Re: [Wxdevide-devs] Which Help File Format and other questions.

[Malcolm N. <m.n...@wa...>]

On 28/09/2008 18:46, Tony Reina wrote:
> The wxHelp idea seems fine to me. I've posted the wiki pages so we can 
> start to add these specifics to it. I think it's good that we are 
> starting to get down to the nitty gritty regarding implementation.

Me too :)
>
> I'm not sure I understand the sizer idea. Are you saying that we 
> should use sizers to implement the IDE? Or, are you saying that the 
> user will be required to use sizers in the wx RAD?
I think we should be using sizers in the design of our dialogs. I 
suppose the ide won't matter as such, since it will be controlled by 
wxaui (so automatically sizer based). I meant that although our dialogs 
should look as much like the current ones as possible, that we should 
try to use sizers to have them look as well as we can on all platforms.

My only caveat (love that word) is that once the dialog has been 
designed as well as possible, that the sizers be "removed". By this I 
mean that the sizer border should be reduced to 1 or possibly 0, to 
remove any possible unneccessary padding of the dialog. But this is just 
my personal opinion.
> I don't like the latter as it is completely different from our current 
> wx RAD behavior. I think most novice users will try to add a wxButton 
> to a wxFrame/wxDialog and get frustrated if it doesn't immediately 
> work because a sizer hadn't been added first. I prefer the current 
> behavior where the user has the choice to use sizers or design 
> "free-form".
Agreed, but we have to make sure that the designer produces a visibly 
correct dialog when using sizers. To see what I mean, checkout the svn 
of wxdevide and take a look at the envirofrm.wxform file (using the svn 
build of wxdevcpp). This is designed using the current envirofrm as a 
design, as many names as possible were used from the delphi code, etc. 
Some borders were removed to make it look more like the delphi created 
dialog. However if you opern the form in wxdevcpp you will see that the 
dialog on generation, looks nothing  like the dialog in the designer. 
Also when using sizers, we have to enforce the use of wxDefaultPosition, 
I am not sue about wxDefaultSize but I believe so, otherwise the dialog 
looks freaky.

>
> As an important aside, I'd like to bring up the topic of developer 
> conflicts. Although I think we are all reasonable people, it is good 
> that we have a plan to handle the times where one developer strongly 
> disagrees with another about how something should work. I've run 
> across this situation in the past and it can lead to bad blood.
Don't worry, if there's bad blood I don't mind spilling someone's, 
besides I have a soldier in training that needs some exercise :)

>
> I have a proposal for handling conflicts, but welcome other ideas. I 
> figure there are 5 core developers right now (me, Nuklear, SofT, 
> Esteban, and Mal). For major policy/architecture resolutions, we just 
> go with a simple majority (so, at present, if you can convince 2 other 
> core developers that you are right, then you've got the 3 votes you 
> need). In the case that the number of core developers ever changes to 
> an even number and a tie occurs, the tie breaking vote is the core 
> developer that's been here the longest. For the present 5 core 
> developers, I'd suggest that Nuklear is the lead developer since he 
> started the SF page and got the ball rolling. Next in line is SofT who 
> contributed the initial souce code to SVN. Next is Mal who commited 
> the first SVN source code. Then, Esteban who produced the first API 
> docs. And then me because I'm the only one left. So if we ever 
> added/lost developers, Nuklear would currently have the tie-breaker vote.
I have a better idea, the two in conflict sit down with a bottle of 
Southern Comfort and take turns drinking a glass, the one who remains 
coherent the longest wins. ;)

>
> Perhaps all of this seems silly to bring up, but I thought we'd get it 
> on the table for discussion. Does anyone have a better plan?

Not silly, especially since we are spread around the globe. It is better 
to have a plan in place in case anything undesireable happens.
>
> p.s. I think Nuklear and I currently have admin status on the website. 
> It is, of course, offered to any of the core developers who want it. 
> Just let one of us know if you want admin status.
I already have admin rights.

Best Regards
Mal