On Wednesday 28 February 2007 17:03, Nate Lowrie wrote: > On 2/28/07, johnf <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Wednesday 28 February 2007 15:42, Nate Lowrie wrote: > > > On 2/28/07, Paul McNett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Nate Lowrie wrote: > > > > > On 2/28/07, johnf <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > >> On Wednesday 28 February 2007 10:54, johnf wrote: > > > > >>>> I am now also wondering, if I've started from the wrong place. I > > > > >>>> used the AppWizard to generate the code as a base for my > > > > >>>> application, and am now trying to modify the generated code to > > > > >>>> handle foreign keys etc. > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>> Given your comments about the ClassDesigner not being able to > > > > >>>> 'edit' classes generated by the AppWizard, I am wondering if I > > > > >>>> am really starting from the wrong place. > > > > >>>> Should I rather be building my classes from scratch. > > > > >> > > > > >> IMHO I would drop AppWizard. It was designed as simple way to > > > > >> demo Dabo and provide a search,browse, and edit function based on > > > > >> a single table. > > > > > > > > > > I would agree. It's far easier to do it manually. > > > > > > > > > >> Take a look at a recent screencast on www.dabodev.com. They demo > > > > >> how easy it is to create a form that allows similar functions as > > > > >> AppWizard. But more importantly you can edit code directly. For > > > > >> example the screencast show you how to include a link table. > > > > >> > > > > >> After working with the ClassDesigner you will move on to creating > > > > >> your own classes. > > > > > > > > > > Or just drop the ClassDesigner to code apps by hand :) > > > > > > > > I just have to add my 2 cents to the mix. The ClassDesigner isn't > > > > ready for production use, because it is still in flux and bugs are > > > > found and fixed all the time. > > > > > > > > While the generated output from the AppWizard is indeed simple, and > > > > only really deals with single tables and gives you only a simple CRUD > > > > design, it does give you a skeleton structure to build from, that IMO > > > > is pretty well designed. > > > > > > > > If you are going to code by hand, consider starting with a generated > > > > AppWizard app and build from there. I've done this with 2 commercial > > > > apps and a handful of internal apps so far, and I really believe that > > > > it scales. > > > > > > I think that I would do that just for the db and biz connections code > > > and chuck the UI portion. That is, assuming I ever actually do get > > > around to fiddling with the db and biz tiers....Maybe by then we will > > > just have a connections app. > > > > > > > -- > > > > pkm ~ http://paulmcnett.com > > > > OK my .03 (what did I just say? I lose more cents that way?). > > > > The only issue for a newbie is there so much going on with an AppWizard > > program. Just following the datanav2 is tuff and when you add in all the > > created objects from the AppwWizard it makes it even harder. Where as > > with the ClassDesigner the screen code is hidden in the cdxml file. But > > things that effect the screen are not hidden i.e. the bizobj's, onHit > > methods, etc.. The Newbie can then play with simple objects (but very > > important ones) and see immediate results to any code changes. > > The class designer kinda reminds me of the Visual Studio forms > designer in the way that it hides the GUI code from you and still > let's you edit things like event handler functions. > > One word of advice though...As good as the visual design tools are, it > is still an extremely good idea to learn how to hand code parts of the > framework, especially the UI tier. You never know when you will need > to debug code and know the framework API. No question about it hand coding teaches and thanks to you I can hand code a form.
The biggest problem with the ClassDesigner is the lack of the ability to move controls or add controls in the middle of some sizer. Hand coding allows you to insert sizers and controls or change the order of controls without losing anything. But if you know what you are designing and no changes are needed there is nothing faster than using the ClassDesigner. -- John Fabiani _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/dabo-users
