Over a year ago I was playing around with writing a gui program for drawing layers in
Java. I didn't get very far in it, but I did get a grasp as to how big of a job it
would be.
An editor written with DynAPI has some great benefits like being able to utilize the
browser for drawing capabilities and being web enabled. However there are serious
limitations like not being able to write to a file, and load the file (since an editor
has to go both ways or else it's just a wizard/generator). Also you'd be severly
limited as to how sophisticated you could make the program.
The ultimate goal would be a Dreamweaver clone. And to do it properly it would almost
definately have to be written outside of a browser. I would be interested in writing
an editor in Java.
Such a project could easily become a great deal larger than the DynAPI. First you
have to get a usable wysiwyg editor which is very cumberson in itself once you get
beyond drawing simple rectangles. Then you need to get file I/O, you need to be able
to generate JavaScript code and save it to a file. That isn't too difficult. But the
big problem is when you want to load up an existing file that you created (and
hand-edited). You'd need to write a JavaScript and DynAPI code parser and be able to
draw everything roperly. If you catch my drift, you have to write a mini web
browser/editor in Java!
Beyond just the wysiwyg portion there's a ton more of things that you could do. Widget
editors, timeline animation editors, being able to coordinate browser events to do
certain actions (hide,show,move etc).
It's an enormous project which would require a lot of minds (and experienced Java
coders). I would hope there is enough of us interested in at least attempting to
write such a program cause it's something that I've wanted to do for a long time now.
Dan
On Thu, Jan 04, 2001 at 05:23:57AM -0800, Henrik V�glin wrote:
> (OOPS learned I couldn't post this to widget-dev list,
> so here it goes instead)
>
> I'm working on a proposal for a DynBuilder ie a
> webbased tool to build DynAPI code WITH utilising
> DynAPI (how cool is that, eh?)
>
> Anyway, while trying to work out the structure and
> model of such a tool I have begun with the task to
> build a GUI for it using the current DynAPI (or at
> least the one on my HD) to find out what in the DynAPI
> can be used and what else is required or desirable.
>
> So far I have created an own extension called layerpos
> to position a layer according to the page's borders,
> which I've implemented into my own class called
> ccreation (aimed at my ComicCreation site
> development). I've also compiled a new keyevents
> extension (using code and ideas from various other
> keyboard events scripts) now found in the dynacore
> distribution (and in my still unrelesed ccreation
> distribution).
>
> Now for my structure proposal I'm considering all
> documents, dynlayers, widgets etc - ie any part of the
> page under editing - as objects (Object Oriented as it
> should be, no?). To define a distinction between
> objects of the page and those of the DynBuilder, I'll
> call the latter for modules. Modules are essentially
> tools used for editing or viewing objects in the
> workspace (ie the page in editing).
>
> Things I think will be required (that I can think of
> now) and that aren't available in any DynAPI
> distribution to my knowledge are:
>
> * a focusmanager which enables DynBuilder to know
> which layer is currently in focus
>
> * a manager that reads out the avaialble properties,
> events and methods of an object
>
> * a manager for loading a page (or several pages
> maybe) into DynBuilder for editing
>
> * a preview mode for viewing the page and maybe a
> cookiemanager for setting preferences on different
> browser installation paths for prev
>
> * a CodeView (or name it CoreView maybe ;) widget that
> contains the current code of the page in edit
>
> * a formmanager that prepares (a standard) output to a
> ServerTask (so it can be recieved in any serverside
> language) - I've seen discussion about creating or how
> to build one, so maybe that one are already in
> progress
>
> If anybody know that any of these are already a part
> of DynAPi or any available widgetpack or distribution
> OR if anybody has any extension or widget similar to
> this and would share it for the DynBuilder I'd be most
> interested to take a look. I'd also apprieate it if
> someone wants to code and contribute it, just let
> everybody know if you take on the task. The same goes
> for the below even if these have less priority.
>
> Things I think is desirable (for the DynBuilder GUI at
> least):
>
> * an docking ability of dynlayers used as modules
> (tools for creating and modify objects in the
> workspace (ie the page in editing)
>
> * an WYSIWYG component that runs code from the
> CodeViewand returns modifictions made to the objects
> in it infinality to the CodeView and also returning
> the layer in focus to the DynBuilder when clicked on
> (or as has sprung to mind - chosen by toggling with
> keyboard keys - ie adding a keyevent or two)
>
> If any body is interested in getting a snapshot
> preview of my DynBuilder proposal GUI presentation,
> just let me know and I'll send over a full
> distribution including the working set of dynapi, my
> custom ccreation class and examples. Mind you I
> haven't done any testing besides in IE 5.01 and NS
> 4.76 though and there are to be expected a few bugs
> here or there including missing parts. The code and
> filestructure though could work as a better outline of
> where I'm at in this stage.
>
> If anybody have comments, suggestions or additions to
> this proposal, please do post'em to the widgetdev list
> or notify me. Mind you I do not wish to monopolize the
> development of this, so please, please let me have
> some input - even if you are a strong opponent to this
> proposal. If you however like it and want to become a
> part of DynBuilder team and contribute to its
> development mind you all doors are open to do so since
> this no less open source than the rest pf DynAPI (or
> sourceforge) - my main focus is to make the DynBuilder
> as open for extensability as DynAPI itself at least,
> hence its an extension of DynAPI itself.
>
> Henrik V�glin [[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>
> =====
> // Henrik Vaglin
>
> **************************************************
> Visit my comics artpage at
> http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/hvaglin?d&.flabel=fld5&.src=bc
> **************************************************
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
> http://shopping.yahoo.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dynapi-Help mailing list
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/dynapi-help
_______________________________________________
Dynapi-Help mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/dynapi-help
