Hints for new users

1. The BX PRO Installation notes assume that you are installing a purchased product and so direct you to install the FlexLM license server. You do not need to install FlexLM to evaluate BX PRO! For UNIX workstation users (Sun, HP, Compaq, SGI, and IBM), you should have received a letter with your evaluation software that provides the license key and the instructions on how to use the key. For Linux users, you should have received a key and the accompanying instructions by email. (Keys and key installations differ between UNIX and Linux systems.) If this letter or email has become misplaced, send me email to info@ics.com and we'll make sure the appropriate key and instructions are emailed to you.

2. The EnhancementPak library included with the BX PRO eval, also requires a key to run applications. You can build an application using EnhancementPak widgets, and you can even generate code, compile it and link it. However, when you try to run your application, it will terminate on the first call to the EnhancementPak library if you do not have this key installed. The instructions mentioned in #2 above also cover the EnhancementPak key and describe how to install it.
Again, don't be embarrassed to drop us some email at info@ics.com if the license key and instructions have been misplaced. It happens a lot!

3. Make sure you start BX v5.0 by invoking a script called "bx50" and not just "bx". If you don't, you will get BX running without any of its resources specified or key environment variables defined, and it will appear broken when it actually is not!

4. Please be sure to grab the latest tutorials and updates from our web site at:
http://www.ics.com/getbxpro/files/tutorials.tgz
This is the most recent version of the tutorials and we've made an extra effort make things clear for new users of BX PRO and Motif.

5. Online documentation is available for BX under the "Help" menu in the main window. If you would like documentation on EnhancementPak or ViewKit (both libraries are included with your BX PRO eval), you can read the latest versions at:
http://www.ics.com/support/docs/

6. If on BX startup you get the message "The requested feature is not available for Full use..." then you do not have a valid license key for BX. If you received your license key via email, it is very common for some mailers to wrap the text and create an invalid key. The key should be all on one line without any line breaks. If you cannot get your key to work, or you don't have a key, please send email to info@ics.com and we'll have a new key sent to you right away. Once you have received this new license, you will be able to make full and unhindered use of BX for the trial period of the license.

7. In addition to the GUI builder, BX PRO includes two libraries: ViewKit and EnhancementPak. Depending on your configuration, you may or may not see these libraries on the palette.

To use ViewKit, you must select "ViewKit" in "Select a Language". (It is under the "Options" menu in the main window of BX.)
If you would like to use EnhancementPak, and do not see its widgets on the BX palette, then under the "Behavior" tab of the "User Preferences" menu item (again under "Options"), select "Start with EPak Widgets". Save your user interface, and restart BX PRO.

8. Since ViewKit is a comprehensive C++ class library and application framework, it can be confusing at first. To define your components, you should work in "Class Mode". Once you've defined your components, create instances of them in "Instance Mode". This is in contrast to building a standard C-based Motif GUI where you operate completely in instance mode.

9. Once you have your GUI defined, make sure you setup the code generation preferences for each of the different language modes you will be using: C, C++, ViewKit, UIL, and Java AWT. This can be done by setting the appropriate values in the "Code Generation Preferences" dialog box that can be brought up by selecting the browser window's "Options" and "Code Generation Preferences" menu.

10. The compile options and link line for the generated code will vary depending on your system and how things are installed on it. If you are using Linux, you may want to use the following as a starting point: (the makefile options are available from the "Makefile" tab in the "Code Generations Preferences" dialog box):

CC=g++ CFLAGS=-I/opt/bxpro-5.0/include -DFUNCPROTO -DXTFUNCPROTO
(The following is actually one line that is wrapped)

LIBS=-L/opt/bxpro-5.0/lib -lEPak -L/usr/X11R6/lib -lvk -lvkhelp -lXpm -lXm -lXt -lSM -lICE -lXp -lXext -lX11 -lXmu -ldl -lm

NOTE: If using ViewKit or EPak, you made need to indicate the location of the shared libraries from a shell prompt as follows:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/bxpro-5.0/lib/

11. If at some point you find yourself with multiple copies of all the Motif widgets on your palette, please execute the command:

% rm ~/.builderXcessory/package/default.cat
This is a known problem that has been fixed in BX 6.0.

12. To make things clearer while doing your layout, you may want to change the background color of your highest level container widget. Since they all have the same background color, they tend to go "invisible" when layered on top of each other.

13. Don't click the window managers' close icon on any of the main BX PRO windows (Browser, Resource Editor, Palette) unless you really want to quit BX. Although we try to handle such events and close gracefully, some window managers do not follow standard protocol in such situations. Consequently, it is best to close BX from the File menu in the Browser window and avoid the temptation to use the window close icon. If you don't need a BX window at the moment, you can use the iconify function of your window manager.

14. If you are moving palette items around, do not drag one onto another. Instead drag it to the empty space in the group to avoid confusing BX. Work is underway to disambiguate things.

15. We sponsor a very active and free online forum monitored by the best Motif and X developers in the business. We invite you to partake of it at: http://www.motifzone.net