Re: UI toolkit for the future Modeler

What about an Electron app? 😬

On Tue, Dec 14, 2021 at 3:59 PM John Huss <[email protected]> wrote:

> My 2 cents is that Java desktop UI is effectively dead. So switching to
> another UI library that is either already dead or is dying isn't a great
> use of time. So I would try to change it as little as possible.
>
> For the tables with editable cells problem, my recommendation would be to
> move editing into a separate "inspector" area that is laid out as a
> vertical form. Then the table can be read-only.
>
> For layout, I liked MigLayout when I did Swing apps back in the day. But
> that doesn't solve the problem with the existing usage of JGoodies.
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 14, 2021 at 12:37 AM Andrus Adamchik <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > I see a couple of problems with the current UI (beside it being
> > subjectively old) :
> >
> > * We are effectively blocked from any significant evolution of the
> > Modeler. Any time we want to do anything fancy (e.g. improve usability of
> > tables with editable cells, etc.), we quickly run into the wall with
> Swing
> > capabilities.
> > * JGoodies library that we depend heavily upon for layouts is no longer
> > free/open source [1], creating risks for JVM upgrades.
> >
> > So modernization of the Modeler is a practical matter.
> >
> > Looks like Fleet is not using Compose [2], but a lesser known JetBrains
> > Toolbox does [3]. And everyone admits it is still raw.
> >
> > Andrus
> >
> > [1] https://www.jgoodies.com/downloads/libraries/
> > [2] https://twitter.com/jetbrains/status/1465245360973131777 <
> > https://twitter.com/jetbrains/status/1465245360973131777>
> > [3]
> >
> https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2021/08/compose-multiplatform-goes-alpha/#toolbox
> > <
> >
> https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2021/08/compose-multiplatform-goes-alpha/#toolbox
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > > On Dec 14, 2021, at 12:48 AM, John Huss <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >
> > > I believe that compose UI library is used to build the new upcoming IDE
> > > from JetBrains called Fleet. So I expect it will continue to be
> supported
> > > unless that product completely flops.
> > >
> > > I don't mind the current modeler UI. It's good enough for me.
> > >
> > > https://www.jetbrains.com/fleet/
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, Dec 11, 2021 at 2:15 AM Andrus Adamchik <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >> A datapoint to our perennial discussion of technology to use for the
> > >> future CayenneModeler... With Swing being old and crusty, and JavaFX
> no
> > >> longer supported by Oracle, perhaps we should be looking for something
> > >> fresh. I just came across a new "Compose Multiplatform" desktop UI
> > >> framework by JetBrains [1]. It is programmed in Kotlin and is based on
> > >> Google toolkit for Android. Their GitHub examples [2] are not that
> > visually
> > >> impressive, but I would imagine it is a matter of styling. A million $
> > >> question is whether it will be around and open source in 10-15 years.
> > >>
> > >> Anyone knows anything about it?
> > >>
> > >> Andrus
> > >>
> > >> [1] https://www.jetbrains.com/lp/compose-mpp/
> > >> [2]
> > >>
> >
> https://github.com/JetBrains/compose-jb/blob/master/artwork/readme/apps.png
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
>