Developer forums (C::B DEVELOPMENT STRICTLY!) > Plugins development
wxSmith improvement
seb_seb0:
Hello,
after using wxSmith for several projects, I can make the following comments on it.
However, before going forward, I want to make the following remarks:
- these are not critics. These are only ways to improve an already very useful plugin. It is my GUI designer of choice when making wxWidgets application
- the remarks below represents the view of only 1 person (me) - and I am not even a professionnal programmer (I use it at work however, and for hobbies). Programming is only a part of my work.
- I am volunteer to make the changes. I will however not give you a timetable, because I do not know what will be my spare time in 3 months...
Here we go:
Improvement in functionnality:
- unify all the additionnal wxSmith contrib items in 1 single plugin. I have listed the following
wxAUI
wxSTC
wxMathPlot
wxSpeedButton
wxTreeListControl (very useful !)
wxImage (very useful ! wxImageList & wxBitmapComboBox are easier to use with it)
wxContribItems
...
- ToolBar editor: it is currently not possible to add a control in the toolbar. It has to be done manually
- Menu editor: it is currently not possible to add images to menu
- There are currently no Image Editor (for Toolbar icons, for bitmap buttons, ...)
I have already started to program an Image Editor plugin (see http://forums.codeblocks.org/index.php/topic,12293.msg83901.html#msg83901)
- Multi Selection / Copy / Paste: it is currently not possible to copy a set of widgets from one wxPanel/wxDialog/wxFrame to another (or if it is, it does not work properly, or I am not using properly)
- Custom Control: this one is very useful. One thing is currently missing: adding events handlers to the control.
- Add missing widgets from wxWidgets 2.9.0 (wxToggleBitmapButton, wxWrapSizer, ...) and wxCode
- maybe create an option for using wxWidgets 2.8.10 or 2.9.0
- apply the wxGLCanvas patch if not done already
http://forums.codeblocks.org/index.php/topic,12176.msg82726.html#msg82726
- wxGrid : wxWidgets 2.8.10: EVT_GRID_CMD_CELL_CHANGE
wxWidgets 2.9.0 : EVT_GRID_CMD_CELL_CHANGED (leads to a compile error)
- It should be possible to add a widgets by clicking on the tool to add, and then select the resource tree.
Improvements in interface :
- create groups in the wxPropertyGrid for gathering together by themes the properties
example: add a Sizer group
style property: add 1 group per hierarchy level (1 for wxWindow, 1 for wxControl, ...)
This feature is available in wxFormBuilder
Let me know what you think about these suggestions. If you disagree, let me know !
Again, I want to be constructive, and I am ready to discuss on all these topics.
Sebastien
mariocup:
Hello seb_seb0,
some time ago I discussed with byo some other ideas to improve wxsmith. Perhaps you will find some of them strange, but have a look:
1. For example if you use a combo box and then decide to use a choice box, then it should be possible to convert different elements. Currently you can change in the resource editor only the class name but the event list "{}-icon" and the wxs file will not be updated.
2. Create an array of elements (e.g. 5 check boxes) and increment the ids.
3. For example if you want that some combox boxes in a dialogue are left aligned it should be possible to select different elements and assign a "common" configuration.
4. A mechanism to clone elements, so that if you change the settings of the original object (e.g. alignment) then all clones are updated.
5. Some kind of grouping feature if you want to move elements to a different sizer or assign a common configuration (all right aligned).
6. Drag and drop functionality in the resources tree view, so that elements e.g. a label can be moved easily to a different sizer.
7. The resource description is a xml file. What would be cool is to have a kind of comment out functionality. For example you have a dialogue and want to redesigning it or want to keep some elements. So if you comment them out they will be disabled in the xrc file, but they could be used in the future by enabling them again. A different solution could be to move the elements to a "trash folder or archive" icon.
8. Library of elements. It should be possible to save different elements with a user defined name as a "new library element". So these library elements are available for further projects.
9. A picker to get the properties of an element and the possibiltiy to assign it to a different element
Regards,
Mario
Ganbito:
There are several ideas that sounds good. In fact, wxAui isn't complete, but there is a matter of time to work on it (and even on wxSmith, wich needs some improvements to finish the wxAui plugin).
I agree with you in the toolbar editor. It is useful, but not complete, or as intuitive as the rest of wxSmith. That's the reason why I have designed the auiToolbar with a different approach. I wanted also the auiToolbar to support controls and I think that I did it quite well. I think the toolbar can be redesigned in a similar way.
Also all critics to wxAui are welcome. I hope to complete it someday in the future.
rcoll:
--- Quote from: seb_seb0 on April 10, 2010, 09:27:59 pm ---
Here we go:
Improvement in functionnality:
- unify all the additionnal wxSmith contrib items in 1 single plugin. I have listed the following
wxAUI
wxSTC
wxMathPlot
wxSpeedButton
wxTreeListControl (very useful !)
wxImage (very useful ! wxImageList & wxBitmapComboBox are easier to use with it)
wxContribItems
...
--- End quote ---
Er... wxImage? Do you have a visual component or tool for that on your wxSmith pallette? Or do you mean, you would like to see one created?
Ringo
MortenMacFly:
--- Quote from: rcoll on April 13, 2010, 05:06:47 pm ---Er... wxImage? Do you have a visual component or tool for that on your wxSmith pallette? Or do you mean, you would like to see one created?
--- End quote ---
Nope, such wxSmith plugin exists. It wraps wxImage, wxImageButton, wxImageComboEditDialog and some more.
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