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From: <hv...@ya...> - 2001-08-12 23:58:45
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OK, I had this crazy idea and I need another head to discuss it with so = I'm throwing it out and see how you like it... I was browsing around on and off other SourceForge projects with similar = intents as ours. I'm doing tha to get a feel for what would make our IDE = application unique and stand out amongst the rest. OK, I know, being = DynAPI compliant is one major, but still we could just as well = concentrate on making plugins for another app like jEdit or netBeans or = something and not bother at all with starting from scratch. I just want = to make sure we're not onto just creating the wheel all over again if = you get what I mean. Anyway, after have browsing around a couple of sessions now, seen = numerous of IDE application projects - alot of them done in Java too - I = started going back to see what features are in commercial applictions I = find useful, that might be usefulfor this project. Thing is commercial = applications still have the best features in many cases, due to the = resources they're able toput on the development. My favorite = applications that I use include Paintshop Pro, Winamp and Dreamwever = (Ultradev). Now the one of those that are most close of an IDE = application is of course Dreamweaver. So what of Dreamweavers features = is it that I think is really useful, and could do being implemented in = this IDE? Well, here's something interesting: Dreamweaver is extensible = by Javascript(and HTML) So what is good about that and why does it fit this project so well? = You're probably already guessing, but I'm going to tell you anyway: + Javascript is simple to learn, many webdevelopers already knows it and = knows it well, not least the target audiance of the DynAPI IDE + It will enable users to pretty quick pick up on onfiguring and = customising if they can do it with the language that is simple and that = they already are developing with + They can learn from developing extensions how to code javascript for = their pages and vice versa + They can configure, customise and develop the extensions for the IDE = in the IDE itself! + If we're using Rhino for the javascript engine (which is the best = looking alternative so far) we have it ready for implementation and = saves us a lot of hazzle coming up with an all new API The only downside I can see so far is that it might cut down on = performance of the app to have it parse javascript instead of Java code. = Beware I have no indication of wheter this would be the case, it just = seems like a possible scenario. OTOH it all depends on how well Rhino = runs and how much javascript we use. An additional thought is that if we go along these lines, we should = concentrate on making the javascript extending as similar to the DynAPI = syntax as possible, meaning try and implement it the way syntax is used = in existing DynAPI code and widgets. For example we might use an almost = identical "object" for application menus as the menu widgets avilable = for DynAPI (see = http://www.resass.f2s.com/dynapi/Ken_Ono_Examples/Pulldown_Menu.html for = example). Not that we use the widget itself, but that we create an Java = object that interfaces the same methods, have the same properties and = names, even if we might add and subtract some. From what I understand, = this is very simple to accomplish when implementing Rhino. So are there any further thoughts? Or do you adapt the idea? If so we = might as well, implement it into the framework from the begining, don't = you think? BTW I'm getting an app from Richard (owner and maintiner of = Richardinfo.com ) which more or less automates getting methods and = properties definitions from the dynAPI. BTW2 I seem to remember Dan Steinman, the originator of DynAPI, to have = begun on a DynAPI IDE in Java. I'll get aound to ask him for any sources = or materials he might have lying around and if he'd want to contribute = it.=20 Henrik V=E5glin [ hv...@ya... ] _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com |