Re: [albireo-dev] thoughts on API, options

[Bruno Haible <haible@xxxxxxx>]

Gordon Hirsch wrote:
> It would also be nice if some of the global options could be controlled 
> without changing code. This would be useful to quickly debug whether one 
> of the facilities is indeed causing a strange side effect - without 
> having to rebuild.
> 
> So maybe there is a Java property associated with each relevant option? 
> On initialization, if the property is set, its value is used to set the 
> option's default. Otherwise, the option is initialized to s standard 
> default value. The application can then programmatically change the 
> option through the singleton instance of the options class. (i.e. the 
> code overrides any property setting.) Any subsequent changes to the 
> property are *not* tracked.
> 
> At least some of the options must/should be set before anything else is 
> done. This will need to be documented.
> 
> Our property names should have a common prefix ("org.eclipse.albireo.")

I agree that such options are necessary.

About the formalism: Is it possible to write down such preferences using
extension points rather than classical JavaVM -D options?

  <extension point="org.eclipse.albireo.prefs.nativeLookAndFeel">
    <true>
  </extension>

instead of

  -Dorg.eclipse.albireo.prefs.nativeLookAndFeel=true

Can someone who knows extension points comment?

Bruno