VX-REXX

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Watcom VX-REXX
Advert from 1994

VX-REXX is a highly-extensible REXX GUI development system for OS/2, it contains a core engine written in a low level language but everything else is actually written in VX-REXX itself and you can extend the system simply by writing SOM objects for it, although a more conventional C SDK was also released for it later in the form of the VX-REXX Object Development Kit. It was delivered in two versions, a standard version and a "Client/server" version that had built in support for SQL databases and support for writing front ends for other back end computer software.

VX-REXX was originally developed by Watcom which was acquired by Powersoft in 1994, and Powersoft merged with Sybase in 1995 who discontinued the product in 1998. And Sybase itself was later bought by SAP. Despite its discontinuation the system remains one of the most popular if not the the most popular development product in day to day use for OS/2 and eComStation systems.

VX-REXX libraries and extensions

VX-REXX code

Versions

  • 06/1993: VX-REXX 1.0
  • 09/1993: VX-REXX 1.01 - latest patch level 1.01c (1993-12-03)
  • 1994: VX-REXX 2.0 - latest patch level 2.0c (1994-11-11)
  • 1995: VX-REXX 2.1
  • Last known version for OS/2-eCS: 2.1d (1995-09-19)

Downloads

Known issues

See: Bastian Märkisch: Inofficial VX-REXX buglist

Links

Licence and availability

Discontinued commercial software, the company announced in April 1996 that it would no longer develop the package as the developer resources were being moved to Optima++ and 1998-03-01 withdrew the VX-REXX package from sale altogether. When the Watcom C/C++ was being open sourced into the OpenWatcom there was interest in open sourcing VX-REXX as well, however for cost reasons this proved impossible and the project was discontinued.

Publications

Local articles

Articles, papers and presentations

Authors and publisher