1. Regarding calling IDL from C/C++: In the IDL Online Help Contents page, look up the section 'Programmer's Guides -> External Development Guide -> Techniques That Use IDL's Internal API -> Callable IDL'. This will also refer to many sections in the previous chapter 'Programmer's Guides -> External Development Guide -> IDL's Internal API'. Note that, although those chapters directly reference IDL's interface to C, Callable IDL is equally useable in C++ programs. 2. Starting with IDL 6.3, Java can call IDL without requiring the ION Java interface. The new tool that enables this is called the "IDL Connectivity Bridge", which you can study in IDL Online Help's Contents tab page at: 'Programmer's Guides -> IDL Connectivity Bridges' where the chapter "Exporting From IDL" is particularly relevant. (Note that ION Java is still necessary for most Java Applet applications delivered through a web server, but the Java-IDL bridge is a perfect substitute for ION Java for Java applications run locally.) James Jones