Missing functionality in CLIM 1.1

• To: clim@BBN.COM
• Subject: Missing functionality in CLIM 1.1
• From: "John C. Mallery" <jcma@reagan.ai.mit.edu>
• Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 07:32-0400

So far, I have noticed some missing functionality that is very important for
my applications, doubtless anyone else's.

1) TYPEOUT-WINDOW option in DEFINE-APPLICATION-FRAME:  typeout-windows like
Symbolics genera has in Zmacs and dynamic windows are extremely useful because
they:

	- provide a place to direct output that will not fit in an interaction pane

	- pop up to show the user whatever it is but go away without corrupting
	displays on existing windows

	- can be examined by hitting #\suspend so that the user can refer back to
	them.

Since everyone will end up implementing this functionality, CLIM should provide it.

2) MARKING AND YANKING FROM DISPLAYS VIA THE MOUSE:  Genera supports this on
Dynamic window and it is very useful so users can get a hold on presentations and
do things with them, such as writing them to files, reporting bug, or putting
them into papers.

3) THE DESTINATION PRESENTATION TYPE:  Genera supports this and it is very
useful for getting output to go to places other than *standard-output*, for
example, files, editor buffers, printers.

4) PRESENTATION DEBUGGING FACILITIES:  Genera has a presentation inspector
that allows the program to figure out what handlers are accessible in various
contexts -- most useful.  It also binds keys, like super-left and super-middle
(also on the menu) commands to describe presentation types and the underlying
lisp object.  These kinds of debugging tools are important if you want people
to use this technology.

5) INPUT-EDITOR:  In CLIM, one has to write all kinds of useful and obvious
stuff, such as fresh-viewport (control-L), forward and backward s-exp.  It
would be desirable to have more options in for application top levels,
including one that accepts command or lisp forms -- after all we are programming
this stuff in lisp.

6) CLIM LISP LISTENER:  This is pretty primitive.  It would be desirable to
improve the accessible functional here both in system independent, optionally
dependent ways.  Again, the Genera example with its user command table in
dynamic windows is a good starting point.  Think how useful it can be for
people to be able to run the CLIM lisp listener as their toplevel interface to
the local OS.  Indeed, this make make many platforms much more user friendly
and allow users unfamiliar with specific command sets to operate effectively on
platforms they are unfamiliar with.

7) BETTER INTEGRATION: In Genera 8.1.1, CLIM remains poorly integrated.  Thus,
one cannot use, for example presentation types or text styles outside CLIM,
say in the editor. (I have a different large system which would suffer by
conversion to CLIM because it would no longer operate seamlessly in the
editor.  This brings me to the point that it would be desirable to have some
general-purpose facilities written in CL using CLIM.  The first on my list is
an Emacs or ZMACS-like editor -- or better yet, a hypertext system + mail
reader.  While we're at it, what about debugger interfaces?

8) TEXT-STYLES: As far as I can tell there are only 3 text styles available.
This isn't very much.  How about some more?  Also, I find no advertized means
to define one's own text styles -- an important issue, especially when there
is a text editor.

0,,

• Prev: [naha@riverside.scrc.symbolics.com: CLIM Listener]
• Next: Re: contents of clim-library as of 92/09/09
• Index: CLIM Mailing list (1-Sep-92 to 31-Dec-92)
• Thread: CLIM Mailing list Index (1-Sep-92 to 31-Dec-92)