Re: CLX, FFIs, and graphics

>>>>> "CY" == C Y <C> writes:
[...]
CY> Based on what little I know, it seems that clx is NOT an FFI?
CY> If so, how does it handle working with X? Is there something
CY> unique about low level X that allows clx to avoid using a FFI
CY> that cannot be duplicated for higher level toolkits?

"The X Window System is defined by the X Window System Protocol
Specification, a detailed description of the encoding and the meaning
of requests and events sent between a client and a server. This
standard protocol does not depend on any particular programming
language. As a result, each programming language must define its own
functional interface for using the X protocol. The standard X
interface used by Common Lisp programmers is called CLX. CLX is a set
of data types, functions, and macros which allow a Common Lisp client
program to interact with an X server to send requests and to receive
input events and replies."[1]

So yeah there's something about X that allows CLX to be implemented in
lisp in that it is a specified client/server protocol defined on byte
streams[2]. The higher level toolkits on X are built mostly on xlib (the
CLX equivalent in C) and present a linkable function call etc.
interface, not a client/server interface.

[1] http://common-lisp.net/project/cmucl/doc/clx/1_3_A_Quick_Tour_of_CLX.html
[2] http://www.x.org/X11_protocol.html

cheers,

BM
.

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