Xlib Programming Manual

Book Description

Covering X11 Release 5, the Xlib Programming Manual is a complete guide to programming the X library (Xlib), the lowest level of programming interface to X. It includes introductions to internationalization, device-independent color, font service, and scalable fonts. Includes chapters on:

• X Window System concepts
• A simple client application
• Window attributes
• The graphics context
• Graphics in practice
• Color
• Events
• Interclient communication
• Internationalization
• The Resource Manager
• A complete client application
• Window management

This manual is a companion to Volume 2, Xlib Reference Manual./p>

Reviews From AMAZON.COM

X11 programming is complex, this book helps

Unfortunately, X11 programming is extremely complex. This book is not perfect, but does guide you through the labyrinth. If you are going to program in X11, you need to get this book.

Unfortunately there are no alternatives..

This book is a basic introduction to programming X11 directly with Xlib. It is not obvious that Adrian Nye is the best expert to learn from. Often it seems like he wrote the book in an attempt to try to make sense of the X11 system himself. Parts of it are extremely unclear, but at least we should give him credit for trying to explain everything, even those parts he wasn't entirely sure about.

It would probably be a good idea if O'Reilly made a revised edition, rewriting some of the bad parts (which should probably be clear in Adrians head by now), and updating some material for X11R6.

On the good side, there are plenty of code-examples, and while they aren't exactly showing good style, at least they are complete, you can type them in and run them. And they are all small enough to understand without further refactoring. And while not every explanation Adrian makes is crystal clear, it is definitely necessary to have some understanding of basic X11 concepts before you move on to the reference manuals.

If you want a programming manual, and not simply a reference for Xlib, this is the only book available. And while it is far from perfect, it will be much better to learn from than e.g. Scheifler & Gettys. But you'd better order that one as well.