From: irvkanod@holonet.net (Irv Kanode)
Subject: Re: TECH: Networked VR on Mac
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1993 23:24:08 -0700



>I am attempting to build a networkable VR system on the Mac.  The
>problem I am now faced with is actually connecting the two machines.
>I figured that AppleTalk would be the easiest way.  Can anyone offer
>me some guidance here.  The documentation on AppleTalk, the serial
>ports and all related matters is a bit overwhelming.  Does anyone have
>some sample code I can look at or something like that.  Really any
>program that involves two Macs communicating would do.  Any help would
>be greatly appreciated.

It's good to see someone else with a Mac interested in VR.  99% of the
postings and software seem to be DOS or UNIX oriented.

Rather than try to figure out AppleTalk from books such as "Inside
AppleTalk", I suggest you use AppleEvents (which transparently use
AppleTalk) to communicate between machines.  This will give you more
power with less effort and better speed (assuming that the Apple
engineers that designed AppleEvents can write more efficient AppleTalk
code than you or I).

SuperCard 1.6 is an easy way to experiment with AppleEvents on one
machine or over a network. SuperCard or (HyperCard with less
sophistication) can send/receive AppleEvents to other SuperCard
programs or any program that supports AppleEvents. With either
HyperCard or SuperCard it is very easy to define your own AppleEvents.
(SuperCard is no longer supported by Aldus but it has a very clean
implementation of AppleEvents.)

Other things to look at are:
 
o There is a HyperCard stack for experimentation with AppleEvents-I
don't remember the name

o AppleScript which uses AppleEvents

o MicroSoft has a new book called "Excel Software Development Kit"
which describes the AppleEvents that Excel can send/receive.  Your
application(s) could use Excel to store data, do calculations, or
create graphs.

o FileMaker is AppleEvent controlable.

o Many more programs will become AppleEvent and AppleScript
controlable over the next year.

o AppleEvents works the same between programs on the same computer or
over a network-it's as simple as choosing a local or a network printer
and is done in much in the same way.

o If you go the AppleTalk path, Apple has beta AppleTalk software for
HyperCard (hasn't been updated in about 5 years).  I've used it off
and on since it was first released and gave it up when AppleEvents was
announced.

I'm trying to develop software to do a VR educational simulation game
at a similar but richer level than Apple's Virtual Museum demo.  The
subject is one of Arizona's natural wonders.  I've been playing with
navigable QuickTime movies as a mass-education-market way to
incorporate VR.  It won't incorporate networkability but my day job is
with a Mac software house that develops educational and network
software for grade schools.

Irv Kanode                                          irvkanod@holonet.net
           . . .using the meme propagation machine