Re: [boost] GUI validation [was: GUI Library Proposal for a Proposal]

From: John Torjo (john.lists_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-11-20 04:28:38

Hi Aleksey,
> Hello,
> 
> I'm probably too late and what I'd like to say is too general, but maybe 
> somebody will find the following thoughts useful.
> There are many GUI frameworks - platform-specific, platform-independent, 
> something in between,
> but most of them (I'm afraid to say all of them :) have the same problems.
> 
> On the one hand they give a user many really good things: windowing, 
> controls, event handling, geometry, drag&drop support, etc...
> On the other hand they are monolithic - you have to use the *whole* 
> framework, you cannot take and use only one subsystem.

I would like to think that win32gui is close to what you're hoping for.

I've put a lot of work in trying to accomplish just that.

However, it's not as easy as one might think. I might have failed at 
some parts. If you're willing to take a look at win32gui, I'd welcome 
all feedback you or anyone else might have. You also can email me 
privately (john at torjo dot com).

> 
> ** general-purpose 2d lightweight geometry and general algorithms
>    ( boost::gui::2d::point, rect, path, ...)

some of it it's there

> 
> ** painting areas, canvases and painting algorithms
> 

not yet

> ** events, propagation and handling mechanisms, (event_target, listener, 
> subscribers...)

I would say most of it is there

> 
> ** windowing (windows, views...)

yup
> 
> ** layout algorithms (placing visual elements relatively to each other), 
> language to express constrains.

not yet

> 
> ** widgets, controls, text engine and etc...

yes

Best,
John

-- 
John Torjo,    Contributing editor, C/C++ Users Journal
-- "Win32 GUI Generics" -- generics & GUI do mix, after all
-- http://www.torjo.com/win32gui/
-- v1.5 - tooltips at your fingertips (work for menus too!)
    + bitmap buttons (work for MessageBox too!)
    + tab dialogs, hyper links, lite html