Re: [platform-ui-dev] Window/page/perspective rework

[Nick_Edgar@xxxxxxx]

Please see comments in the PR.





Dirk_Baeumer@xxxxxxx
Sent by: platform-ui-dev-admin@xxxxxxxxxxx
03/06/02 09:02 AM
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        Subject:        Re: [platform-ui-dev] Window/page/perspective rework


I tried to use the OpenActionFactory in the packages view to contribute 
the 
right menu items. Unfortunatelly I was not able to use the factory since 
it 
doesn't support groups. I opened a PR for this 

http://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=10842 

Dirk 




Simon_Arsenault@xxxxxxx 
Sent by: platform-ui-dev-admin@xxxxxxxxxxx 
05.03.2002 20:47 
Please respond to platform-ui-dev 
        
        To:        platform-ui-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx 
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        Subject:        [platform-ui-dev] Window/page/perspective rework


Integration build 2002-03-05 will include several changes to the way the
workbench handles windows, pages, and perspectives. Some of these changes
have a direct effect on how clients will use the API to show a perspective
to the user. The current implementation is based on all the feedback we've
received so far.

Feeback/suggestions are always welcomed - but please, make sure you give 
it
a fair try first. Also, not everything is working as we want to...not 
until
clients update their code to use the correct API (see below).

In eclipse 1.0, there was a concept of window, pages inside a window, and
perspectives within a page. Window was a familiar concept to users, but
pages and perspectives were not. The ui also made things more complicated
to the user by trying to combine both the page and perspective
concept...but not quite completely. It just did not work right.

Here is the new direction we are going towards. We are punting the concept
of "pages" - that is, the user will only need to understand window and
perspective (i.e the layout of views, actions, etc). At the implementation
level, IWorkbenchPage still exists but now only one page is allowed per
window. As the user changes perspective in a window, the editors are kept.
Each perspective the user switches to is shown in the shortcut bar (i.e.
the horrible combo box in the tool bar is gone...woohoo!!!). A new window
can be opened using Window > New Window menu item.

There is no more preference to open a perspective in a new window, page, 
or
replace. All the public preference constants have been deprecated. Having 
a
preference to open a perspective in a new window, page, or replace current
was not very useful because depening what the user wanted to do, the
preference was usually wrong.

The openWorkbenchWindow methods are no longer deprecated. However, clients
are strongly recommended to not call these methods directly from an action
unless it is crystal clear to the user a new window will open (i.e. Window
> New Window menu item action calls this API because it is very clear to
the user a new window will open).

The experimental openPage methods on IWorkbench have been deprecated and
will be removed before 2.0 is released. Clients should now use the
showPerspective methods on IWorkbench. The workbench will determine based
on the current context whether a new window needs to be opened, a new
perspective opened/shown, or an existing window brought to the front. 
Refer
to the java doc of these methods for more details.

Following is an example of which method to use using Java and Debug
plug-in. One of the showPerspective methods takes an input. This informs
the workbench that the perspective is dependent on a specific input and
cannot be opened just anywhere. The type hierarchy perspective would use
this method. The other showPerspective method takes no input. This tells
the workbench the perspective is not dependent on any specific input and
can be opened in just about any window. The debug perspective would use
this method.

Note: The new actions created by this rework are all internal (i.e. like
the one to open a new window, switch perspective, etc). If you would like
to see these as public to reuse them, please let us know and we can make
the necessary changes.

Note2: Could all plug-ins in the SDK (JDT, Debug, etc) that open
perspective programmatically make use of the new API. If you are not sure
which one, please let us know and we can provide
suggestions/clarifications. If this could be part of the next integration
build, we can start usability tests on it.

Note3: The package view still has "Open Perspective" menu. Unlike the
navigator view, it does not make use of the OpenActionFactory.

Thanks
Simon :-)


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