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OPEN SOURCE
Develop free Windows software for Domino with Borland
By Ian Cherrill
You've probably heard about open source and free software projects by now. They first came to the attention of most of us when the Linux operating system became a standard for Internet servers and more recently as a Domino platform. You probably like the concept of using free software--or free anything, for that matter--but a smaller number of you may have thought about developing free software. Maybe you have an idea for a small program or utility that isn't intended for commercialization, or maybe you just like the idea of "giving something back" to the Domino community.
After JPS (Java Server Page) support (codenamed Garnet) was abruptly dropped from Domino 6 by IBM, a group of programmers decided to set up an organization called Notes Sauce to focus the efforts of developers wanting to write free open source products for Domino. Their first idea was to reinstate JSP support, but so many developers offered their help that they're now starting a number of other projects, as well.
I've developed some small free software products for the company where I work. They're not all open source products but the most popular one is. It's a Domino server task called ACLHelp. It's the subject of a previous DominoPower article at http://www.dominopower.com/issues/issue200101/coding0101001.html. The code for ACLHelp would fit on one sheet of paper, but it's a good example of how to write a server task for Domino using the C API (Application Programming Interface) Toolkit on a number of platforms.
On the Linux platform, the GCC compiler (part of the GNU compiler package) can be used from the command line. A number of integrated visual development environments are available if you find the command line too much like hard work. Probably the best of these is KDevelop. They are free, of course, so if you decide to write free software on Linux, you won't have to part with any money to get started.
"Don't worry if you've only tackled LotusScript thus far, with this article and a beginners' guide to C++ you can learn how to make your own utilities."
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When you write Windows programs for Domino, it's often assumed that you'll be using the Microsoft Visual C++ 6 compiler. Now, Visual C++ is a good product, but it costs plenty of money. If you're just experimenting, learning, working for a non-profit organization, or simply wanting to contribute to a free software project, you might prefer a cheap--or even free--alternative to the Microsoft compiler.
Your free alternative
Can you do something useful with the Lotus API toolkits on the Windows platform without spending any money? Well, actually, the answer is "yes." Believe it or not, there's a commercially tested and fully functional compiler available that works with the latest Lotus C++ API Toolkit. It's made by Borland (at http://www.borland.com), one of the most respected development software companies in the world.
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