1. User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
To all IDE users:
Several people have asked that IDE be returned to a simplier state. While I
will not do that I am agreeable to maintaining two versions where one strips
most of the bells and whistles away.
What has been recommended:
1 - remove Code Editor. User creates and maintains coding files with editor
of choice and saves data before generating an exw. IDE does not open or
branch to that editor except perhaps via Menu Launcher. User inputs in IDE
somewhere the coding file path and name. The generated exw is a combination
of createEx statements from IDE and the coding file. File may be "included"
in generated exw or read and statements copied to generated exw. An
alternative suggestion was to generate only the createEx and related
statements and display them in an IDE MleText. User then copies and pastes
into his coding file. No exw file is created by IDE at all.
2 - remove Project View
3 - when drawing controls in Form Design do so without attributes from
Property such as color, fonts, bitmaps, icons etc
4 - remove Properties not applicable to createEx and related statements such
as Cursor At and the Normal/Minimize/Maximize param associated with WinMain.
5 - Systray editor displays sample required statements but does not generate
coding in the exw for them but user may copy and paste where desired (rather
like Roland Stowasser's Message Box Editor.)
6 - remove MenuItem Manage Include Statements
7 - remove from configurations the tab "describe how major windows open" and
always reopen IDE and major windows in the state it was closed and with the
last project opened and/or saved.
8 - remove Tool Box Help button and screens
9 - look into creating Simplified IDE using percentage method instead of
hard coded pixels so those people with large resolutions can use IDE without
a magnifying glass.
10 - look into using percentage method in generated exw.
Comments/suggestions?
--judith
2. Re: User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
Ugh.... no!
I find the IDE great for just about anything I do in the windows
environment, and prefer a centralised approach.
I've not done any projects involving multiple files that are edited via the
IDE - I write my main program using the IDE, and any *.ew files using Medit.
I find the code editor good for the most part, and I certainly wouldn't like
to see a forced split between them.
Some things I don't like about the editor, and I offer the following
suggestions:
*Support for multiple editor windows open at the same time
*Put the popup for procedure help in the statusbar at the bottom, or
something. Either that, or make it a tooltip that doesn't cover over any
text, like to the right of the cursor?
*Dropdown lists for win32lib and library function flags (like all the MB_*
in msgbox.e, and such... and the create types). Maybe put this with the
procedure help that pops up.
*Better support for included .e and .ew files. Have a section in the main
window for other includes. Add the global funcs and procs to the list for
showing parameters when you type the func in. Have the option to insert a
function from a list for that .ew file.
*Make it easier to switch windows in the Code editor. Show the control list
as a treeview or something so that you can see a control in the other
window. (Not so much a problem if you have multiple window support.
*Support Emacs style tabbing = press tab and it auto indents that line.
*Have the ability to see the codebase in it's entirety, and make changes
that are saved in the prj file. This wouldn't be completely free-range,
perhaps have read only, and just have the ability to change the order of the
components.
*Remember which event you were last looking at for each control, default to
that.
I can't think of any more for the editor... For the project view:
*Copy/Paste for controls. Generate new control name, keep all other
attributes the same
*Multiple selections. Grey out attributes window, allow the user to move the
multiple controls around the window.
*A snap-to command that will automatically size and position existing
controls to the nearest X pixels.
*Better change control: When you change the name of a control, popup a
dialog that asks you if you want to search through the codebase for
instances of that name, and change it.
*Don't complain about the control name being null, or the same as something
else, until it loses focus.
*Some kind of support for the standard win32lib documentation system. It
would be really cool if your own documentation, and the documentation in the
libraries (obviously it'd have to follow the win32lib standard) could be
shown in the context-sensitive help...
Judith, you have a great IDE, and I find it quite easy to use... I'm quite
perturbed at the changes you suggest below, not one of them makes sense to
me, and things like remove code view, and remove project view.... What of
the IDE is left???
Keep up the good work Judith and all you contributors. Perhaps someone needs
to make a good tutoria and help system for the IDE, that would make things a
bit easier.
=====================================================
A happy customer.
.______<-------------------\__
/ _____<--------------------__|===
||_ <-------------------/
\__| Mr Trick
>From: Judith Evans <camping at txcyber.com>
>Reply-To: EUforum at topica.com
>To: Eu Forum <EUforum at topica.com>
>Subject: User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
>Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 04:34:34 -0600
>
>
>To all IDE users:
>
>Several people have asked that IDE be returned to a simplier state. While I
>will not do that I am agreeable to maintaining two versions where one
>strips
>most of the bells and whistles away.
