Question:
What programming language is Adobe software written in?
Bob Saget
2010-05-11 15:06:20 UTC
C+? C++? C#? .NET? etc..Also what graphics engine do they use? GDI+?

I work for a company that also creates what could be called "design" software, where we have a toolbar or tools, and a canvas area to create things, but our software is nowhere near the fluidity and scope, in terms ob screen object manipulation that Adobe Photoshop is. What graphics engine is Adobe using under the hood? Also, what language is it programmed in? I know you don't need .NET installed to run Photoshop, so that is probably not it.

Anyone have an inside to Adobe's code-base? I am not looking for trade-secrets really. I just want to make our software better.
Three answers:
Dirk
2010-05-11 21:49:20 UTC
John Warnock and Charles Geschke, who established Adobe after leaving Xerox PARC, invented their own Forth-like programming language, PostScript.

PostScript has its own graphic engine. At http://www.adobe.com/devnet/postscript/pdfs/PLRM.pdf you find the PostScript Language Reference.



In Postscript you write Modules with everything what the program shall do and then give a name to this module - in Forth you give a name first and then you write down what the program shall do completing the Module. Both are using reverse polish notation.



PostScript is an interpreted, stack-based language similar to Forth but with strong dynamic typing, data structures inspired by Lisp, scoped memory and garbage collection. Like with Forth the language syntax uses reverse Polish notation, which makes the order of operations unambiguous. Reading a program requires some practice, because you have to keep the layout of the stack in mind. To work with PostScript, your company needs a license (Apple did license PostScript from Adobe for their printers).



Another powerful programming language instead of Adobes PostScript is Forth. Take a look at BigFORTH. You can download it from http://sourceforge.net/projects/bigforth/ - after installing go to the Windows start menu "All Programs" and start "BigFORTH" "MINOS". The BigFORTH MINOS window is titled bigFORTH Dialog. There you open "File" "Dragon" and you immediately see the amazing 3D Dragon waving his wings, you can move the dragon into all directions and you can put more on the screen simply clicking on "One more" without any delay.



Or you can take a look at GIMP's GTK (Graphic Tool Kit). GIMP is a raster graphics editor under GNU General Public License and GTK+ is programmed in C. It's worth looking at GIMP and GTK.



Both BigFORTH and GTK are available for Linux and Windows.
slaten
2016-11-06 05:53:37 UTC
Adobe Programming
2016-02-28 07:28:22 UTC
C, C++, Visual Basic, Java... There is no "most popular" programming language. Find one that suits your needs and program using that.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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