How are you creating Webdialogs?

CPhillips · 3 Sept 2008, 06:50

Question for plugin developers: How are you creating your WebDialogs?

In the past my dialogs were all hand coded HTML. It works but it is a pain to maintain. So lately I have been trying out various libraries to make it easier.

After a lot of searching I had a brief affair with GWT+Eclipse+GWT Designer. GWT Designer has a really sweet Gui dialog builder. But once the free trial ran out I found out it costs $$ per year and if you don't pay it stops working. Gross.

So after a lot more searching I am working in JavaScript with ExtJS and Yui. Its a big improvement over doing it by hand. Both libraries have strengths and weaknesses. But they work OK on the same page, so its all good.

On a related note, have you checked out Google Chrome yet? I hope that becomes the default browser for Sketchup WebDialogs. It fast and has a SWEET debugger built in. Load a page and right click and select "inspect element" to start it. Find the console you can type Javascript and have it execute the same as the Sketchup ruby console.

There is less advanced debugger that works for WebDialogs here.
http://getfirebug.com/lite.html

I put this code in the body of my HTML file to give me an on demand console/html explorer.

<p><a href="javascript&#058;var firebug=document.createElement('script');firebug.setAttribute('src','http://getfirebug.com/releases/lite/1.2/firebug-lite-compressed.js');document.body.appendChild(firebug);(function(){if(window.pi&&window.firebug){firebug.init();}else{setTimeout(arguments.callee);}})();void(firebug);">Debug...</a></p>

So what are you doing?

morisdov · 3 Sept 2008, 11:32

Long time ago i discovered that leaving graphic design to others was the best productivity route for me - I stick to programming and application/solution design.

I am most pruductive on Microsoft Visual Studio and it also splits in two very nicely the programming from graphic design.
You can try the free visual studio web developer express that gives you full javascript intellisence.

For Chrome please wait for SketchUp 7 hopefully before all your hair turns white or you still keet something to complain about its colour.

chrisglasier · 3 Sept 2008, 12:43

You asked: So what are you doing?

Please let me know whether what you see on the nameset web site http://sites.google.com/site/namesets/ is of interest. If so, I would be happy to discuss why, for example, I generate just about all the HTML with Javascript.

A standalone nameset in Chrome is much faster, so I agree it should be made the default or at least an option. After all they are from the same company.

Chris

CPhillips · 4 Sept 2008, 01:46

Chris, I like that UI. The animation is a nice touch. You don't use any libraries for creating the HTML from JavaScript?

Morisdov, I wish I could find a graphic designer that would work for free. Until then I am the GD.

I use Visual Studio for C++ and C# development. I tried using it for Web development but I found the visual designer for web pages to be lacking. I need things like sliders and property grids. The best visual designer (for web) I found is the GWT Designer I mentioned above. Here is a video of a test dialog I created in about 4hrs while I was learning to use the tool.

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

(sketchyphysics2.googlecode.com)

chrisglasier · 4 Sept 2008, 04:54

Actually I am a builder responsible at various times for shopdrawings, time scheduling design, procurement and installation, purchasing, logistics planning, progress payments, and so on on large projects like Hong Kong Bank (on the back of HK$ notes), Chek Lap Kok airport, Alexandria Library in Egypt, Sheraton Hotel Baghdad. So at least I understand the problems with processing data with and without different types of software. Mainly I fell back on spreadsheets, but was always aware right from 1984 (SuperCalc v1.0) of their limitations. This is the problem I am trying to solve. No graphic designer nor programmer, I had to tackle these tasks because no one else could see the point.

chrisglasier · 4 Sept 2008, 04:58

Duplicated sorry

chrisglasier · 4 Sept 2008, 06:05

@cphillips said:

Chris, I like that UI. The animation is a nice touch. You don't use any libraries for creating the HTML from JavaScript?

Thanks, I introduced the animation because the redisplay was so damn quick, it was confusing, particularly going backwards (left). Now I think it is good because it shows the interface is a machine in its own right, not a metaphor for paperwork. From the other post, you will see I'm a builder; I find my tools not at the library but at the builders' merchants!

Chris