>
>What has been recommended:
>1 - remove Code Editor. User creates and maintains coding files with editor
>of choice and saves data before generating an exw. IDE does not open or
>branch to that editor except perhaps via Menu Launcher. User inputs in IDE
>somewhere the coding file path and name. The generated exw is a combination
>of createEx statements from IDE and the coding file. File may be "included"
>in generated exw or read and statements copied to generated exw. An
>alternative suggestion was to generate only the createEx and related
>statements and display them in an IDE MleText. User then copies and pastes
>into his coding file. No exw file is created by IDE at all.
>2 - remove Project View
>3 - when drawing controls in Form Design do so without attributes from
>Property such as color, fonts, bitmaps, icons etc
>4 - remove Properties not applicable to createEx and related statements
>such
>as Cursor At and the Normal/Minimize/Maximize param associated with
>WinMain.
>5 - Systray editor displays sample required statements but does not
>generate
>coding in the exw for them but user may copy and paste where desired
>(rather
>like Roland Stowasser's Message Box Editor.)
>6 - remove MenuItem Manage Include Statements
>7 - remove from configurations the tab "describe how major windows open"
>and
>always reopen IDE and major windows in the state it was closed and with the
>last project opened and/or saved.
>8 - remove Tool Box Help button and screens
>9 - look into creating Simplified IDE using percentage method instead of
>hard coded pixels so those people with large resolutions can use IDE
>without
>a magnifying glass.
>10 - look into using percentage method in generated exw.
>
>
>Comments/suggestions?
>--judith
>
>
>
>TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
>
>
3. Re: User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
Thanks for your suggestions for Enhanced IDE, Patrick. I will add them to my
ToDo list. A problem is IDE is getting too large and unmanageable.
BTW you can already have the Hint placed in the statusbar instead of the
floating window -- look at Options in Code Editor.
For clarification: I was not suggesting removing anything from Enhanced IDE.
Several users simply want a tool that is fast and sleak and only produces
the createEx statements. They like how Design allows them to develop window
layouts and that is all they want. The Simplified Version would be an
additional tool and alternative to the full-blown Enhanced IDE. It would be
a separate download and not forced upon anyone who is not interested in
using the application.
--judith
Patrick Barnes writes:
>Ugh.... no!
SNIP
>*Put the popup for procedure help in the statusbar at the bottom, or
>something. Either that, or make it a tooltip that doesn't cover over any
>text, like to the right of the cursor?
SNIP
4. Re: User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
Hello.
I think it would be really nice if you could allow a seperate editor to
be launched for editing event code. You could generate a temporary file
with a name like (ObjectName_EventName.ex), then launch the editor with
that file, watching the disck file for changes (while of course letting
the user do other things in the IDE). This could be done as many times
as the user wanted. It'd take care of the multiple editor windows
problem, and allow the external editor to do whatever it wants with new
files (add them to it's current MDI environment, open a new instance,
whatever). I personally would love this, as I'd probably link it up to
MSDEVSTD for it's MDI interface.
Judith Evans wrote:
>
>
>Thanks for your suggestions for Enhanced IDE, Patrick. I will add them to my
>ToDo list. A problem is IDE is getting too large and unmanageable.
>
>BTW you can already have the Hint placed in the statusbar instead of the
>floating window -- look at Options in Code Editor.
>
>For clarification: I was not suggesting removing anything from Enhanced IDE.
>Several users simply want a tool that is fast and sleak and only produces
>the createEx statements. They like how Design allows them to develop window
>layouts and that is all they want. The Simplified Version would be an
>additional tool and alternative to the full-blown Enhanced IDE. It would be
>a separate download and not forced upon anyone who is not interested in
>using the application.
>--judith
>
>
>Patrick Barnes writes:
>
>
>>Ugh.... no!
>>
>>
>SNIP
>
>
>>*Put the popup for procedure help in the statusbar at the bottom, or
>>something. Either that, or make it a tooltip that doesn't cover over any
>>text, like to the right of the cursor?
>>
>>
>SNIP
>
>
>
>TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
>
>
5. Re: User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
IF you want to watch the file, you can use some code like here:
http://h2osoft.homeip.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=82
>From: Isaac Raway <isaac-topica at blueapples.org>
>Subject: Re: User Requested Enhanced IDE - Simplified Version
>
>
>Hello.
>
>I think it would be really nice if you could allow a seperate editor to be
>launched for editing event code. You could generate a temporary file with a
>name like (ObjectName_EventName.ex), then launch the editor with that file,
>watching the disck file for changes (while of course letting the user do
>other things in the IDE). This could be done as many times as the user
>wanted. It'd take care of the multiple editor windows problem, and allow
>the external editor to do whatever it wants with new files (add them to
>it's current MDI environment, open a new instance, whatever). I personally
>would love this, as I'd probably link it up to MSDEVSTD for it's MDI
>interface.
>
