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Thread Issues with IDE
Tue, Apr 24 2012 2:51 AMPermanent Link

Rick

Hi.

First let me say that EWB is a great idea and is looking pretty good so far.
Something I have been looking for and can use.

The following are some issues I've experienced with the IDE. A few are minor
but I've included them for completeness.

1. Main menu bar doesn't highlight high level items (e.g. File, Edit, View,
etc) when mousing over them and drop-down menus are active. Seems to
flicker.

2. Main menu drop-downs automatically highlight first item in list even
though mouse isn't over it.

3. Code/Form toggle icon at bottom left gets covered by tool bar when
resizing horizontally in form view but doesn't in code view. This occurs
both when resizing the IDE window or via the splitter. Would prefer to see
the code/form toggle icon at all times (and resizing to produce consistent
results regardless of the current view).

4. Save All shows a previous folder for the project file when creating a new
folder.

   a. Create a new project.
   b. Save All into a new folder called "test1" (create and select it in
the save dialog).
   c. Close All.
   d. Create a new project.
   e. Save All into a new folder called "test2" (create and select it in
the save dialog). Notice that the unit file will be saved into folder
"test2" but the folder shown for the project file is "test1".

5. Component selector should be a searchable, scrollable, categorized list
(maybe below the project manager) rather than toolbar items. This will
probably be necessary when more components are available and for when user
defined controls can be added.

6. The IDE flickers fairly comprehensively when resizing its window. Any
chance of using double-buffering or some other method to minimize this
effect?

7. Can't delete project folder even after Close All if the folder is created
during the Save All process. Seems that the IDE holds a lock on the folder
even when switching to a new project. The folder can be deleted once the IDE
is shut down. The folder can also be deleted if another folder is created
via Save All.

8. The project file name keeps incrementing the suffix number when creating
a new project (e.g. Project1, Project2, etc.) If the project is being saved
into a new folder shouldn't the suffix remain at 1?

9. Starting the IDE automatically opens the project that was open in the IDE
when it was shut down. If the project folder is deleted after shutdown then
an error is displayed at start saying the project could not be found. Need
an option to prevent auto-opening of last project or perhaps display a
message in the welcome page.

10. If a window from another application is open over the IDE and the mouse
moves over an IDE element a hint is displayed which will then move over the
other application window. The hint eventually disappears but looks a bit
strange. The hint should float over the EWB IDE window only not other
applications that may be above it.

11. There doesn't appear to be any main menu items to stop/start the local
web server. Only toolbar icons are available for this. Could these options
be added somewhere in the IDE's main menu hierarchy?

Thanks for your consideration.

--
Rick

Tue, Apr 24 2012 2:56 AMPermanent Link

Rick

"Rick" <NOSPAMradwal@NOSPAMncable.net.au> wrote in message
news:D050B777-8A60-4881-A9CA-3A0D56DBE219@news.elevatesoft.com...
> Hi.


Sorry for the multiple posts. Using Outlook Express and seems that
authorization caused a few problems.

--
Rick

Tue, Apr 24 2012 9:39 AMPermanent Link

Tim Young [Elevate Software]

Elevate Software, Inc.

Avatar

Email timyoung@elevatesoft.com

Rick,

<< First let me say that EWB is a great idea and is looking pretty good so
far. Something I have been looking for and can use. >>

Great, that's good to hear.

<< The following are some issues I've experienced with the IDE. A few are
minor but I've included them for completeness. >>

Most of these are issues with Delphi/VCL (the IDE is written in Delphi), but
notes are below.

<< 1. Main menu bar doesn't highlight high level items (e.g. File, Edit,
View, etc) when mousing over them and drop-down menus are active. Seems to
flicker. >>

Delphi issue - needs to be replaced/rewritten.

<< 2. Main menu drop-downs automatically highlight first item in list even
though mouse isn't over it. >>

Delphi issue - needs to be replaced/rewritten.

<< 3. Code/Form toggle icon at bottom left gets covered by tool bar when
resizing horizontally in form view but doesn't in code view. This occurs
both when resizing the IDE window or via the splitter. Would prefer to see
the code/form toggle icon at all times (and resizing to produce consistent
results regardless of the current view). >>

I'm not sure what you want here - if you're making the area of the
designer/code editor so small that all of the panels don't fit, then what do
you expect the IDE to do besides chop off some of the panels ?

<< 4. Save All shows a previous folder for the project file when creating a
new folder.

   a. Create a new project.
   b. Save All into a new folder called "test1" (create and select it in
the save dialog).
   c. Close All.
   d. Create a new project.
   e. Save All into a new folder called "test2" (create and select it in
the save dialog). Notice that the unit file will be saved into folder
"test2" but the folder shown for the project file is "test1". >>

Projects and units use two different "last folder" settings, so if you use a
different folder for the unit save, then the project won't automatically
"follow" it.

<< 5. Component selector should be a searchable, scrollable, categorized
list (maybe below the project manager) rather than toolbar items. This will
probably be necessary when more components are available and for when user
defined controls can be added. >>

This is planned for later.

<< 6. The IDE flickers fairly comprehensively when resizing its window. Any
chance of using double-buffering or some other method to minimize this
effect? >>

This is fixed - it was the ParentBackground setting for the panels.

<< 7. Can't delete project folder even after Close All if the folder is
created during the Save All process. Seems that the IDE holds a lock on the
folder even when switching to a new project. The folder can be deleted once
the IDE is shut down. The folder can also be deleted if another folder is
created via Save All. >>

I'll have to check this out further.  Did you actually compile or run the
application at all ?

