The user's view of SunPict, an extensible visual environment for intermediate-scale procedural programming

Abstract

The SunPict environment supports interactive graphical composition and execution of procedural programs. It is able to effectively handle larger user programs than its predecessors, thanks to a combination of efficient algorithms which underlie the implementation, and careful use of traditional visual elements such as color and animation in conjunction with many novel features (including, for example, supplementing textual variable names with simple icons that convey type information, and allowing the runtime action associated with an icon to be specified by means of either an iconic SunPict subprogram or textual code written in a simple Lisp-like dialect). The authors concentrate on the user's view of SunPict. An overview of the environment within the context of previous work is followed by several detailed examples which illustrate what it is like to work in the system. Plans for future enhancements are discussed.<>