[Pythoncard-users] PythonCard Visual Card Creator

[Ronald D S. <rd...@ea...>]

Unfortunately, just as I am making progress studying the samples code, I am forced to make an unexpected trip overseas again, I will
be out of commission for a week and a half. So, at the risk of being embarassed by my obvious ignorance and naivete, I am going to
summarize some thoughts I am having.

What I most hope for is for someone to code a sort of visual card creator for PythonCard. In other words, a visual card creator
might show a visual palette or window or card, with a group of icons at the top representing the various widgets that Kevin has
already created for PythonCard. It is not necessary nor even desirable to show an infinite number of widgets; rather, only a  small
but representative sample of the widgets, one of each generic kind, sort of a mini sampling of the functionality of PythonCard, to
allow beginnners or neophytes to begin coding real, usable mini-PythonCard gui's right away, from the beginining of their
experience.

I really believe in the concept of "hooking" potential users right up front, allowing them to then evolve or grow into the coding
environment naturally, by trial and error, a little at a time.

In any intellectual creation task, such as  creating a program, the hardest thing of all, by far, is the first step. Most people
never get started, because the first step is just too daunting and scary. But when and if a person completes a first step, no matter
how small, and gets a psychic reward of success, they are hooked, and they may never turn back.

So, a sample card or window, offering a small set of widgets, that can be pointed at and clicked on, and then dragged to the
appropriate spot on the window, offers an inviting introduction to PythonCard. After placing the widget, a right click could bring
up a properties window, or a menu offering the selection of all of the various PythonCard program modules, such as resource files,
resource editors, or the master PythonCard programming environment.

Some of this code to do this may be "borrowable" from elsewhere. What about Boa Constructor? With all of the open source programs
like Boa, to do some sort of visual gui creation, aren't they available for code borrowing? Therr is nothing wrong with code
borrwoing, as I understand it is an honor to have one's code stolen??? Of course, let me hasten to add, that what I have in moind
here must be far simpler than anything Boa offers or does, or else it will miss sthe purpose.

Now it would be nice if someone or some group would step up to the plate and help out on doing this piece of the programming. Kevin
can't do it all by himself;-)))))))

While we're at it, what about a visual metaphor for manipulating the cards in Pythoncard? Couldn't we create a visual "stack" of
Pythoncards, sort of like the old Windows 3.1 Cardfile.exe program, does anyone remember that, that showed a rolodex type stack of
cards for storing addresses, phone numbers and other contact information? A visual stack of Pythoncards could be manipulated easily
and effectively.


I hope someone will step up to the plate and help Kevn on this.  I know that what I am so crudely and clumsily trying to describe
must represent a tremendously difficult and arduous programming task, and so I am very presumptuous to even mention the topic. But
think what a boon to programmers this could be?

I am overwhelmingly impressed and overjoyed with what Kevin and you all have already created. I am humbled by my attempts to learn
by studying the source code for the samples. I believe the programming model already being implented will represent a huge step
forward for Python gui creation.

But a visual metaphor for doing the simplest gui ceation, only, the introductory card creation, would be the coup de grace that
would provide the introductory enticement to lure the multitudes of people, making PythonCard unstoppable, make it what some many of
us have dreamed of. I hope I am not out of line to dream publicly on this list.

Ron Stephens

p.s. I must leave for the airport right now, so I apologize for the sketchy description of what I have in mind. I will be unable to
add to it or answer questions for a week and a half. But maybe that's good. Those of you so much more knowledgeable and capable than
I can probably create something much better than what I am imagining anyway. Suffice it to say, a visual, easy to use
mini-introduction to creating pythoncards would be useful, and would help, even a this early stage in the development of Pythoncard,
to attract users and maybe even contributors. It doesn't need to be fancy, not powerful, nor in any way complete; just an easy way
to get started for users in creating the simplest PythonCard event driven gui applets, if you will.

...sorry for not being able to contribute, but admiring and grateful to all of those who do contribute, Ron Stephens