Comments on: GWT: Better Layouts Through Subclassing http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/ Running commentary about agile development, user experience design and Ajax. Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:33:43 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Structuring Java code that assembles a UI | Jake Herringbone http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-3995 Structuring Java code that assembles a UI | Jake Herringbone Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:27:42 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-3995 [...] Here’s a clever DSL to build the GUI in a “fluent” way: http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/ [...] [...] Here’s a clever DSL to build the GUI in a “fluent” way: http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/ [...]

]]> By: Miroslav http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-3092 Miroslav Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:56:32 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-3092 Can you provide more information about the registry ? Thanks in advance. Can you provide more information about the registry ?

Thanks in advance.

]]> By: Mirco http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-1773 Mirco Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:44:45 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-1773 Great job. Any example-class for the registry? Great job.
Any example-class for the registry?

]]> By: Bruce Johnson http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Bruce Johnson Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:20:20 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-352 By: Tahir http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-351 Tahir Thu, 13 Sep 2007 06:47:07 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-351 <p>Fluent APIs are often used with builder pattern i-e you build a complex object through a series of small settings.</p> <p>Use of builder pattern for building UI is not new. See Groovy SwingBuilder for example. JavaFX also employs the builder pattern for building user interface. </p> Fluent APIs are often used with builder pattern i-e you build a complex object through a series of small settings.

Use of builder pattern for building UI is not new. See Groovy SwingBuilder for example. JavaFX also employs the builder pattern for building user interface.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-350 Anonymous Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:30:16 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-350 <p>Robby,<br /> Thanks for the comments. I had completely forgotten that Martin Fowler covered this style before, so I appreciated the link on fluent interfaces.</p> <p>As for releasing a library to build on GWT, I think it would be great to see something like that come about. I think more real-world examples would be needed before deciding on how to proceed (namely, to keep the syntax somewhat consistent across the GWT client API). I have not used this in anything beyond prototypes, so I'm keen on finding out how this would help (or hurt) building complex user interfaces in a team environment. This is something I will keep revisiting.</p> Robby,
Thanks for the comments. I had completely forgotten that Martin Fowler covered this style before, so I appreciated the link on fluent interfaces.

As for releasing a library to build on GWT, I think it would be great to see something like that come about. I think more real-world examples would be needed before deciding on how to proceed (namely, to keep the syntax somewhat consistent across the GWT client API). I have not used this in anything beyond prototypes, so I’m keen on finding out how this would help (or hurt) building complex user interfaces in a team environment. This is something I will keep revisiting.

]]> By: Robby http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2007/09/expressing-rich/comment-page-1/#comment-349 Robby Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:43:33 +0000 http://www.pathf.com/blogs/?p=256#comment-349 <p>This style of programming has been termed "fluent" by others, and is typically useful whenever there is detailed process of building up complete component. See:</p> <p><a href="http://martinfowler.com/bliki/FluentInterface.html" rel="nofollow">http://martinfowler.com/bliki/FluentInterface.html</a></p> <p>This is the first time I've seen it applied to building GUIs, and now that I've seen it, I think it is a natural fit. The alternative I've used in the past is to create several classes for each sub-panel within a specific UI, which enhances readability, but which is not typically amenable to reuse. With your approach, you managed to enhance readability of the UI API, which can be reused immediately in every single new UI you construct.</p> <p>In fact, this "fluent" encapsulation of the GWT UI components would be a good candidate for a library that others could use to enhance productivity. Have you considered sharing this code with others?</p> This style of programming has been termed “fluent” by others, and is typically useful whenever there is detailed process of building up complete component. See:

http://martinfowler.com/bliki/FluentInterface.html

This is the first time I’ve seen it applied to building GUIs, and now that I’ve seen it, I think it is a natural fit. The alternative I’ve used in the past is to create several classes for each sub-panel within a specific UI, which enhances readability, but which is not typically amenable to reuse. With your approach, you managed to enhance readability of the UI API, which can be reused immediately in every single new UI you construct.

In fact, this “fluent” encapsulation of the GWT UI components would be a good candidate for a library that others could use to enhance productivity. Have you considered sharing this code with others?

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