[news.eclipse.platform.swt] Re: About GUI SWT Builder

["Konstantin Scheglov" <scheglov_ke@xxxxxxx>]

Dave Tirak <dtirak@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> The screenshots provided look very promising.  I am excited to see
> development on this plugin continue.  This would be an invaluable tool for
> people just starting out in SWT or for quickly generating a GUI starting
> point.  And having a "two-way" tool is highly desirable.
  I hope, that I will receive some input from community about asked questions, but
it seems, that nobody wants to discuss this. :-(


> /dt


> Konstantin Scheglov wrote:

>> draco <dracodoc@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

>>   I have plans for building SWT GUI builder. I did some basic things like:
>> 1. Parsing Java code (using AST of course) for SWT widgets;
>> 2. Convinient (I hope) property table with support of any property editor;
>> 3. Widget tree;
>> 4. Visual view using GEF. You see real images of real controls, i.e. as your
>> window will look when you will start it (well, only when all properties are
>> detected);

>>   You can see some screenshots on http://eclipsedesigner.sourceforge.net

>>   Currently I don't have much time (I have enough work with Eclipse profiler
> plugin
>> http://eclipsecolorer.sourceforge.net). But I would like to hear, what
> people think
>> about current state (source are only in CVS and it is not so easy to test,
> so most
>> probably you will have only screenshots). And what is most interesting -
> where to
>> go, which features are needed. 

>> 1. Do you think, that current idea about 2-way tool is good?
>>    I parse one method for Control's creation, calls of setXXX and then
>> use this information. When user changes property in editor I modify Java
>> code by changeing or adding call of setXXX.
>>    Or may be I should just edit some model and then generate Java code
>> from template (i.e. implement one-way tool)?
>>    Or may be I should as WSAD generate field members for each control and
>> method creating of each control?

>> 2. How to implement layout edit support?
>>    Currently it is almost impossible to add controls to composites using
>> designer. Yes, you can place control from palette, but this is just hack.
>>    I have one idea. I think, that would be convinient to place controls with
>> absolute locations and sizes, and then generate set of Layout's and
>> Composite's, which approximate these locations and sizes. However I am
>> not sure about algorithm.
>>    For editing you could place control directly with layout or "break"
> layout,
>> add control with absolute location and size and then regenerate layout.
>>    What do you think about this?

>> 3. How do you think, is designer for SWT needed at all?
>>    Personally I feel, that would be usefull at least to see before start, how
>> dialog will like like. But may be you have another idea...


>> > 	I liked SWT very much, it seemed like the major defect of Java desktop 
>> > application had been complemented.
>> > 	However, it seemed that there is no plan of a GUI builder for SWT...
>> > 	I read some gossip said:

>> > Eclipse can't even call
>> > itself a Java IDE, and Sun have made threats of legal moves to stop IBM
>> > from ever calling Eclipse a Java IDE.  One result of this is the fact the
>> > IBM created GUI builder that runs on Eclipse lets you build Swing/AWT GUIs,
>> > but doesn't let you drag and drop SWT widgets. 

>> > 	Is this the reason? But I can't see the connection.
>> > 	There is a company trying to develop a commercial GUI SWT builder
>> > 	http://www.swtworkbench.com/index.shtml
>> > 	But we don't know when will it appear.

>> > 	What's your opinion?

>> > Cheers
>> > draco

>> -- 
>> SY, Konstantin.




-- 
SY, Konstantin.