This is the README for ClassEditor.0.4.NIHS.bsd.tar.gz [Download] [Browse] [Up]
Release 0.4, 05.06.1995 by Thomas Engel (tomi@shinto.nbg.sub.org)
The ClassEditor
ATTENTION..you need gnutar and gzip to unpack this package.
WHAT's NEW IN 0.4:
- Source colorization
- "See also" references by drag&drop
- New UI
- Fixed bugs
- For details read on or see the 'Release Notes'
This editor allows you to modify class definitions on a per-method
basis. In additon to offering a method browser it will make it very
simple to keep the documentation in sync with your code. Both
elements are shown side by side. The ideal situation would be to
maintain a documentation file from the first moment since creating a
new class or method. ClassEditor is able to create the docu tempates
for you and helps maintaining them in a NeXT conform layout.
In the worst case you should think about this project as a RFD
(request for discussion). Maybe someone at NeXT might find new ideas
for NeXTSTEP 4.0 in there.
What it does
ClassEditor opens a set of MyClass.m, MyClass.h and MyClass.rtf files
and displays them. You can edit and view the class on a per-method
basis or see all three files at once inside the "cheat window".
Modifying existing classes that are not spread accross more then
those three files is quite safe. Adding methods is possible from
inside the "cheat window" but introduces some rough edges. See the
bugs section for details.
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Reliability Issues
Although the app has improved over the previous versions it still
contains some bugs that might cause the app to crash or even corrupt
your data. I am aware of rare cases where the documentation got
corrupted. Source files have not been damaged as far as I can tell.
Drag operations might crash the app on a random basis due to a
strange behavior of the Pasteboard class.
If you use this application to modify important files be sure that
you read the Release Notes and Warranty section first. Remember that
there is no guaranty for nothing.
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The Package
Version 0.4 comes in a package that includes:
- ClassEditor.app. A FAT binary for NeXT, Intel, HP and Sparc hardware.
- An Examples directory containing working test setups of interface,
implementation and documentation files for some dummy classes.
- Online help...minimal
- Full source code
- The documentation and an ASCII version (README) of this introduction
On where to find the latest releases please see the 'About this Project'
section.
Features
Currently there are only very simple things this application will do
for you. Now this is just an early alpha version...don't expect it to
do magical things anytime soon.
- Select methods and view or edit the description and implementation.
- Create missing pieces of class and method documentation using automatic
text generation and useful ready-to-copy templates.
- Add "See also" references with a simple drag&drop.
- Use the "Style" menu to get fast access to the right fonts for the
nasty documentation work.
- Undo the last changes inside a methods source or documentation.
- Use Emacs keybindings to navigate inside the text areas.
- View ASCII sources in a colorized style which makes editing a lot
easier.
- Select the "Plain C-Stuff" entry from the mode popup and view (or edit)
all three files inside the "cheat window". Add defines, typedefs,
instance variables or new methods here.
Some features will definitly be improved to help me get along with
all those missing class docus (yes...MiscSwapKit docus are already
waiting for too long).
The Release Notes chapter can give you a complete overview of all the
implemented features. In also includes a detailed description of the
currently known bugs.
Bugs and Birds
It is not fair to speak about them in a little sub paragraph. There
are so many of them that it would justify a whole chapter.
This app is a piece of brain stroming - a running ToDo list. It is
not a product. Peter L. would call it another piece of German
software: nice idea but bound to never get finished.
Well maybe he is kind of right. Now lets face the most serious
problems of this app:
- When working inside the "cheat window" you should take care of all the
changes you make. You should follow a very strict coding style.
Otherwise ClassEditor won't be able to parse your code and might even
corrupt your files. See the Examples for working layouts.
- RTF headers and sources will only work if the entire method names are
typeset with a single font. Take a look at the RTFExampleClass to see
how rich sources should look like to work with ClassEditor.
Since v0.4 you have ASCII code colorization which makes RTF source more
useless because there is no easy way to provide smart colorization of
RTF...which should preserve your private colorization.
- Many user interface controls are just fakes, the split views might
cause your window to turn into an ugly piece of GUI when used to their
limits and the drag&drop stuff might crash the application.
What it should
Of course this should become the killer application of the nineties.
But I am lazy and I do believe in code reuse. The guys at NeXT have
already done all the nasty work. So I only want to build a minimal
tool to fill the gap until NeXTSTEP 4.0 arrives.
Perhaps this app will only lead to a simple font service application
(btw. too many people use the wrong font for source code inside the
docus..it is Courier 12pt...not 14pt) or it will migrate to a real
destributed class editor (the buzzword here is: groupware).
Who knows.
