On 22 Apr 2011, at 16:53, Dale Henrichs wrote:

> Please continue to let us know about your learning adventure:)


So here we go for part 2: Making a configuration of AspectMaps.  (see 
http://pleiad.cl/aspectmaps if you want to know more). Sadly, this is the one 
that did not work out for me :-(

Structure: I have a Squeaksource project AspectMaps with two packages (from the 
5 present in the project): AspectMaps and Famix-Aspix that I want to include in 
the config. Each of these has an identically-named category. 

First problem: there is no obvious wildcard expression that matches both names 
except * I did not want to enter that at creation time to avoid a gigantic 
menu. So I accepted the default proposal AspectMaps as wildcard and added the 
AspectMaps package. Then I tried to add the Famix-Aspix package but I was 
unable to do this. This is strange, as at development time I should be able to 
define new packages and include it in the list of packages of a config.

Second problem: (after starting afresh and using a * wildcard). There is a 
dependency between the two packages: Famix-Aspix should be loaded first. I see 
no way to express this. Moreover, AspectMaps also requires TraitsApplication 
(yesterdays config) to be loaded. Again, I see no way to express this. This 
really puzzles me, because for me this is one of the core reasons to have 
configuration management and hence should be highly visible in this browser. 
And this actually is my main reason to use Metacello. (Yes, I can use package 
dependencies in Monticello to do similar stuff, and I am actually doing this 
with an Aspects-All package -- My thanks to Simon! -- but I want to get away 
from that because it's a hassle.)

Third problem: AspectMaps needs post-load actions and pre-save, pre-unload 
actions. I dont see how to add that using the browser. Also, apparently pre- 
and post-load actions are supported in Metacello, but pre-save and pre-unload 
not? I think it would be good idea to add those ...

I'd like to repeat that I do not know Metacello, so if I misinterpreted any 
menu items in the browser and some of the above is indeed possible please 
please please correct me. I would be very happy if I could create a 
configuration for AspectMaps that satisfies the above criteria. In the end, 
this is what I started to use the browser for!

Some more UI issues:
- creating a new config does not automatically select it. That's confusing.
- what I realized about the menus today: a right mouse button click is supposed 
to bring up a contextual menu, that is: the contents of the menu change 
depending on the selected items. This does not happen here. Hence the current 
menu should actually be in a menu bar. Right click should present a menu that 
makes sense only on the selected item. 

--
Johan Fabry   
[email protected] - http://dcc.uchile.cl/~jfabry
PLEIAD Lab - Computer Science Department (DCC) - University of Chile




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