[Actionframework-users] Roadmap

[Petr T. <cz5...@ti...>]

Hello everyone,
I think now it is the right time to discuss the future. I (re)collected
my ideas and plans (some had been already posted in "Proposals for 0.94"
thread) and here is the result is below (will be added to www).

Todo for 0.93.1c/0.93.2c (bugfix release: end of September)
------------------------
[ ] this could be the last bugfix release before I start working on 0.94


Todo for 0.94 ("orthogonality" release: 1st half of October)
-------------
[ ] add ActionServlet.destroyComponent(String componentName) method
[ ] add ActionServlet.getTypeHandler(Class srcType, Class targetType) met=
hod
[ ] add BaseCompositeHandler + javadoc org.actionframework.th package
[ ] allow <type-handler> element nested in <input-variable> of <action>
    (to allow explicit selection of type handler)

    <action name=3D"/actionA" method=3D"methodA(java.util.List listA)">
       <input-variable name=3D"listA" value=3D"roleUids[]">       
          <type-handler class=3D"my.specific.Handler"/>
       </input-variable>
       <on-return value=3D"void" show-template=3D"someTemplate.wm"/>
    </action>

[ ] enable <on-exception>s common to all components
[ ] allow arbitrary order of <output-variabele>s and <invoke>s inside 
    <template>, <on-return> and <exception>
[ ] put $REQUEST, $RESPONSE into Context by default
    (note: do not add getRequest() and getResponse() methods to Context

           because on client side there will be no HTTP request/response)=

[ ] add new <on-new-session> element - allowing 'show-url' redirect
    (ensure $SERVLET, $URL and $CONTEXT are set before processing it!)
[ ] allow evaluation of 'show-url' directly, not only through <output-var=
iable>
[ ] evaluate values of show-template=3D"$currentPage" attribute
[ ] enable <property> values like:

    <property name=3D"SomeProperty" value=3D"$xyz">
       <input-variable name=3D"xyz" component=3D"Comp" value=3D"getValue(=
)"/>
    </property>

    - requires also to change return type of ActionServlet.getProperty()

[ ] introduce <validate> element - for parameter validation:

    <action name=3D"/myAction1" method=3D"method1(String str, int value)"=
>
       <validate class=3D"my.Validator1" variables=3D"str"/>
    </action>

    <action name=3D"/myAction2" method=3D"method2(String str, int value)"=
>
       <validate class=3D"my.Validator2" variables=3D"str, value"/>
    </action>

[ ] allow <template> names containing regexps, so that <output-variable>s=


    can be set for several templates in one place
[ ] allow new <template-ref name=3D"template.wm"> element nested in <temp=
late>
    (will enable nesting of templates)
[ ] allow invocation of static methods of components in <in/out-variable>=
s
[ ] owerwiting of tmp uploaded files -> update multipartrequest.jar to 1.=
30
[ ] add optional type=3D"GET/POST" attribute for <action> to allow select=
ion
of
    action based on the type of request -> also change AS methods that ha=
ve
    'form' parameter (beforeInvoke(), invokeMethod() etc.) - example:

    beforeInvoke(Context context, String form, String action, Object[] pa=
rams)
    // would change to:
    beforeInvoke(Context context, String type, String action, Object[] pa=
rams)

    Values of 'form' and 'action' will be concatenated by '.':
    form=3D"form1", action=3D"submit" -> action value would be "form1.sub=
mit"

[ ] ConversionException should be also processable by <on-exception> elem=
ent


Todo for 0.95 ("programmatic ActionConfig" release: October)
-------------
[ ] API for ActionConfig (support for multiple/programmatic configuration=
)

[ ] replace ActionServlet.getActionMethod() by config.getAction().getMeth=
od()?
[ ] add getVersion(), getAction() methods to Context
[ ] some ActionConfig error messages don't indicate line number - ex: "Er=
ror

    while parsing action method definition; nested exception is: 
    java.text.ParseException: Unknown parameter type '$userName' in actio=
n

    definition: 'getReservations($userName)'"
[ ] implement <pre-condition>s (nested in <action>) - example:

    <pre-condition if=3D"$var" show-template=3D"loggedIn.wm">
       <input-variable name=3D"var" component=3D"auth" value=3D"isLoggedI=
n()"/>
    </pre-condition>

    <pre-condition if=3D"!$REQUEST.isSecure()" show-url=3D"https:/$SERLVE=
T"/>

    <pre-condition if=3D"!$REQUEST.isSecure()">
       <invoke component=3D"counter" method=3D"incNumberOfInsecureCalls()=
"/>
       <invoke component=3D"counter" method=3D"incNumberOfErrors()"/>
    </pre-condition>

    <pre-condition if=3D"!$REQUEST.isSecure()">
       <invoke component=3D"Authenticator" method=3D"isLoggedIn()"/>
          <on-return value=3D"true" show-template=3D"HttpsRequiredError.w=
m">
       </invoke>
    </pre-condition>

    <pre-condition>s may be defined for: 
    - all components (inside <components>)
    - all actions of one component (inside <component>)
    - single action (inside <action>)


Todo for 0.96 ("pluggable template engine" release: November)
-------------
[ ] reimplement In/OutputVars - will remove dependency on Velocity/WebMac=
ro
[ ] add <in/output-variable> attribute 'type' - to set var type manually
[ ] make pluggable parser API public
[ ] JSP and FreeMarker engine support


Todo for 0.97 ("ActionController" release: December)
-------------
[ ] introduce ActionController interface - will make Actionframework
    usage possible for client side development


Todo (not yet scheduled)
------------------------
[ ] enable passing of all incomming HTTP/URL parameters between requests

    (=3D put all HTTP/URL parameters into Context)
[ ] include error.wm/.vm in ActionServlet.jar - will be used if not found=

in
    template path
[ ] examples configuration + out-of-box ant task for Jetty
    (problem: Jetty does not work on path with spaces)
[ ] reload components if ActionConfig changes
[ ] allow accessing ActionServlet.getComponent() via JNDI context
[ ] write better Tutorial describing all features step by step
[ ] enable forwarding actions? (may be now solved by URL redirecting)
[ ] standardize "connector architecture" -> publish ParameterRetrievers
    API (AS will be able to handle requests from different sources -
    RMI/miniRMI/Corba/POP3/SOAP,...)
[ ] template postprocessing (XSL/VSL)

---
Release dates are just rough estimates. I'm awaiting your comments and su=
ggestions!
:)

Petr

[ http://dione.zcu.cz/~toman40 - Pet...@pi... - ICQ=3D22957959 ]


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