Future plans
My plans are to enjoy NeXT's upcoming ProjectBuilder if it comes
close to the ClassEditors idea. As far as I can tell from all the
published material I'm not sure that it will really cover all the
fruits of desire.
The aim is to build a combination of a class browser with the freedom
to write ugly and nasty C-style code while providing all the help an
editor should give. This includes concurrent editing and versioning.
ClassEditor should split into the real editor and a ResourceServer.
This would free the editor from many low-level issues which might be
implemented quite individually (e.g. taking sources from a database
and not a filesystem).
So lets see what this application is still missing. I do consider to
add some of these features:
- Online source sanity checks. Checking braces is only a primitive step
into that direction.
- Creating new classes, methods, categories and protocols on the fly.
Specifying dependancies and relations should be as simple as a
drag&drop. Grouping methods and adding descriptions to instance
variables.
- The editor should be able to dump templates for get/set'er methods and
other ever returning tasks.
- The special categories called (private) and (protected) might be used
in the headerfiles and other sections by default. Every category should
follow the ClassName+categoryName.h (.m or even .rtf ) convention.
The editor should create those files for you if you don't want to
organize it in your private style.
This would keep the code clean for fast and easy distribution.
- Prepare sources for public distribution by stripping protected methods
from the headers and such.
- Support for concurrent editing over a network. This should not
necessariy mean sharing the real source files. And DO approach would be
much better.
- Maintaining a revision history. This could be done by including CVS
support.
- Storing bug infos and idea notes together with the code and
documentation.
- More support for "See also:" references and other logical links.
Some features can only be implemented if the whole development
environment works together. This includes apps like InterfaceBuilder
and therefore requires some open APIs provided by NeXT:
- Being sure that classes inside NIBs are always up to date with the code.
I hate to have to remember all those dependancies.
- Speaking about IB; one of its nasty features is that it won't drop back to
palettalized classes if it can't find the code for a certain subclass of
them. In testmode this only works for subclasses of window...why ??
It is true that many things can already be done right now...but you
have do them by hand. There often is no real support from the tools.
It is time to change that.
About this Project
I don't see the need to rush for a much better version of this app
until it is clear what NeXT will include with their NeXTSTEP 4.0
release. There are other projects I want to spend more time on.
The latest version of this editor will be available at the
ftp.nmr.embl-heidelberg.de, ftp.informatik.uni-muenchen.de or
ftp.cs.orst.edu anonymous ftp servers. There is a WWW page were you
can find out more about the status of this...and all the other
projects I'm working on:
http://wwwcip.informatik.uni-erlangen.de/user/tsengel/
Projects/Projects.html
Compiling
This version includes all the source code necessary to recompile the
program from scratch. It does not come with all the libraries! You
will need to get the MiscKit project (Version 1.5.0 or higher) from
the archives.
For more details on the MiscKit collection see the common NeXT ftp
servers, get the Objective-C or NeXT FAQs or take a look at the
EduSteps developer area:
http://www.nmr.embl-heidelberg.de/eduStep/Developer/Kits/
MiscKit/MiscKit.html
If you would like to submit something to this collection you should
contact the current maintainer: Don Yacktman <don@darth.byu.edu>
In Case of Trouble
If you have any questions you can contact me.
Thomas Engel
Netpunstr. 9
D-90522 Oberasbach
Germany
E-mail: tsengel@cip.informatik.uni-erlangen.de
tomi@shinto.nbg.sub.org
(NeXTMail welcome)
Warranty and copyright
Copyleft
All source code is distributed under the GNU General Public License.
This does not apply to used ObjectWare which most likely comes with
its own licensing rules (e.g. code that belongs to the MiscKit
project).
You are free to extend and modify this application. But don't
redistribute a modified version under the same name unless I gave you
the permission. I don't want to have different, confusingly
incompatible versions running around the world.
Anyway...comments are highly appreciated.
No Warranty
This software is provided 'as is' and the programmer is not
responsible for any harm this program may cause. You - the user - are
responsible for everything that may happen to your business,
hardware, software, car, CD collection or what ever may be worth your
attention or money. Using this product is at your own risk and your
private fun.
There should be no serious bugs inside but remember that a
carbon-based unit did the coding.
Travelware
Like all my projects this app is free and should be considered as travelware.
1. Let it travel to as many people as you know.
2. Send me an E-mail or postcard if you use it. I will try to
keep you informed about new releases.
3. If you have a free bed or some free space on your floor...give
me a hint. I might come and visit you on my next trip to the
US...locations on Hawaii, near Seattle or WhistlerMnt. (Canada)
preferred.
Enjoy it.
Tomi
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.