If you want to check out the virtual-models branch, I've already built the basic UI, since Jesse had already laid the ground work for instantiating models on the fly. Currently, it works very much like the built-in __jifty/admin/model forms right now.
I've just started the process of taking this up another notch, which will include the following: 1. An form for building the base for a model, which will include the model name and the names and types of the columns (and some of the other fields that are important). 2. When you save the model, it will save the information just created and instantiate the actual tables. (Right now, you have to save your model and then restart the server for it to work just right.) 3. After creating the model, you will be taken to the model editor. This will let you flesh it out further by adding descriptions, labels, and setting up all the extra per-column fields. 4. Another piece to add is the ability to add new columns and build relationships. I plan to provide a form for creating one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-one relationships between models. That last point (4) will, upon save, add the column and then perform a redeploy to update the database. I'm building out some workflow diagrams to help me get these initial operations setup correctly. I'm also planning additional data handling tools can also be provided to do things like: 1. Rename a column or change the type of a column, which could involve creating a new column and then copying all the data from the old to the new. 2. Rename a model, which could involve a similar operation at the table level. 3. Clone a model, which would create a new model based upon an existing model (potentially with some changes) and then offer (if desired) to copy the data from the old table into the new. Amongst other operations. Work also needs to be done to allow for the versioning of these databases so that you could create a generic application using these models and then be able to take an old version and upgrade to the latest version by loading the latest model and column information. Some of the footwork has been started there as well. Anyway, I just started on these, but I'm progressing pretty quickly. If you're interested in what I've done so far, you can see the ModelBuilder plugin in the virtual-models branch in the SVN repository. Cheers Sterling -- Andrew Sterling Hanenkamp Interaction Developer Boomer Consulting, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1-785-537-2358 x17 1-888-266-6375 x17 610 Humboldt St. Manhattan, KS 66502 http://www.boomer.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Edgar Whipple Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:48 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [jifty-devel] Ideas for Jifty plugins Howdy, folks. I just discovered Jifty in the last week or two, and it's pretty keen so far. On Fri, Jan 26, 2007 at 04:48:02PM -0600, Andrew Sterling Hanenkamp wrote: > Model/Schema Builder Plugin: > > This plugin would provide additional functionality that would allow > for the creation of new models and update of existing models from > within the application. You would create a new model, be able to set > up some of the basics, and build out the columns of the model from > within the screens provided by the plugin. I was thinking for a first project I'd build a tool for laying out columns for a model, to save myself some typing later on. It wouldn't have the fancy interestingness you described. It's just going to be a data-entry tool for producing an initial lib/MyJiftyApp/Model/MyModel.pm with all the column declarations in place. However, I imagine it could be adaptable for larger purposes. For what you have in mind, do you think this might be a helpful contribution to the front end? -Edgar _______________________________________________ jifty-devel mailing list [email protected] http://lists.jifty.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/jifty-devel _______________________________________________ jifty-devel mailing list [email protected] http://lists.jifty.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/jifty-devel
