[GSoC] User-Defined Project & File Templates

Tue Mar 20 15:59:32 UTC 2012

On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 4:03 PM, Milian Wolff <mail at milianw.de> wrote:
> On Tuesday 20 March 2012 15:54:05 Aleix Pol wrote:
>> On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 2:50 PM, otzy_007 <otzy007 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 1:48 PM, Milian Wolff <mail at milianw.de> wrote:
>> >> On Monday 19 March 2012 22:09:30 otzy_007 wrote:
>> >> > Hi,
>> >>
>> >> Hi!
>> >>
>> >> CCing our development list - please register there and direct your future
>> >> emails to it.
>> >>
>> >> > My name is Andrei Gliga and I am student of Politehnica University of
>> >> > Bucharest in second year at the Computer Science Department.
>> >> > I use KDevelop for everyday development, homeworks or debugging, mostly
>> >> > for
>> >> > C or C++, but I've used it also for Octave,  Java, Bash or Ruby . But
>> >> > it
>> >> > kind of lacks of templates. I've created my own templates for C and
>> >> > Java
>> >> > applications and posted them on kde-apps.org :D
>> >> > I think that a Project Template Generator it's a great idea and I would
>> >> > like to be the one who implements it :)
>> >> >
>> >> > My idea of how to implement it:
>> >> > 1.  User starts the "Create New Project" wizard
>> >> > 2.  He choose: "KDevelop template"
>> >> > 3.  A wizard asks him how this template will be compiled: using CMake,
>> >> > Makefile or other tools
>> >> > 4. Also the wizard asks the user the name of the main file in the
>> >> > template
>> >> > 5. The template files are created and the user can now customize them
>> >> > 6. Maybe the Build can be used to create the template archive and
>> >> > deploy
>> >> > it
>> >> > to the kdevappwizard/templates folder
>> >> >
>> >> > What do you think about it?
>> >>
>> >> I'm not so sure on the UI-integration part yet. We already have tons of
>> >> context menu actions, and the "project" menu is already pretty full.
>> >> Furthermore, users have complained about the confusing "new project"
>> >> actions -
>> >> something which would get even worse with your approach.
>> >>
>> >> I think this will need some more thinking... I think the "new from
>> >> template"
>> >> dialog should get GHNS integration. Maybe one could add a button there as
>> >> well
>> >> to create a new template. The question then though is how to design this
>> >> wizard... The user will want to edit files, create new files etc. pp. -
>> >> actions that should not be done inside an editor I think? Imo this needs
>> >> some
>> >> good ideas.
>> >>
>> >> > Also the Ruby Language Support project attracted my attention, but I
>> >> > don't
>> >> > have ideas of how to implement it in KDevelop. I'm still learning Ruby
>> >> > and
>> >> > RoR. Will this be based of kdev-ruby?
>> >>
>> >> Yes this will be based of kdev-ruby, but prior experience is a must
>> >> there.
>> >> Miquel Sabaté, who is already working on it for some time, will also
>> >> apply
>> >> for
>> >> a GSOC slot for this project.
>> >>
>> >> Bye
>> >> --
>> >> Milian Wolff
>> >> mail at milianw.de
>> >> http://milianw.de
>> >
>> > Thank you for sending my email to the devel list. Now I'm registered.
>> >
>> > I think didn't explained too well how I think it should be implemented so
>> > I've attached an image with a small sketch.
>> > http://lolozaur.bshellz.net/kdevtemplate.png
>> > I don't think there is a better place to put a create new template wizard.
>> > I've seen this kind of stuff on other IDEs such as NetBeans( you can
>> > create
>> > new NetBeans Modules).
>> > And I think the user should have the option to manually edit template's
>> > files (he's a developer, not a normal user). The wizard will ask him
>> > compilation method, project structure (folders, files) and maybe other
>> > thinks.
>> > Also kdevappwizard will have a Get Hot New Stuff button to get other
>> > templates.
>> >
>> > Another way could be: You right click on your project (or from the Project
>> > menu ) -> Make this project a template
>> > But i don't think this is such a good idea.
>> >
>> > Maybe there are some other people on the mailing list with better ideas of
>> > implementing this but they don't have time to do it. Please share your
>> > ideas so we can improve even more KDevelop.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Andrei
>> >
>> > --
>> > KDevelop-devel mailing list
>> > KDevelop-devel at kdevelop.org
>> > https://barney.cs.uni-potsdam.de/mailman/listinfo/kdevelop-devel
>>
>> Hi Andrei,
>> I worked on the new layout of the template selector last summer (not
>> gsoc, just happened to be summer :)). I really think there's place for
>> improvement where to make a difference. I'm unsure about if it's
>> enough work for a whole GSoC but I'm sure that if you get to
>> understand the problem correctly you'll manage to write a kick-ass
>> proposal.
>>
>> You mention template editing/creation. I'm unsure about that. I don't
>> think that developers need automated tools to create templates, our
>> goal is to provide good templates, so far. I agree with milian,
>> though, that it would be really cool to be able to import templates
>> easily through GHNS (for example). We could put together some editing
>> tool, but I'm unsure it would pay off, maybe you should think this
>> through.
>
> See: http://community.kde.org/GSoC/2012/Ideas#Project:_User-
> Defined_Project_.26_File_Templates
>
> I really think that this would be a very good thing to have in KDevelop. And
> it's more than just project templates, but also some way to have file
> templates (e.g. a template for a new QTest-based unit test, ...). It should
> suffice for a GSOC and doesn't require too much prior knowledge. I think much
> time would need to be spent on getting up with an idea on how to properly
> integrate it (i.e. this very discussion :)).
>
>> Regarding the template selection, most of what you said is already
>> there. We need polishing and love, that's for granted maybe you can
>> give it a try while you figure out your proposal.
>
> What's not there is creating new project templates (besides creating the
> tarballs by hand and putting them to the correct place). And of course no 'new
> file from template'.
>
> Bye
> --
> Milian Wolff
> mail at milianw.de
> http://milianw.de

Oh I see. Yes, I've missed such a feature many times. I got dragged
with the project templates screenshot ;).

Also, this can be combined with improving the "create class" wizard it
also needs work and it might be not that different, for instance the
template files will want a license probably.

Aleix