Roadmap to Windows - Revision history

IOOI: Category:Microsoft Windows added

2009-04-03T19:28:57Z

Category:Microsoft Windows added

Bheron at 20:15, 25 March 2009

2009-03-25T20:15:47Z

Rfm: Stress portability, compatibility, theming. Query a few unclear points.

2006-09-20T21:42:52Z

Stress portability, compatibility, theming. Query a few unclear points.

Madleser: cleanup

2006-09-17T15:53:06Z

cleanup

Show changes

Sheldon: /* Gui */

2006-09-17T07:05:07Z

Gui

Sheldon: /* Base */

2006-09-17T06:55:38Z

Base

Sheldon: /* Introduction */

2006-09-17T06:41:35Z

Introduction

Rfm: /* Base */

2006-03-10T10:52:20Z

Base

Sheldon at 03:52, 31 January 2006

2006-01-31T03:52:43Z

New page

= Introduction =

This page is the starter for the "Road to Windows", a goal of the GNUstep project to deliver a very [[What is Native on Windows|native]] implementation.
Windows has many differences with *nix and OpenStep generally. These need to be dealt with in a way that delivers a 'Windows experience' to the end users but doesn't compromise the OpenStep API.
Some differences are expected.

If you'd like to work on any of these tasks you should put your hand up in gnustep-discuss or e-mail me directly.

= Core Modules =

== Make ==

Relies on a unix shell
We use MSYS and the mingw32 toolchain to provide a very unix-like build environment.

* Make doesn't support paths with spaces. Fundamental design flaw. Ideally we'd like a solution to this.
* Current implementation of 'make install' assumes *nix which doesn't really apply.

== Base ==

* register_printf_handler() -> make Unicode version which calls wprint

NSDate
* Clean GSTimeNow for win32
* Olsen <-> Windows timezone name mapping
* knownTimeZoneNames returns Olsen
* timeZoneWithName takes Olsen
* unicode improvements (I have code for this...)

GSXML
* loadEntityFunction() -> Munge (:) in URL specs as well. Can't be used on Win32!
Use single url expansion mechanism for all (no special -//GNUstep//DTD
Add option for loading from URL, not just local files. (cache in ~)
?? org as
/Library/DTDs/GNUstep/
/Library/DTDs/Apple Computer/
/Library/DTDs/Microsoft/

=== Additions & Improvements ===

==== General ====
* More flexible layout mechanism & options to control.
* Win32 "native" mechanism over-rides

==== Logging ====
NSLog() should only be used for vital/error messages. These should be localizable.
Localize all error output.
+ Should implement FACILITY options for logging to SYSLOG
Use more flexible DebugLog for other output.

==== Dates & Times ====

* Build option for native timezones only
+ NSJulianCalendarDate
+ NSHebrewCalendarDate
+ NSChineseCalendarDate
+ NSJapaneseCalendarDate
+ NSBuddhistCalendarDate

==== Strings ====
NSCaseInsensitiveSearch
* Implementation tests
* Add full Unicode case folding

NSLiteralSearch
* Corrections for composed sequences?

Composed sequences & Normalisation
* Check composed sequence handling generally
* Implement additional normalisation forms
* proper (full) collation and comparison

UTF32
* Doesn't handle non-BMP characters right now.

NSStringEncoding
* additional encodings for Indian, SE Asia...

== Gui ==

NSColor/NSColorList
* Load System color palette from current desktop settings (I have code for this...)
* improve system color startup, don't automatically write System.clr to user folder
* get gnustep-back to handle WM_SYSCOLORCHANGE messages
* Support ICCM colour profiles and colour correction
* +[availableColorLists] should read directory every time. If you need speed, cache yourself

NSMenu
* Want horizontal, in-window menus

NSHelpPanel
* Interface to native windows help system
* [NSApplication showHelp] looks in Resources/(lang).lproj
** Use Info.plist for name of help book
** opens "AppName Help.chm" or
** opens "AppName Help.hlp"
* [NSApplication activateContextHelpMode]

Drawing
Some controls are drawn. Others use pre-drawn images. These don't change
in response to color preferences. That should be corrected.
Notable: Radio buttons, check boxes. scrollbar arrows, menu arrows,
* Clean drawing code to use right colors from system color map

NSPopupButton
* Menu shouldn't require continuous mousedown but rather behave like other windows menus.

