RE: [Rails-devel] OR updates

[Erik V. <eri...@hc...>]

> I think this would be much simpler a task if we merged 
> ORWindow with MapWindow into a single JFrame, much like 
> StatusWindow is a collection of multiple JPanels within a 
> single JFrame.  This merger would also make our overall UI 
> much simpler and more approachable for end-users. 

Could be, but that is a separate issue.
 
> Also, instead of Observers/Observables, would it be possible 
> to just add new methods to the model-side to help simplify 
> the bounds checking that we need to do to allow these behaviors?
> 
> Or is it that the OR is significantly complicated that the 
> methods we used in StatusWindow won't work for the ORWindow?

The problem is, that many actions in the OR cause changes
in both the OR and the Status window.

My point is, that I do not want to redraw both windows entirely 
after each action, because it slows down and makes the UI clunky.
Therefore I have so far created lots of methods in both classes
that all update part of a screen, and are called from within ORWindow.
IMO that is becoming unwieldy.

What we need is some kind of messages from the Model to the View
about changes of individual values that have taken place 
and (possibly) need be reflected in the UI.

Our rules forbid direct calls, but I suppose a registration-based
interface might be acceptable. IMO Events are too heavy.

I'm not yet planning a complete overhaul, just an experiment.

Erik.