At the July 28-31, 1996 TAWPI exposition they will be demonstrating the completed sections from entry to screen painting. The screen painting module may be released this year to support the new InputAccel flat ASCII data transfer file standard when it arrives in October, 1996.

Screen Painting Has Dual Purpose

Currently, most InputAccel module vendors feel that creating processing data for all modules without redundant effort is a problem area. This 1997 release of Unibase will produce both a flat ASCII file for record format information and the current binary file record format used in release 7.4i.

Uses Same File Structure As 7.4i

In fact, this 1997 release will run from the same file structure throughout Unibase by DMAC release 7.4i. Users will have the ability to mix and match old MUI and the new MUI/GUI interface modules.

1997 Release Requires 4 Meg RAM

This 1997 release will require 4 megabytes of RAM memory. The current Unibase by DMAC release 7.4i requires 640K of RAM memory. The new 1997 installation program will allow for using whichever features the user wishes.

MUI Unibase by DMAC Support Also

DMAC plans to continue to support the MUI 640K RAM version as well as the new GUI/MUI 1997 version. Unibase by DMAC is being broken into smaller and smaller modules and objects so that the overlay process for release 7.4i can continue to accept and support the new verbs, control functions, and features coming in the future. The design requirement that it run in 640K will continue to be met. Release 7.4i uses extended memory if more than 2 Megabytes of extended RAM are available.

Adheres to ANSI & POSIX Standards

The 1997 GUI/MUI Unibase by DMAC release is being written to the proposed ANSI C++ standard and the POSIX interface standard (as updated).

Follows Microsoft Guidelines

The GUI adheres to the standards proposed in "The Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design" published by Microsoft Press and in "Guidelines for Enterprise-Wide GUI Design" by Susan Weinschenk, and Sarah C. Yeo.

Will Port To Other Operating Systems

While the initial release will only require the DOS operating system, the same source code is written so that it can be compiled with a native interface to Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2, Macintosh, OSF/Motif, NEXTSTEP and Unix Curses. The UNIX Curses interface will appear shortly after the 1997 release. Unibase by DMAC will remain a truly open architecture application environment.

Veteran DMAC Project Leadership

Catherine Tarbox is leading the project group. As most know, Catherine wrote the current screen painting interface. She returns as a senior to Duke University this fall to graduate next spring. She will devote as many hours as she can to the project through the school year without endangering her Summa Cum Laude honors program.

Catherine will pass the lead of the project group to Rick Tarbox in the spring. Rick, fresh with his 1590 SAT score, is in the process of choosing a college with an excellent computer engineering degree path. This is his third year with the programming group. Both last year and this coming year he has taken and will take special C and C++ courses in school to improve his mastery of the project.

Under Supervision of Senior Engineer

Fred Tarbox is being kept up-to-date on the project. He weekly reviews the progress. All should be happy to hear that the next generation programing of Unibase by DMAC is in the capable hands of the next generation of Tarboxes.