THE USER INTERFACE FOR SAPPHIRE

The Sapphire (the Screen Allocation Package Providing Helpful Icons and Rectangular Environments) window manager is introduced and its logically divided three functions are considered; (1) the implementation of the low-level graphics primitives (which includes preventing graphics from showing through covered portions), (2) the presentation of pictures to the user by the window manager (such as window title lines and icons), and (3) the operations that allow the user to manipulate windows. The latter two functions of a window manager are collected under the heading User Interface and explained. Some background material is included for those who are not familiar with window managers.