Hi Mark
We'd love to have you with us.
On 17.01.2005 05:18:23 Mark Brucks wrote:
I'd like to join the fop development group. I've been an xsl/fop user
for the last year or so (generating PDF), but several new projects I'm
proposing have a need for a robust and complete awt renderer, and I'd
like to devote some time to ensuring this happens. I have a little bit
of time in the near term to commit to the project, and I hope much more
time starting in the April time frame. I'd like to use the next 2
months to come up to speed, then dive in to serious work when more time
is available.
The AWT renderer is currently missing in CVS HEAD. It would be great if
someone took up that task. To build that renderer you can look at the
code from the maintenance branch (or FOP 0.20.5) for reference. Our
reference renderer in CVS HEAD is the PDF renderer (like before).
Personally, I'd rather call it Java2D renderer, not AWT renderer,
because Java2D is essentially the name of the API you code against. AWT
is, as the name says, a windowing toolkit, not primarily a graphics API.
I need some advice. I've learned enough about xsl and fop to get my job
done, but there are lots of holes in my knowledge base. I'd like to
spend a little bit of time carefully reading the XSL spec. Should I
read the XSL V1.1 working draft (in anticipation of things to come), or
should I stick with the V1.0 recommendation (which I assume is what the
new version of fop will implement).
The recommendation is still the main reference. Glen Mazza already
started investigating the 1.1 WD (ex. bookmarks) and it might be helpful
sometimes to consult the 1.1 WD because it seems to be somewhat more
verbose. It's good to prepare for 1.1 but as long as it's in WD phase
the focus should remain on the 1.0 Rec for the time being.
Do the development and design documents that are available on-line
relate to the root/trunk/redesign version, or do they still describe the
maintenance branch?
They refer to CVS HEAD. If they are not up-to-date, they should be
updated.
Is there a development schedule or a prioritized list of features to be
implemented?
A development schedule is always difficult in an all-volunteer project.
I think it's pretty realistic now to target an initial release in late
summer 2005.
I'm currently working off this list: http://wiki.apache.org/xmlgraphics-fop/FOPWorkEstimates
But this list isn't binding. You're free to choose what you like to work
on. If you want to build the Java2D renderer, that's great. If you want
to help with the layout engine, even better. If you start a task simply
notify us what you're working on so we don't have duplicate effort.
Is anybody else actively working on the awt rendered for the next release?
No, not at the moment.
Since this is my first foray into open-source development, any and all
advice is welcome.
The advice is simple: Choose something to work on, notify this list (if
it's something bigger), start hacking and in the end send patches via
Bugzilla. Of course, this is a bit simplistic but essentially this is
all what you need to know for now. :-)
If you have questions simply ask. We're happy to help you getting
started.
Jeremias Maerki
