Hi.

I know this will be answered in due course when EWB2 is released but I
wouldn't mind a little pre-release understanding of how user developed
components will be packaged and deployed.

Is there the concept of a package that I can create to include a set of
my own controls/components that I can then distribute and have a target
developer import into EWB2?

How will imported controls appear on the control palette?

--
Rick

Rick,

<< Is there the concept of a package that I can create to include a set of
my own controls/components that I can then distribute and have a target
developer import into EWB2? >>

No, there aren't any packages.  The installation of a control simply
involves a unit name, the name of the control, and a .png (16x16) that is
used for the component palette icon.  Batch installing a set of controls is
simply a matter of modifying the ewbide.ini file accordingly from an
installation program.  EWB automatically builds the component library at
application startup, and any time you install a new control interactively
using the IDE, EWB will prompt you to rebuild the library.

<< How will imported controls appear on the control palette? >>

You can specify any category that you wish to use for where a control
resides on the component palette.  Each category has a separate tab on the
component palette.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com

On 27/01/15 06:13, Tim Young [Elevate Software] wrote:
>
> No, there aren't any packages.  The installation of a control simply
> involves a unit name, the name of the control, and a .png (16x16) that
> is used for the component palette icon.  Batch installing a set of
> controls is simply a matter of modifying the ewbide.ini file accordingly
> from an installation program.  EWB automatically builds the component
> library at application startup, and any time you install a new control
> interactively using the IDE, EWB will prompt you to rebuild the library.
>

Thanks Tim, but does raise several more questions ...

1. How many controls can a single unit file contain (is it one-to-one or
multiple)?

2. If multiple controls require multiple unit files then where do they
get stored? In their own directory? If I ship a suite of components can
they remain separate from other controls in the file system?

3. I'm not sure I feel good about creating an installation program to
modify the ewbide.ini file. This sounds dangerous! Do I need Delphi or
some other means to create the installation program? What if I don't own
Delphi?

Don't want to slow you down by answering my questions but it would be of
value to know what type of environment and potentially other tools will
be needed to support component development and distribution.

--
Rick

Rick wrote:

> On 27/01/15 06:13, Tim Young [Elevate Software] wrote:
> >
> > No, there aren't any packages.  The installation of a control simply
> > involves a unit name, the name of the control, and a .png (16x16)
> > that is used for the component palette icon.  Batch installing a
> > set of controls is simply a matter of modifying the ewbide.ini file
> > accordingly from an installation program.  EWB automatically builds
> > the component library at application startup, and any time you
> > install a new control interactively using the IDE, EWB will prompt
> > you to rebuild the library.
> >
>
> 3. I'm not sure I feel good about creating an installation program to
> modify the ewbide.ini file. This sounds dangerous! Do I need Delphi
> or some other means to create the installation program? What if I
> don't own Delphi?

I realise I'm talking without even having installed it yet (have
downloaded though!) but I think my ideal, given I'll be giving away any
components I make, and would like to have an easy life using those of
others, would be a way to package components into a zip file with an
INI that describes the contents. Then, as a user, EWB 2 would just be
pointed at the zip (different extension obviously) and would say "this
contains "Matthew's Magic components" - install?" and I could click Yes
and it does what is needed. Removing should be relatively easy too.

More work, but nicer experience and not a terrible amount of work
(probably a breeze compared to the main product!). Perhaps something
for 2.1?

Feel free to ignore. 8-)

Matthew

On 27/01/15 20:05, Matthew Jones wrote:
>
> I realise I'm talking without even having installed it yet (have
> downloaded though!) but I think my ideal, given I'll be giving away any
> components I make, and would like to have an easy life using those of
> others, would be a way to package components into a zip file with an
> INI that describes the contents. Then, as a user, EWB 2 would just be
> pointed at the zip (different extension obviously) and would say "this
> contains "Matthew's Magic components" - install?" and I could click Yes
> and it does what is needed. Removing should be relatively easy too.
>

Yep, that's how I envisaged component packaging might work. ZIP is a
good enough format and keeps everything in one file. I don't really care
how EWB2 stores the imported controls behind the scenes but the process
of packaging/installation would benefit from being easy.

I'm hoping for V2.00 Build 2

--
Rick

Rick,

<< 1. How many controls can a single unit file contain (is it one-to-one or
multiple)? >>

As many as you want, just like with any source unit.  You tell EWB which
class you're adding, so it knows which one to go looking for.

<< 2. If multiple controls require multiple unit files then where do they
get stored? In their own directory? If I ship a suite of components can they
remain separate from other controls in the file system? >>

You can store them in any location that you want.  The only requirement is
that they are part of the component library search paths, and if you
interactively install a control, then EWB will automatically add the
specified unit location to the library search path.

<< 3. I'm not sure I feel good about creating an installation program to
modify the ewbide.ini file. This sounds dangerous! Do I need Delphi or some
other means to create the installation program? What if I don't own Delphi?
>>

Most installation programs can do .ini modification, but I'll look into
adding something more streamlined for packaging up a set of units for a
control set, but it probably won't be available until after the initial
release.  What I might do in the meantime is simply add a command-line
utility for installing a control.  It's about 10 lines of code, so no big
deal.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com