Re: Application Framework in M

[UK0392@AppleLink.Apple.COM (EHN & DIJ Oakley,BDV)]

Dave,
 
>Does the MCL development team envision developing an application framework for
>MCL in the future?
 
Why the MCL development team?  As you may recall, I am currently working on a
skeletal app (in association with support for AppMaker generating MCL), and I
think that this will grow into a "people's skeleton" within the MADA OODL SIG.
If anyone here wants to get involved - and by that I do mean doing work on it
and sharing code and results! - please mail me.
 
Personally, I reckon the wish list for MCL 2.1 is so large that I would sooner
the MCL development team had a chance to get on with MCL 2.1, which I
personally can do little to help!
 
>to create a real, live, Macintosh double-clickable application
 
Well, that is almost possible with 2.0b1, but I gather will be much easier with
2.0 final.  If you need an example, then wait for the skeleton app.
 
>it would be nice to have an extensible set of tools
 
I reckon that AppMaker is a pretty good start - it also gives you the
opportunity to prototype in MCL and then make finals in, say, MacApp or TCL, if
you will.  This is all part of the same project.
 
>I'd like to have the source for the framework classes and the tools
 
You will have the full skeleton source (although I am rather hoping that the
pros will offer to help me out :-)), and the ability with AppMaker to customise
the templates to generate it in any style that you wish.  You'll have to ask
Spec Bowers about getting the source to AppMaker though :-)
 
>I'd also like to have cross-platform development capabilities.
 
Not asking much, are we?!  If you really cannot go with CLIM or Action! (which
must be the best ways of crossing platforms now), then you will need to port
the skeleton etc. to a suitable CL environment on the other platforms.  Sorry,
I only work on Macs and other fine computers :-)
 
>to create all of the stuff for MCL that MacApp gives me for free
 
I know just what you mean.  I am progressively defecting from MacApp too.  In
fact, though, a lot of the things that MacApp gave you for free came at a
considerable cost, and do really come almost free with MCL - think of memory
management and GCing, for instance; I am basing my skeleton (so far) on what
MacApp provides that is needed in addition to MCL's own built-ins -
particularly areas like printing and commands, and of course documents.  I do
not want to pervert MCL into MacApp, particularly in those (quite many) areas
where it is actually better than MacApp, though.
 
Hopefully, the SIG will soon have a group mail address which will make these
discussions easier.  Anyone interested is invited to mail me on:
 
AppleLink UK0392 (hence Internet UK0392@applelink.appl.com)
CompuServe 70734,120 (and in the MacDev forum)
CIX (it's a wonderful UK system!) hoakley
 
Howard.