Next Generation of the GUI Toolkit

[jerome]

We are planning a lot of improvements to the GUI toolkit. Among other things a reorganization of the API classes (see picture), a new auto layout system based on the CSS box model, a much easier and much powerful skinning system. The anchoring system should also be improved to become a combination of a relative (percentage of parent's width) and an component.

We also hope to clarify and reorganize certain properties not so self-explanatory:

Modifications:
alphaBlend
Background (add image capabilities?)
foreground + color
borderStyle / movable (divorce form from function)
minClientSize (remove sizing based on text size)

Ideas:
contentSize (space needed to render content)
"guides" for anchors
create "Document" class
what to do about sc`rolling?
user data/id

Fishy-lookin':
inactive
isRemote
interim
initSize
disabled/isEnabled (clarify)
modifiedDocument
is3D
active/inactive
created/destroyed
closing
previous/next
fullRender

[D.Bane]

I hope this is where I should write this..

"what to do about sc`rolling?".. Is that about the trails the windows leave when scrolled?

I have a suggestion about explaining/clarifying properties..In Visual Basic 6 IDE there is a small window which has description of the property selected, and while building your own DLL you could add the descriptions to your own properties..I found that very good, since when started that was the only thing to tell me what is what (haven't had internet.. :/ )..If it's up to me, I'd love it there in Ecere IDE as well..

[jerome]

D.Bane, we recently updated a Mantis ticket about that feature:

http://ecere.com/mantis/view.php?id=394

It's planned for a future release At the moment we have yet to even document the API.
But yes it will enable you to document your own DLLs as well through the documentation tool (which hopefully will be much improved until then).

About scrolling, that description was just about the plans for the next improvements to the GUI toolkit and how to handle scrolling in general within the GUI components class hierarchy.

The windows are not supposed to leave trails when scrolled