Re: [boost] Re: thoughts on a GUI component library

From: Mathew Robertson (mathew.robertson_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-12-22 00:17:35

>     My design for a C++ GUI library would being with creating an
>     flow component that could render XML + CSS.
>  
>     The flow component would flow blocks. Blocks would contain text,
>     images, or other objects. If a block changed size, the flow
>     component would reflow immediately.
> 
>     This is basically what web designers work with in a modern
>     browser like KHTML or Mozilla. I'm far more interested in
>     creating a component of this nature, than another set of gray
>     box wrappers.
> 
>     Initially, I figured I'd stop short of attempting to create a
>     2d canvas, something that would be a outlet for vector graphics
>     like SVG or flash.
> 
>     The components in the GUI library could then be implemented
>     using the flow compnent.
> 
>     This would mean skipping platform specific widget library, and
>     implementing an cross-platform widget library using this flow
>     component, combining blocks, effects, and images, to create what
>     ever look and feel is desired. The look and feel could be
>     specified by designers somewhat simply using XML + CSS.
>     
>     You'd get skinnable applications.
> 
>     Swing took the route of defining look and feel in Java, and
>     foroging native components. I'd like to make it much easier to
>     implement the look and feel.
> 
>     Create all the widgets using the flow component, and with C++,
>     you'd not pay too dear a penalty for forgoing native components.
> 
>     Native components are welcome, of course, so long as they play
>     nice the canvas. (Win32 GDI objects do not.)
> 
>     A huge benefit, too, is that if someone implements a the device
>     class for their device, they could turn to Boost to have a ready
>     Windowing library. 
> 
>     So, I'm going to get working on a flow component...

The real benefit is that every widget now gets to have multi-lingual support as a native capability. 

And you also get word wrapping, hyphenation, etc..  on every widget...!

Mathew