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From: Christoph.Wilhelms@t-online.de (Christoph Wilhelms)
To: "'Ant Developers List'" <dev@ant.apache.org>,
	<jax@purematrix.com>
Subject: Antidote TODO (WAS:RE: antidote diff)
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2003 07:32:29 +0200
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Hi Jack!

> > It's an old, but just in some points outdated TODO-list. 
> > Feel free to pic up a task!

I re to my own words first: The TODO-List is old and not updated for a
long time! Additionally it is not by me, but by Simeon. To be honest I
do not understand all points by myself, but I can give advice to some of
them! Let me try to! BTW: Checking and updating that TODO, so that we
can put it on the projects webpage would be a task :-).

> This is the same checked-in TODO list that is in the CVS tree, right?

yup

> Maybe the first step is to update the TODO list :-)
> 
> Let's look at some items from TODO List:
> 
>     * Cleanup build.xml file; make antidote specific.
> 
>      This has been done already, right?

I think so!
 
>     * Rewrite ACSFactory to use it's own parser rather than 
> the implementation
>       specific com.sun.xml.tree.SimpleElementFactory class 
> (only available
>       in JAXP from Sun).
> 
>      Done? Still TODO?

Has to be rececked, but generally it works fin IMHO

>     * Add editors for defining file sets, and other "sets".
> 
>      This has been done already, right?

Particualry! IMHO there could be mor comfort in defining filesets, what
do you think!?!

>     * Write wizzard framework.
> 
>      The framework is there, but there are currently no 
> wizards, right?

There is a "not working" example wizard for an entire build-file. IMO
the wizarg could be used to create targets in addition...

>     * Implement a build progress reporter.
> 
>      What would that look like, compared to the console that 
> currently exists?

I thinks the console is ok, but Sim meant to write a log to a file in
addition. Obviously the log line formtting has to be definable
interactively and stored in preferences...

>     * Implement a "Worker Thread" pattern that allows workers to have
>       their work done in a thread property registered with 
> Antidote, and
>       provide support to that worker to provide progress updates via
>       the GUI. Should also provide support for hour-glass cursor
>       handling, and AWT event blocking until task is completed. This
>       would be used for things such as loading files or other tasks
>       that the user must wait for completion.
> 
>      Has this been done or is it still TODO? I think it is still TODO.

It IS a to do! There is no way to stop Ant once it runs from Antidote!

>     * Add menu option to select the compiler to use, which then sets
>       the "build.compiler" property. Better yet, create a generic menu
>       building capability that allows the setting of a property from a
>       list of options.
> 
>      Still TODO, right?

It is a todo! I'd propose not just setting the complier, put the option
to set all Ant -D parameters from the gui and make them storable! 

>     * Add ability to put an "all" or "don't care" specifyer 
> on the action
>       "enableOn" and "disableOn" properties.
> 
>      Still TODO, right?

It is not implemented IIRC! Additionally I am not really shure what it
should do...

>     * Add ability to view task dependencies more fully.
> 
>      Describe this facility?

It should say "target-dependency". It would be nice to be able to show a
grafic with all the tragets and arrows between them to show the
dependency (depends). Would be really a feature for many guys using Ant,
I know...

>     * Add better editors for specific tasks.
> 
>      Examples?

Not only for tasks, but properties in addition. We meant editors just
like the dependency choose!

>     * Add a Progress Monitor for file loading (especially for 
> slow boxen like
>       mine) .
> 
>      Still TODO, right?

Yes, it is! Progress for loading files and for the time the
introspection rus would be nice!

>     * Implement some for of refid hyperlinking functionality.
> 
>      Describe this facility?

Not shure what Sim means... Yould someone else drop in here...!?!

>     * Implement context sensitive menus for the console 
> window, allowing
>       an error to be selected and invoked in IDE.
> 
>      "Jump-to" in Antidote itself?

I think integration into IDEs is no BIG project aim anymore or at leas
ATM...

>     * Write preferences framwork, including persistence support.
> 
>      Trivial, still TODO? I can borrow this from my own open 
> source code.

Would be nice, if the code is under an Apache compatible OSS License
(like Apache or FreeBSD) LGPL is NOT ok!!
I'd prefer a small, fast an clean implementation as always ;-).

>     * Provide some sort of class path debugging support.
> 
>      Describe this facility?

Not 100% shure, but displaying the Ant-build-classpath and introspect
the jars one by one... Search for Classes and multiple occurrences in
the classpath... And so on!

>     * Add "syntax" colorization to the console window {done},
>       with a preferences editor for setting up the styles {not-done}.
> 
>      Describe this facility?

Just make the syntax highlighting in the console window configurable via
the Preferences window! Easy!

>     * Figure out an approach to gracefully stopping a running build.
> 
>      Hmmm ... screech! crash! :-)

As I said before... Uneasy to implement without hooks in Ant
itself...;-)

>     * Add error handler for SAX parser to better report 
> loading errors.
> 
>      Still TODO?

Yupp! Not done!

>     * Project properties viewer, including the ability to view
>       dependencies (local and cascading).
> 
>      Describe this facility?

As said before: View and modify the Projekt Properties you can override
using -D with the Ant-Commandline! Cascading means from imported
build.xmls

>     * Acquire or implement a logging facility.
> 
>      What, are we thinking JLog here?

I'd prefer Log4J. Logkit would be another option... Or the jakarta
commons logging facility...

>     * Eat more dog food.
> 
>      I'm using it! It's not easy to use yet, the editors are 
> not much fun to use compared to merely typing things in 
> NetBeans source editor!

Yes: The editors have to be improved definately!

> Also, I'd add this usability feature:
> 
>    * When you are editing some task or property or target and 
> you decide to delete that thing, the editor should disappear.

Could you explain...


Greetings,
Christoph!

P.S.: Sorry for answering that late but ATM I am just online every
second day!


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