Course details

Graphical User Interfaces in X Window System

GUX Acad. year 2011/2012 Winter semester 5 credits

Current academic year

Interaction between user and application, different application classes. Graphical User Interface in Unix and its history. System X Window, structure, X server concept, graphical operations. Application programming interface, Toolkits. Standard X Toolkit and its usage. Object orientation features in X Toolikit and GTK+. Widget names, attributes and manipulation. Event processing, translation and action table. Base X Toolkit and GTK+ classes. Programming with OSF/Motif and GTK+.

Guarantor

Lampa Petr, Ing. (DIFS)

Language of instruction

Czech

Completion

Examination

Time span

  • 26 hrs lectures
  • 8 hrs pc labs
  • 18 hrs projects

Department

Department of Information Systems (UIFS)

Subject specific learning outcomes and competences

Students will get knowledge of application programming in X Window, GTK+ and OSF/Motif environment and basic principles of user interface design.

Learning objectives

The goal is to make students familiar with the design and programming of graphical user interfaces in Unix/X Window System environment.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

C language programming in Unix environment.

Study literature

Fundamental literature

  • Hix, D., Hartson, H., R.: Developing User Interfaces: Ensuring Usability Through Product & Process, John Wiley & Sons, 1993, ISBN 0-471-57813-4
  • Scheifler, R., W., Gettys, J.: X Window System, The Complete Reference to Xlib, X Protocol, ICCCM, XLFD, Digital Press, 1990, ISBN 1-55558-050-5
  • Nye, A., O'Reilly, T.: X Toolkit Intrinsics Programming Manual, OSF/Motif Edition, O'Reilly & Associates, 1990, ISBN 0-937175-62-5
  • Krause, A.: Foundations of GTK+ Development, Apress, 2007, ISBN13: 978-1-59059-793-4
  • Heller, D.: Motif Programming Manual, O'Reilly & Associates, 3rd ed 2002, ISBN 1-56592-016-3
  • Sheets, J.R.: Writing GNOME applications, Addison-Wesley, 2001, ISBN 0-201-65791-0
  • Dallheimer, M.K.: Programming with Qt, O'Reilly Verlag GmbH, 2001, ISBN 0-596-00064-2
  • Warkus, M.: Official GNOME 2 Developer's Guide, O'Reilly, 2004, ISBN: 1-59327-030-5

Syllabus of lectures

  1. Application classes from the point of view of user interaction.
  2. X Window system structure, X protocol, input and output graphic operations.
  3. Xlib level programming, simple application example, Toolkits, example of application using toolkit.
  4. OOP features in X Toolkit and GTK+, instance and class of widgets, properties, internal implementation.
  5. Widget naming system, resources, convertors.
  6. Built-in X Toolkit widget classes and their usage.
  7. Event processing, translation table, action table.
  8. User interface design rules
  9. Common OSF/Motif features, keyboard navigation, compoung strings, font lists and renditions.
  10. Simple widget classes and their usage.
  11. Composite widget classes.
  12. Menu and dialogs.

Syllabus of computer exercises

  1. X Window system configuration, running remote applications, basic tools.
  2. Programming environment, simple application, compilation, link command.
  3. Graphic operaions, graphic contexts, events, event handling.
  4. Common X Toolkit application features, application resources.

Progress assessment

Study evaluation is based on marks obtained for specified items. Minimimum number of marks to pass is 50.

Controlled instruction

Projects have to be submitted before the deadline, late project submission will be graded 0 points.

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