The IUP Portable User Interface is a computer software development kit that provides a portable, scriptable toolkit to build graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using the programming languages C, Perl, Lua, Nim and Zig, among others.[1] This allows rapid, zero-compile prototyping and refinement of deployable GUI applications.
 | |
| Original author(s) | Tecgraf/PUC-Rio in collaboration with Petrobras |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 3.31
/ 13 October 2023 |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Type | Software development kit |
| License | MIT |
| Website | www |
IUP's purpose is to allow programs user interface to run in different systems in unmodified form.[2]
It provides this ability by binding Lua with its C/C++ code, or simply writing C to the application programming interface (API). It handles user interface elements by using native controls provided by native APIs, such as Windows API in Windows, GTK+ in Linux, and Motif-LessTif in older Unices. It also provides some custom developed controls using graphics APIs such as CD - Canvas Draw or OpenGL.
Features
editIUP's distinguishing features include:
- ANSI C API, one of the few plain C-capable toolkits,
- Single API for Windows or Linux,
- Built in support for Lua scripts calling IUP functions (controlled by Lua script),
- Removal of the restriction of class/instance object types, but retaining the prototype Lua-style hierarchy of inheritance.
- An abstract layout model, in which sizes and positions are calculated from horizontal and vertical containers, rather than explicit X and Y coordinates. Coordinate-based layout is also supported with a third container type.
- Small API, on the order of about 100 functions.
- Use of an event loop-callback mechanism. This main loop can be called inside Lua.
- Interface elements are created before they are mapped to the native elements. This is the reverse of the usual situation for assembling GUI elements.
- Available as source or pre-built static or dynamic libraries for a wide variety of compilers, including turnkey example source.
The Lua scripting is done by binding Lua and IUPLua in (at least) a small C program called a host application. This program creates a Lua state, passes the Lua state to IUPLua for initialization, and then opens and executes a Lua script against the Lua state. Or, the entire IUP state can be dynamically loaded via use of a Lua require or package.loadlib of IUPLua.
The script(s) can later be compiled with the Lua compiler if needed.
Support for UTF-8 was added to the Windows target in November 2013 with the release of version 3.9.[3]
License, copyright
editIUP is liberally-licensed for free use, modification, sale, and redistribution under the MIT license.[4]
IUP has been in development at least since the 1.8 version issued in 1998. It was begun in collaboration with Petrobras.
References
edit- ^ "IUP for Zig". Zig NEWS. 19 September 2021. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
- ^ "IUP - Portable User Interface". www.tecgraf.puc-rio.br. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ^ "History 3.x". www.tecgraf.puc-rio.br. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
- ^ "Tecgraf Library License". www.tecgraf.puc-rio.br. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
External links
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