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Re: [e4-dev] Horizontal extension possibility for e4 tooling

Hi,

I think we should avoid a dependency to ECP.

At some point the tooling should migrate to PDE or platform and these tools can AFAIK not depend on a higher level in Eclipse.

Best regards, Lars

Am 19.11.2013 21:25 schrieb "Jonas Helming" <jonas.helming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
Hi,
I totally like the idea. However, it reminds me to an idea I have since a long time, which is related to your question.
When Tom implemented the first version of the e4 tools editor, he actually contacted me if the EMF Client Platform could be used for this. Back than, ECP had some restrictions:

1. The form-based editor was not really usable stand-alone or embeddable
2. We did not really support to customize the layout
3. We did not support a Master Detail view within a form

In the mean time, these restrictions are not valid anymore:
1. The editor component can be used stand-alone and embedded everywere, it is a sub component called EMF Forms
2. The layout of the form-based UI can itself be described with an EMF model (see http://eclipsesource.com/blogs/tutorials/emf-client-platform-how-to-customize-the-editor-layout/)
3. We currently develop a master detail view, which is almost finished

Major advantages of this would be IMHO:
1. The code base of the e4 editor would get drastically smaller and would only focus on e4 model specific aspects
2. Custom Applications elements can be edited without any adaption, as ECP still support reflective UIs
3. The layout of the editor can be easily customized by users using a view model
4. New concepts such as the one you describe can be asily added
5. The e4 editor would benefit from ECP features, e.g. validation

The main disadvantage is of course that this would require initial effort. Your suggested solution is of course much easier to implement for now. Additionally e4 Tools would get a depenency to ECP.

I just wanted to share this thought to get peoples opinions.

Cheers

Jonas


Am 19.11.2013 13:05, schrieb Marco Descher:
Hy List,

WHAT

I would like to add horizontal extension possibility to the e4 tooling. That is, there already is the possibility to add new elements to the application model, and provide ones own editors
for the e4 tooling.  I would like to extend the tooling for already available elements by adding an extension point to the tooling itself.

WHY

I want to enrich already available elements with additional information. This could for example be used to add documentation information to all elements of the application model,
or would allow me to e.g. create an additional tab, valid only if I use the SWT renderer, allowing me to do deeper inspection of the model.

HOW

I plan to create an extension point allowing to contribute tabs to given elements, as can be seen in the following image. The extension point will have to define for
what model elements the contributed tab is valid, and on call of the editor the full model will be passed.

Can you please give me any feedback, on what you think about this, who would back/mentor this implementation, and what he/she would do different?

Thanks,
marco


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