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

[yipeng97@xxxxxxxxx (kite)]

Hi ,

Looks very nice,but I cann't setup it in Eclipse 2.1. 

Konstantin Scheglov wrote:

> 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.