kit".
BUILDING AND INSTALLING FLTK UNDER UNIX
FLTK uses GNU autoconf to configure itself for your UNIX platform.
If you aren't using UNIX then you'll need to configure things
differently. See below for other operating system configurations.
Before you configure FLTK you'll want to make sure your environment
is setup properly. Some variables of note are:
CC - C compiler to use
CFLAGS - C compiler options
CXX - C++ compiler to use
CXXFLAGS - C++ compiler options
LDFLAGS - Linker options
LIBS - Linker libraries
The main things that the configure script will look for are the
X11, OpenGL (or Mesa), and JPEG header and library files. Make
sure that they are in the standard include/library locations, and
if not define one or more of the environment variables listed
above.
Once you have everything ready you can run the "configure" script
located in this directory. The "--enable-windows-style" option to
configure will make the FLTK widgets look more like their Microsoft
Windows counterparts. Other options include:
--enable-debug - Enable debugging code & symbols
--enable-shared - Enable generation of shared libraries
--enable-windows-style - Enable the Microsoft Windows "look-n-feel"
--bindir=/path - Set the location for executables
[default = /usr/local/bin]
--libdir=/path - Set the location for libraries
[default = /usr/local/lib]
--includedir=/path - Set the location for include files.
[default = /usr/local/include]
--prefix=/dir - Set the directory prefix for files
[default = /usr/local]
When the configure script is done you can just run the "make"
command. This will build the library, FLUID tool, and all of the
test programs.
To install the library, become root and type "make install". This
will copy the "fluid" executable to "bindir", the header files to
"includedir", and the library files to "libdir".
BUILDING FLTK UNDER MICROSOFT WINDOWS
There are two ways to build FLTK under Microsoft Windows. The
first is to use the 5.0 project files under the "visualc"
directory. Just open (or double-click on) the "fltk.dsw" file to
get the whole shebang.
The second method is to use a GNU-based development tool with the
files in the "makefiles" directory. To build using one of these
tools simply copy the appropriate makeinclude and config files to
the main directory and do a make:
cp makefiles/makeinclude.<env> makeinclude
cp makefiles/config.<env> config.h
make
BUILDING FLTK UNDER OS/2
The current OS/2 build requires XFree86 for OS/2 to work. A native
Presentation Manager version has not been implemented yet
(volunteers are welcome!).
To build the XFree86 version of FLTK for OS/2, copy the appropriate
makeinclude and config files to the main directory and do a make:
cp makefiles/makeinclude.os2x makeinclude
cp makefiles/config.os2x config.h
make
ON-LINE DOCUMENTATION
All of the documentation is in HTML in the subdirectory
"documentation". The "index.html" file should be your starting
point.
INTERNET RESOURCES
FLTK is available on the 'net in a bunch of locations:
- WWW: http://fltk.easysw.com
- FTP: ftp://ftp.easysw.com/pub/fltk
ftp://ftp.funet.fi/mirrors/ftp.easysw.com/pub/fltk
- EMail: fltk@easysw.com [see instructions below]
fltk-bugs@easysw.com [for reporting bugs]
To send a message to the FLTK mailing list ("fltk@easysw.com") you
must first join the list. Non-member submissions are blocked to
avoid problems with SPAM...
To join the FLTK mailing list, send a message to
"majordomo@easysw.com" with "subscribe fltk" in the message body.
A digest of this list is available by subscribing to the
"fltk-digest" mailing list.
REPORTING BUGS
To report a bug in FLTK, send an email to "fltk-bugs@easysw.com".
Please include the FLTK version, operating system & version, and
compiler that you are using when describing the bug or problem.
For general support and questions, please use the FLTK mailing
list at "fltk@easysw.com".
WINDOW MANAGERS
FLTK now uses X transient windows for modal() windows. This may
confuse some window managers. Mostly it causes them to not put any
borders on the modal windows and prevent you from moving them.
For FVWM I recommend you put "DecorateTransients" into your
~/.fvwmrc file.
MESA
Currently the best way to get OpenGL on your Linux system is to use
Mesa. FLTK has been tested with Mesa on several machines (and also
with "real" OpenGL on SGI machines).
Mesa is available at "http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~brianp/Mesa.html".
The configure script will not see Mesa unless it is installed as
either libGL or libMesa. If you don't want to do this you will
have to edit config.h (set HAVE_GL to 1) and makeinclude (add the
libraries).
HOW TO WRITE PROGRAMS THAT USE FLTK
The proper way to include FLTK header files is "#include
<FL/Fl_xyz.H>". If FLTK is installed this will work without
switches. If not you will need to provide a "-Idir" switch
pointing to this directory (all the headers are in ./FL).
Windows developers please note: case *is* significant under other
operating systems, and the C standard uses the forward slash (/) to
separate directories. The following #include directives are *not*
recommended for portability reasons:
#include <fl\fl_xyz.h>
#include <fl/fl_xyz.h>
#include <FL\Fl_xyz.H>
Linker switches will be something like "-lfltk -L/usr/X11R6/lib
-lX11". Some programs may require "-lXext" or "-lm". If FLTK is
not installed you will need to add a "-Ldir" switch pointing at
./lib.
If you wish to distribute a program (in source form) that uses
FLTK, you are allowed by the license to directly include the
portions of FLTK that you need. This may make it easier for a user
to compile your program since they don't need to install the
library. Please provide instructions for the user on how they can
get the entire source of FLTK.
If you wish to distribute a compiled program without source code,
this is allowed also. See the file "COPYING" for details.
TRADEMARKS
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corportation. UNIX is a registered trademark of the X/Open Group,
Inc.
COPYRIGHT
FLTK is copyright 1998 by Bill Spitzak (spitzak@d2.com) and others,
including:
Curtis Edwards (curtise@fa.disney.com)
Gustavo Hime (hime@centroin.com.br)
Vincent Penne (vincent.penne@infonie.fr)
Michael Sweet (mike@easysw.com)
Carl Thompson (clip@home.net)
This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of
the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
Library General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public
License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307
USA.
