[OT] plugins and QDockWidget

[Andreas Pakulat]

On 25.03.07 13:10:42, kitts wrote:
> I think i mostly understand now. Just one last question. Apaku in the other 
> mail mentioned about the  addToolView( "name", factory); API. I assume that 
> it is used by the plugin to register a factory with the UIController. The 
> UIController immediately creates one toolview using the factory. Is it 
> possible that either the creation is deferred or rather that another 
> toolview creation for already registered factory is invoked by the plugin? 

Well, you don't have to call addToolView on initializing the plugin (as
is done atm for all plugins), you can do it for example in a plugin slot
that is connected to a signal of another plugin which is emitted when
you need the toolview.

Also I should add: There is already API to remove a factory again.

> Is there a place i can read more on what is the role of the shell separated 
> >from the various plugins?

Look into our wiki (available from kdevelop.org website), there are 2
documents explaining the architecture and the UI. However plugins that
provide views (i.e. widgets for the central area of the mainwindow) are
not yet covered, because its not yet implemented...

> In short, my requirements would be; plugin controllable context sensitive 
> toolbars

Thats the easiest part, a kdevelop plugin is a xmlgui client.

> and dockviews and a mechanism by which one plugin can communicate 
> to another.

signals/slots should be used to communicate between plugins.

> Unlike the way kdev3 handles toolviews, i like the way qt handles dockviews 
> where more than one toolview can be seen simultaneously.

I guess you mean that multiple dockwidgets are allowed in the same
docking area.

> Will this be the 
> way it works in kdev4 or visually will the kdev3 style continue? Current 
> screenshots suggest the former.

Whatever current screenshots indicate will happe :) Beginning tomorrow
(with qt4.3) there will be some subtle enhancements, like the same
dockwidget-button-style as in KDev3 (i.e. on top of each other on the
sides).

Andreas

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