Re: Support for callbacks...

[James Michael DuPont <mdupont777 yahoo com>]

--- Krzysztof Foltman <kfoltman@portal.onet.pl> wrote:
> James Michael DuPont wrote:
> 
> >Basically what I would like to help here with is making a  clean
> object
> >model for scripting dia, and on the basis of that create a very
> >abstract API that can be used for network based and non-network
> based
> >applications.
> >
> I'd prefer basic usability first, fireworks (like scripting and 
> collaboration) next. What's the use of network editing-capable
> diagram 
> editor if it doesn't do basic things well enough ? (well enough = 
> [almost?] as comfortable as commercial counterparts).

Dia? I am using it every day now, even an old version 0.88.1. It
crashes  on the uml class editor sometimes... but I would like to use
this now to make a larger application. It is fine as it is...

> 
> While big goals like adding scripting are a real challenge and add a
> lot 
> to the program's value, they also get in a way when the priority is a
> bug free release that general public can use (and I've got the 
> impression that that's where Dia is so far). So far, a general public
> is not complaining about lack of scripting or collaboration - we're
> mostly complaining more about things like inconsistent dialogs, 
> imperfect shape 
> library, lack of autorouting information in some shapes, assertions 
> failures and many other minor annoyances.

Ok, I say, take the shape lib and the dialogs and the autorouting
information out of the core program, and make it user editable and
configurable. 

Make an interface between the two modules, and make it possible to
allow plugins for them.

> 
> However, both scripting and network editing seem to be good
> candidates 
> for 2.0 - and it looks like the research/design phase is going to
> take 
> quite a lot of time - doing locking, change propagation and conflict 
> resolution properly seem to be worth months of work.

I dont think this is going to take that long to define an API
the whole idea of an API interface is to hide the chagnes
to hide the details, to make an interface that is supported, and does
not change. Dia is just too big and has  many dependancies. It takes
forever to get all the parts togeather.

This cannot be such a major problem to create cleaner and simplier
interfaces, DIA needs that. That is what is preventing progress on this
system, a boiling lava flow of intertwined modules....

> Just my 0.02PLZ worth of rant.
:)


=====
James Michael DuPont
http://introspector.sourceforge.net/

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