Re: [Libvisual-devel] Re: xmms plugin

[Dennis S. <sy...@yo...>]

On Tue, 2004-10-05 at 02:50 -0300, Duilio Javier Protti wrote:
> Oh, I see now what are your plans for VisUI! But, how exactly we can
> give that hints. I remember you have mentioned something like libglade
> does.

There will be a VisUIContainer
kinda thing (don't take things to literally
btw, I'm just sketching).

You can pack other VisUIContainers in that
like a VisUIGroup.

(we will keep it very basic)

For example:
___
VisUIContainer *uicont = visual_plugin_get_ui_container (plugin);

VisUIGroup *uigroup = visual_ui_group_new ("Sexy configs");
VisUILabel *uilabel = visual_ui_label_new ("Something: ");
VisUIText *uitext = visual_ui_text_new (paramentry);
VisUIBox *uibox = visual_ui_box_new (VISUAL_UI_HBOX);

visual_ui_box_pack (uibox, uilabel);
visual_ui_box_pack (uibox, uitext);
visual_ui_group_add (uigroup, uibox);

visual_ui_container_add (uicont, uigroup);
___


And have some good API to get extract the userinterface data
so you can easily build it within your app.

I really think it's important to have a facility to describe 
userinterfaces in, atleast to some degree... If people have comments,
thoughts, please comment now, so we can all think about it for a while.


> Doing with the thing we have now won't be difficult:
> - grouping of params could be done changing to a VisList of
> VisParamContainer's on VisPluginData structure.

Won't do that, it's hacky. It's working around the real problem.

> - lay restrictions on the input could be done adding a pointer to a
> 'validator' function, which returns TRUE if the given value for the
> VisParam a valid one (and probably also return a message string in 
> case of error), and will be provided by the plugin writer.

This can be described on UI niveau, where I think this should 
be handled.

> 
> But well, VisUI still being a good idea, I suggest these easy changes
> just to concentrate on other things for a while, like VisFont and the
> actual libvisual-display.

Sorry, I won't change things, to be reverted at a later point. We are
still in development, we don't have to be production ready at this
moment. Rather solve the problems once and right, than solve
them twice. I rather call us stable, both API/ABI when we're done
than when we're not done, but just want people to use us. This is my
opinion. I think that, atleast in the beginning Vitaly will be working
mostly on the libvisual-display stuff. It's in good hands for sure...

I also agree that our ROADMAP has to be revised a bit, I like to give
VisThread a very low piority, but raise the piority of VisFont
and VisAudio rewrite.

The ROADMAP is still a very good overview about, what NEEDS to be done.

Not what needs to be done at which point. It's a nice guide, but it's 
far from final. Till now we have mostly been working on our 'feelings'
and I think it's turning out very well.

I personally, will continue work on the core library, I will
need some help here and there, but generally, I can pull it off :)

I'm getting used to the stress introduced by my new school, so I'm able
to hack more again :) What we really could use is some anthousiastic
plugin porter!, now we have a website, it's time for a new
call for help 'Plugin porters required' :).. hehehe.

Cheers and thanks,
Dennis