=== Additions & Improvements ===

==== General ====
Logging
Use NSLog() only for vital messages
Use NSDebugLLog() everywhere else
Localise everywhere

= Additional Elements =

== Panels ==

NSOpenPanel
NSSavePanel
* If NSDefaultOpenDirectory isn't set should use "~/" on *nix and "My Documents" on Win32.
* Must support multiple drives etc on Win32

+ Should display as Treeview, rather than Browser

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:28, 3 April 2009
Line 117:		Line 117:
	** Must support multiple drives etc on Win32		** Must support multiple drives etc on Win32
	** Should have theme able to display as Treeview, rather than Browser		** Should have theme able to display as Treeview, rather than Browser
		+
		+	[[Category:Microsoft Windows]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-This page is the starter for the "Road to Windows", a goal of the GNUstep project to deliver a very [[What is Native on Windows|native]] implementation.
+This page is the starter for the "Road to Windows", a goal of the GNUstep project to deliver a very [[What is Native on Windows|native]] implementation.  GNUstep currently works very well on Windows, but does not entirely blend in.  The hope is that by completing the tasks discussed here that it will help GNUstep be a better Windows "citizen."
 Windows has many differences with *nix and OpenStep generally. These need to be dealt with in a way that delivers a 'Windows experience' to the end users but doesn't compromise the OpenStep API.
 Some differences are expected, but must be minimised in order to maximise software portability.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This page is the starter for the "Road to Windows", a goal of the GNUstep project to deliver a very [[What is Native on Windows|native]] implementation.
 Windows has many differences with *nix and OpenStep generally. These need to be dealt with in a way that delivers a 'Windows experience' to the end users but doesn't compromise the OpenStep API.
-Some differences are expected.
+Some differences are expected, but must be minimised in order to maximise software portability.
 If you'd like to work on any of these tasks you should put your hand up in gnustep-discuss or e-mail [[User:Sheldon|me]] directly.
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 * Relies on a unix shell: We use MSYS and the mingw32 toolchain to provide a very unix-like build environment.
 * Make doesn't support paths with spaces. Fundamental design flaw. Ideally we'd like a solution to this.
-* Current implementation of 'make install' assumes *nix which doesn't really apply.
+* Current implementation of 'make install' assumes *nix which doesn't really apply. What does this mean?
 == Base ==
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 === General ===
-* More flexible layout mechanism (what needs doing for this) & options to control in config file.
+* More flexible layout mechanism (what needs doing for this) & options to control in config file. What does this mean? perhaps we actually need a less flexible mechanism, but the 'right' one?
-* Win32 "native" mechanism over-rides
+* Win32 "native" mechanism over-rides ... but for what?
 === GSXML ===
-* Use single url expansion mechanism for all (no special -//GNUstep//DTD
+* Use single url expansion mechanism for all (no special -//GNUstep//DTD)
-* Add option for loading from URL, not just local files. (cache in ~)
+* Organise them clearly somehow ... need tio decide how.
 === Logging ===
@@ Line 31: / Line 27: @@
 * NSLog() should only be used for vital/error messages. These should be localizable.
 * Localize all error output.
-* Should implement FACILITY options for logging to SYSLOG
+* Should implement FACILITY options for logging to SYSLOG if MacOS-X does this ... should be compatible.
 * Use more flexible DebugLog for other output.
@@ Line 42: / Line 38: @@
 ** unicode improvements (I have code for this...)
-* Build option for native timezones only
