Re: [orion-dev] command line/console in Orion

[Grant Gayed <Grant_Gayed@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Andrew,

There's definitely interest in something
like this.  A _very_ basic initial implementation of a console was
released as part of the debug work: org.eclipse.orion.client.core/web/orion/console.js.
 It uses a TextView and displays a simple prompt whenever input is
being accepted.  Once it's a bit more mature then it should be usable
on any page that wants to make console I/O available.  A few initial
capabilities that it's asking to have added to it include history, content
assist proposals, and possibly syntax markup (the latter two with help
from the embedder).

The examples you give of potential uses
of a console (git commands, etc.) all make sense, as does the suggestion
that it be able to slide in from the bottom.  Something else that
occurred to me is that we should make an effort to ensure some degree of
uniformity in our uses of console where possible.  For example, in
contexts where we are in total control of the syntax (so NOT the accepting
of git commands, but perhaps on the Sites page), should commands generally
resemble words ("create-site") or unix-like commands ("cs").
 Syntax markup (assuming this is desirable) should also be approached
uniformly, even though each page's valid syntax will differ.

Grant




From:      
 Andrew Eisenberg <andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:      
 orion-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date:      
 01/19/2012 03:49 PM
Subject:    
   [orion-dev]
command line/console in Orion
Sent by:    
   orion-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx

---

As I mentioned on the call earlier today, I am interested
in having a
sort of command line/console for Orion.  The final solution to may
tie
into Susan's work with the command framework and other work with a
debug console.

I initially mentioned this here,
https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=366445#c7
but I think we
can get a better discussion on the mailing list before moving back to
bugzilla.

Anyway, my initial thought was that quickly navigating directories in
the navigator view is slow.  It would be so much quicker and simpler
to just be able to type the full path somewhere like I do outside of
the browser.  Similarly, git integration can be tedious as well.
Certain things, like compare and status require a nice UI, but the set
of git operations people reasonably want to do is enormous, and many
operations are easiest specified on a command line.

Cloud9 IDE has a nice command line.  It provides full git integration
and allows any git command to be run (there may be exceptions like git
clone or git init, but at least most things seem to work).  Also,
basic filesystem commands like cd, pwd, mkdir, rm, and ls all work
like you would expect.  Furthermore, much of their node.js integration
happens on the command line as well (npm install, etc).

It would be nice to see something like this in Orion.  I don't know
exactly what it should look like.  But I have some initial ideas and
I
think so do other people.  It does seem to me that all keyboard
commands should also be available in the console.  Or, perhaps a
better way of putting it would be that a subset of commonly used
console commands would also be available through keybindings.  I
imagine that the console would be available as a slider from the
bottom of the screen.  It should also be easy to hide when not in
use.
 In addition to being interactive, perhaps it would be a good place to
log events.

As far as things it could do, it would be nice if it would be possible
to do things like set up or start a site from the console, clone or
init git repos, open editors, and manage the filesystem.  What are
everyone's thoughts on this?  Are there any potential problems?  What
could the UI look like?
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