\chapter{Introduction}

The \gildas\ Programming Manual includes all necessary information to
create applications based on the \gildas\ tools. The tools includes:
\begin{itemize}
\item \sic\ the command line interpreter, written in FORTRAN and callable
  as a subroutine by any program.
\item \greg\ the high level Graphic library.
\item Independent {\em Tasks} for specific applications. The {\em Task}
  programming section describes how to create new \gildas\ tasks.
\end{itemize}

The \gtvirt\ low level Graphic library is also described for completeness,
although very few programs will actually require using its possibilities
directly.

This manual contains several chapters. Chapter 2 (the \sic\ programming
manual) is essential when constructing interactive applications.  Chapter 3
(the \greg\ programming manual) is essential for all graphics applications.
To create tasks, the user only needs to read Chapter 4 (the \gildas\ task
programming manual). Sophisticated graphic application may require to read
Chapter 5, the \gtvirt\ programming manual.

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