+* Install/runtime option for native timezones only
-* Add classes for other calendars:
+* Add classes for other calendars as soon as we have both windows and unix implementations:
-** + NSJulianCalendarDate
+** + GSJulianCalendarDate
-** + NSHebrewCalendarDate
+** + GSHebrewCalendarDate
-** + NSChineseCalendarDate
+** + GSChineseCalendarDate
-** + NSJapaneseCalendarDate
+** + GSJapaneseCalendarDate
-** + NSBuddhistCalendarDate
+** + GSBuddhistCalendarDate
 === Strings ===
@@ Line 66: / Line 62: @@
 * UTF32
-** Doesn't handle non-BMP characters right now.
+** Does this handle non-BMP characters right now? If not, what needs fixing?
 * NSStringEncoding
@@ Line 76: / Line 72: @@
 * NSMenu
-** Want horizontal, in-window menus
+** Want horizontal, in-window menus theme
 * NSPopupButton
-** Menu shouldn't require continuous mousedown but rather behave like other windows menus.
+** Menu shouldn't require continuous mousedown but rather behave like other windows menus when using windows theme.
 * NSHelpPanel
-** Interface to native windows help system
+** Interface to native windows help system and/or 'normal' help
 ** [NSApplication showHelp] looks in Resources/(lang).lproj
 *** Use Info.plist for name of help book
 *** opens "AppName Help.chm" or
 *** opens "AppName Help.hlp"
 ** [NSApplication activateContextHelpMode]
 * Logging
@@ Line 96: / Line 93: @@
 === Drawing ===
-* Some controls are drawn. Others use pre-drawn images. These don't change in response to color preferences. That should be corrected. Notable: Radio buttons, check boxes. scrollbar arrows, menu arrows. Clean drawing code to use right colors from system color map
+* Some controls are drawn. Others use pre-drawn images. These don't change in response to color preferences. That should be corrected. Notable: Radio buttons, check boxes. scrollbar arrows, menu arrows. Clean drawing code to use right colors from system color map ... should all go into theme system.
 * Drawing should be improved generally so that it looks better and is faster
@@ Line 107: / Line 104: @@
 * NSColor/NSColorList
-** Load System color palette from current desktop settings (I have code for this...)
+** Windows theme code may load System color palette from current desktop settings (I have code for this...)
 ** improve system color startup, don't automatically write System.clr to user folder
 ** get gnustep-back to handle WM_SYSCOLORCHANGE messages
 ** Support ICCM colour profiles and colour correction
-** +[availableColorLists] should read directory every time. If you need speed, cache yourself
+** +[availableColorLists] should check directory modification date every time.
 === Panels ===
@@ Line 118: / Line 115: @@
 ** If NSDefaultOpenDirectory isn't set should use "~/" on *nix and "My Documents" on Win32.
 ** Must support multiple drives etc on Win32
-** Should display as Treeview, rather than Browser
+** Should have theme able to display as Treeview, rather than Browser

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Some differences are expected.
-If you'd like to work on any of these tasks you should put your hand up in gnustep-discuss or e-mail me directly.
+If you'd like to work on any of these tasks you should put your hand up in gnustep-discuss or e-mail [[User:Sheldon|me]] directly.
 = Core Modules =

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 == Base ==
 NSDate
 * Olsen <-> Windows timezone name mapping
 * knownTimeZoneNames returns Olsen
@@ Line 29: / Line 26: @@
 GSXML
-* loadEntityFunction() -> Munge (:) in URL specs as well. Can't be used on Win32!
+* Use single url expansion mechanism for all (no special -//GNUstep//DTD
    Add option for loading from URL, not just local files. (cache in ~)
    ?? org as
@@ Line 40: / Line 36: @@
 ==== General ====
-* More flexible layout mechanism & options to control.
+* More flexible layout mechanism (what needs doing for this) & options to control in config file.
 * Win32 "native" mechanism over-rides