X-Authentication-Warning:	delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f
X-Recipient:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Date:	Mon, 29 May 2017 05:53:27 +0200 (CEST)
X-X-Sender:	igor2 AT igor2priv
To:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-Debug:	to=geda-user AT delorie DOT com from="gedau AT igor2 DOT repo DOT hu"
From:	gedau AT igor2 DOT repo DOT hu
Subject:	[geda-user] [RFC] announcement: yet another GUI project manager: genxproj
Message-ID:	<alpine.DEB.2.00.1705290519210.27212@igor2priv>
User-Agent:	Alpine 2.00 (DEB 1167 2008-08-23)
MIME-Version:	1.0
Reply-To:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com

Hi all,

I'm proud do announce genxproj, yet another attempt to provide a GUI 
project manager _option_ to get our tools work together. ~1 minute 
desktop video showing the classic gschem -> pcb-rnd -> gerbv flow:

https://archive.org/details/genxproj-prealpha

genxproj is like xgsch2pcb, except:

- it is not specific to gschem or pcb or geda, but is a generic solution 
that works with any set of applications; in the gsch2pcb-rnd flow:

- it also supports gerbv, so the example flow gschem -> pcb-rnd -> gerbv

- true single click annotation: you don't need to save the project in 
gschem first or click on reload in gerbv; just click the arrow button and 
it will do everything

- it can embed the main window of the applicaitons so your schematics, 
board design and gerber look like if they were just different tabs of the 
same project (when the "radio" button is active: only one tab is shown)

- alternatively it can present a side-by-side view of 0, 1, 2 or more 
applications; like in a file manager: schematics on the left, pcb on the 
right (when the "radio" button is inactive)

The project is in pre-alpha state yet. Depending on user demand it could 
be finished this summer. I'm posting this to get some initial feedback.

If it cathes on, we may set up other flows, like gschem -> simulation, 
eeschema -> pcb-rnd, gschem -> gattrib -> text editor -> bom, etc.

****


Technical detail summary


- Genxproj doesn't depend on dbus or in fact on any code modification, 
special feature or any sort of cooperation from the applications for the 
remote control. It can remote control any application it starts, whether 
the app wants it or not. This makes it possible to set up new workflows 
without first having to convince upstream programmers to add remote 
control features. More details: 
http://repo.hu/projects/genxproj/remctrl.html

- similar to that, genxproj doesn't depend on any cooperation from the app 
on embedding its window; it can force-embed any X11 application, without 
the application even knowing about this. More details: 
http://repo.hu/projects/genxproj/xembed.html

- the GUI is 100% workflow-specific; genxproj loads a flow config and 
doesn't have any widget or gui logics before that. This means 
different flows can have any kind of GUI and any kind of code for the gui 
logics, including how to present applications, what to embed and what to 
leave floating, how to remote control them or how the widgets should look 
like. More details: http://repo.hu/projects/genxproj/toolkit.html

- because of the embed and remote control hacks, genxproj is pretty much 
X11-specific (this code won't ever run on windows or non-X based GUIs); 
embedding text applications (e.g. a text editor or a shell) is possible 
using a terminal emulator (e.g. xterm)


****


Force docker, anyone?


With this framework it would be possible to implement a force-docker: 
it would collect the popup windows of an application and force them into a 
grid of horizontal/vertical boxes, without the application knowing 
anything about this. For users who prefer docking over floating popups, 
this means converting old gschem versions, pcb, gerbv or any other 
application into a docking app, without having to switch to gtk3, without 
having to wait for upstream programmers to change the GUI code. However, 
it wouldn't be able to "un-modal" the modal popups.

Is there any demand on such a force-docker?

Regards,

Igor2

- Raw text -