Re: [e4-dev] UI technologies

[Paul Webster <pwebster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 7:06 PM, Hallvard Trætteberg<hal@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> However, there has been almost no discussion about the pros and cons of each
> project (and no response/comments to my TM contribution), which I thought
> was the major point with e4: Trying out and discussing the future of
> Eclipse!

This is very important, and you are correct we need to start exposing
these technologies and experimenting with them.


> In the last minutes XWT was mentioned, but not TM, although they in many
> respects are comparable.

Just to clarify, we actually did talk about both XWT and TM.  In the
case of TM (not captured in the minutes) we think it could be exposed
for use in the e4 workbench with an e4 model level plugin that:

1. provides a tm-worbkench.ecore, like the workbench.ecore, that
extends the modeled workbench Application.  Specifically enhance
MContributedPart so that it can contain a TM model.

2. provide a renderer that can process a TMContributedPart.  When it
is time to render it, it will be provided a parent composite and can
call out to the TM processing engine to generate (in this case) the
SWT.

3. Try and create an e4 demo (like contacts or photo) that provides
the workbench model and the parts contain TM models

I know there are some XWT bugs that discuss exposing the XWT
technology for use in the e4 workbench.  I think the same processes
(extending MContributedPart so it is no longer a leaf node and having
the appropriate renderer consume the extra XWT information) can be
applied here as well.


> I'm off on a two-week vacation on Saturday, and expect there to be lots of
> interesting messages waiting for me when I'm back.

When you get back, we should continue to discuss the different technologies.

Later,
PW

-- 
Paul Webster
Hi floor.  Make me a sammich! - GIR