README
1README file for XSpringies 1.12
2===============================
3
4General info:
5-------------
6 XSpringies is a mass and spring simulation system. It's intended use is more
7like that of a game, than some design package.
8
9 It's written using Xlib only. No Motif or any other widgets sets are used.
10
11 The animation in XSpringies is done using an off-screen Pixmap. The next
12frame is drawn on this pixmap, then is blitted onto the screen. Since the
13frame rate is about 30 frames per second, slower machines (or machines which
14have poorly written bit-blitting code) will be deathly slow and blinky.
15 But now, in the days of fast happy machines, you might find yourself turning
16down the timestep some so you can see what's going on..
17
18Installation info:
19------------------
20
21First, if you aren't going to use the Imakefile,
22type "cp Makefile.std Makefile"
23
24Edit the "Imakefile" (or the "Makefile", if you are not using imake), and
25change the value of DDIR to reflect where you want to install
26the xspringies files. Don't forget the trailing / on the end of your
27filename. If you don't have gzip, you will probably want to change
28the compression stuff to be compress. If you don't want any compression
29of saved files, then take out all the compress stuff.
30
31Now, if you are using the Imakefile, type "xmkmf".
32
33 If you have problems at the beginning, and you are using the
34 Imakefile, it might be caused by the strange definition I have for
35 "MKDIRHIER", which I had to redefine because of the silly way Imake
36 is set up. If this happens, type "which mkdirhier" to see what the
37 full path for mkdirhier is, and put this in place of the backquoted
38 expression in the Imakefile. (i.e. - if the full path is
39 "/usr/local/bin/mkdirhier", then you change the line to
40 "MKDIRHIER = BourneShell /usr/local/bin/mkdirhier").
41
42Type "make install".
43
44Then, just run xspringies and have fun.
45
46---
47
48If you don't install the man page in a default directory, you can still
49read it by typing: "nroff -man xspringies.man | more"
50
51-------------------------------------------------------------------------
52
53Updates
54-------
55For version 1.12: (11/95)
56 - Fixed problem with division by zero when the mass was zero
57 - Fixed a few types and protypes, and that sort of thing to make compilation
58 a more enjoyable experience
59 - Upgraded solver to RK45 (thanks to Nate Loofbourrow)
60 - Added mass-mass collision (thanks to Martin Lukanowicz)
61 - Files are now saved compressed
62 - Created masses and springs are selected as they are created (a UI change)
63
64For version 1.1: (3/93)
65 Bugs fixed:
66 - Compiles for NEWS system
67 - Keyboard input now works under openlook window manager
68 - Animation no longer gets 'stuck' after like 35 minutes
69 - File format is more compact by removing unnecessary zeros
70 (i.e. - before 1.500000, now 1.5) and has more precision to eliminate
71 tiny errors perceived when saving and reloading a file
72 - Strange ~-expansion behavior for filenames is gone
73 - The GO! button replaces the hard to find Action checkbox
74 - A Delete button was added, which is the same as the Delete key
75
76 New features:
77 - Spring thickness can be specified using the "-st <number>" command
78 line switch (0 is default width - thin line)
79 - Instead of the entire screen being bit-blitted, only the bounding box
80 necessary to draw new objects and cover old objects is drawn. This
81 greatly speeds up the animation when drawing small objects (such as
82 a "jello"). If the bounding box changes size periodically (as in the
83 "pendbees" file), the "-nbb" command line switch disables this feature
84 to allow for slower, but smoother animation.
85 - A cursor, and filename editing features were added. It uses emacs-like
86 keys:
87 ^B/^F = back/forward
88 ^A/^E = goto beginning/end of line
89 ^K/^Y = kill to end of line/yank from kill buffer
90 ^D = delete character under cursor
91 ^U = kill all input
92 ^T = transpose character under cursor with previous character
93 ESC = exit from filename edit mode
94
95Misc info:
96----------
97 The author of xspringies is Douglas DeCarlo.
98 Email address: dmd@gradient.cis.upenn.edu
99 Please send any bug-reports/comments/suggestions/demo-files to this address.
100