Define some .prg API common for different GUI libraries and platforms with replaceable low level GUI module so the same source code can be used in different environments then sth like that was started by Giancarlo Niccolai in xHarbour. Simply you want a new syntax only for new component/class I have seen a evolutionary GUI and is eXPress++ by rober donnay for xbase++ http://www.donnay-software.com/expprod19.htm
IMO GUI is out of scope regarding Harbour-project core development.
A GUI can (and do) live and exist fully independently from the core. One can be developed, be tested, can evolve by itself. Even in contrib. If such project needs some kind of support from Harbour core in order to work properly, or to make it work better, we can coordinate to implement such changes in the core of course. Such GUI lib doesn't even need the most (or rather any) part our GT subsystem.
Your idea can give "Pluggable gui" if you write in common area but imo better can we have in harbour the capability of add single GUI component to a standard gui instead of an entire gui. So I can add a component from hwgui (button) and another from fivewin (combo) in same form opened from core function gt
If you mean mixing regular CUI with GUI elements; this is technically a GUI with some support for legacy - Clipper compatible - controls. This is GTWVG. There is the danger that these UIs will be percepted by users as "alien". Mixing GUI elements from different independent GUI libs sounds close to impossible, IMO there should rather be a standard way to create _3rd party controls_ to plug into one well-designed GUI lib. To define a framework for such thing is the job this well-designed GUI library. Maybe I'm mystifying GUI too much, but the concept is so different (if done right) than CUI, and programming for each is also so different, that there is no "magic" way to do a switch for "free", meaning with no programming effort or drastic rework of source code. I see no point in defining such an unreachable goal for Harbour to promise for "no-effort" GUI programming using CUI syntax, if that's what you meant. A multiplatform, portable GUI could be started though as an _independent_ project, this may definitely be useful to develop new fat client apps using Harbour. This will rather need contributors than a general agreement :) Regarding Harbour core, IMO we should concentrate to create a good base system (MT, Unicode, XML, SQL and maybe evolve the language itself, to help users create better quality code, like strong typing, syntax cleanup, and also multi-window GT for CUI apps. The interoperability side can also be improved, like web-service support for one example. SSL/SSH based internet protocols are also missing from Harbour, authentication support as well, powerful encryption and digital signature tools too.) Brgds, Viktor _______________________________________________ Harbour mailing list [email protected] http://lists.harbour-project.org/mailman/listinfo/harbour