<< 8. The project file name keeps incrementing the suffix number when
creating a new project (e.g. Project1, Project2, etc.) If the project is
being saved into a new folder shouldn't the suffix remain at 1? >>

The project is named when it is *created*, not when it is saved.

<< 9. Starting the IDE automatically opens the project that was open in the
IDE when it was shut down. If the project folder is deleted after shutdown
then an error is displayed at start saying the project could not be found.
Need an option to prevent auto-opening of last project or perhaps display a
message in the welcome page. >>

This is planned as an Environment option.

<< 10. If a window from another application is open over the IDE and the
mouse moves over an IDE element a hint is displayed which will then move
over the other application window. The hint eventually disappears but looks
a bit strange. The hint should float over the EWB IDE window only not other
applications that may be above it. >>

This is the way the Delphi hints work, so I'm not sure if I can do much
about this.

<< 11. There doesn't appear to be any main menu items to stop/start the
local web server. Only toolbar icons are available for this. Could these
options be added somewhere in the IDE's main menu hierarchy? >>

I'll see if I can squeeze this in before the final release.

--
Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com
Wed, Apr 25 2012 9:29 AMPermanent Link

Rick

"Tim Young [Elevate Software]" <timyoung@elevatesoft.com> wrote in message
news:F9D6618D-7A9F-4E27-80F2-DECC5ECCC263@news.elevatesoft.com...
> Most of these are issues with Delphi/VCL (the IDE is written in Delphi),
> but notes are below.

Hi Tim.

Thanks for the quick response, I really appreciate the information.

I've replied to some of the items below.

> << 3. Code/Form toggle icon at bottom left gets covered by tool bar when
> resizing horizontally in form view but doesn't in code view. This occurs
> both when resizing the IDE window or via the splitter. Would prefer to see
> the code/form toggle icon at all times (and resizing to produce consistent
> results regardless of the current view). >>
>
> I'm not sure what you want here - if you're making the area of the
> designer/code editor so small that all of the panels don't fit, then what
> do you expect the IDE to do besides chop off some of the panels ?

I guess I was just hoping that the toggle button would remain consistently
visible in both the code and form views. I agree that it is unlikely that
the project manager would be expanded so large as to totally displace the
toolbar buttons but if you switch to code view, expand the project manager
and then click the toggle button (to switch to form view) you can't click it
again to switch back because the toolbar buttons obscure it. Hit F12 and you
can see it again in code view. Perhaps ensuring that the toggle button
always remains visible on top of other toolbar buttons would be of benefit.
Other solutions could include a multi-line toolbar (all of the toolbars in
EWB seem fairly high) or using a chevron to collapse the toolbar buttons
rather than scroll them.

> << 4. Save All shows a previous folder for the project file when creating
> a new folder.
>
>    a. Create a new project.
>    b. Save All into a new folder called "test1" (create and select it in
> the save dialog).
>    c. Close All.
>    d. Create a new project.
>    e. Save All into a new folder called "test2" (create and select it in
> the save dialog). Notice that the unit file will be saved into folder
> "test2" but the folder shown for the project file is "test1". >>
>
> Projects and units use two different "last folder" settings, so if you use
> a different folder for the unit save, then the project won't automatically
> "follow" it.

It just took me by surprise that after saving the unit into a newly created
folder the project was going to be saved into a totally different folder. If
I didn't look carefully I would have missed it in the save dialog and not
known that I was running the files from different folders.

I guess I'm just used to the Delphi IDE Save All process. Just tried the
same scenario in Delphi XE and the project file did follow the unit into the
newly created folder.

> << 7. Can't delete project folder even after Close All if the folder is
> created during the Save All process. Seems that the IDE holds a lock on
> the folder even when switching to a new project. The folder can be deleted
> once the IDE is shut down. The folder can also be deleted if another
> folder is created via Save All. >>
>
> I'll have to check this out further.  Did you actually compile or run the
> application at all ?

Yes, I both compiled and ran the application. The delete process does remove
all of the contents of the folder but can't delete the folder itself.

> << 8. The project file name keeps incrementing the suffix number when
> creating a new project (e.g. Project1, Project2, etc.) If the project is
> being saved into a new folder shouldn't the suffix remain at 1? >>
>
> The project is named when it is *created*, not when it is saved.

Sorry, I should have made that clear. Yes, the default project name offered
in the save dialog has the incrementing suffix. This can be overtyped prior
to the save of course. In the Delphi IDE the project file follows the unit
into the same newly created folder and always appears to be offered as
Project1. In EWB the project file name continues to increment even though it
will be the only project file in the folder.

Thanks.

--
Rick

Wed, Apr 25 2012 2:30 PMPermanent Link

Tim Young [Elevate Software]

Elevate Software, Inc.

Avatar

Email timyoung@elevatesoft.com

Rick,

<< Yes, I both compiled and ran the application. The delete process does
remove all of the contents of the folder but can't delete the folder itself.
>>

Okay.  I suspect that the theming or something similar is "hanging on" to an
output file in the output folder, and that is causing the issue.

<< Sorry, I should have made that clear. Yes, the default project name
offered in the save dialog has the incrementing suffix. This can be
overtyped prior to the save of course. In the Delphi IDE the project file
follows the unit into the same newly created folder and always appears to be
offered as Project1. In EWB the project file name continues to increment
even though it
will be the only project file in the folder. >>

I suppose I could just change it to always call it Project1.  The general
idea was that it would allow one to easily create a uniquely-named project,
but I suspect that this is pretty rare. Smile

--
Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com
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