Re: [FR-devel] I'm Back

[Laurent Julliard]

Curt Hibbs wrote:
> Hi guys, I'm back!!!
>  

Good to see (read!) you again.

>  
> After I finish my class (or while I'm in it, if I have time) I will work 
> on getting the wiki updated with more details and how-tos of the 
> FreeRIDE architecture. I realize, as Rich put it, that it is a very 
> unique architecture that has a definite learning curve. But I think once 
> you get up to speed on it, you will find it to be very flexible.
>  

I have dwelt on the FR code for some time and I do confirm that there is 
a learning curve associated with it... :-) But I guess we'll survive. 
Having an up to date documentation and samples is really key. We have 
some already so then it's just a matter of spending time on it.

> Well.... until there is a decent way to inspect the state and trace the 
> activity in the databus, you might be tempted to curse the architecture. 
> This is really a top priority as it make FreeRIDE development easier for 
> everyone.
>  
> Is someone willing to volunteer to write a databus inspector? Let me
> know, and I will pass on some ideas and an example of the databus
> inspector that I wrote for a Java version of the databus (unfortunately,
> the Java databus is different enough that the inspector cannot be 
ported).
>

Just to let you know that I'm working on it. I started to develop the 
"Databus Browser" as a FR plugin I quickly realized that I was in a bad 
need for soemthing that would allow me to look at what happens on the 
databus.

So now is the right time for all of you to send me your requirements in 
terms of what you'd like to see in this databus browser/inspector. I 
can't promise I'll implement them all to start with but at least it'll 
give me an idea of where to go over time.

Once I have a first version of the Databus Browser ready I'll return to 
the development of the FR Debugger.

I have a quick question regarding the Databus Browser: to become 
fmailiar with the FreeBASE architecture I decided to implement the 
Databus Browser as a FR plugin. Of course I realized that this has some 
weaknesses associated with it: one of the biggest being that as long as 
the Databus Browser plugin is not started you are in the dark and if 
something goes wrong that you want to debug  then you are stuck.

The other alternative was to make an ad-hox FOX application to monitor 
the bus but then we loose the genericity of the FR UI.

Comments welcome.


> Regards,
> Curt



--
Laurent JULLIARD - Xerox R&T/SSTC/XPA - Open Source team
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