wxSqueak application sample

Pavel Krivanek squeak1 at continentalbrno.cz
Fri Oct 15 19:21:51 UTC 2004


> Very cool!
>
> I haven't tried wxSqueak (yet), can comment your impressions about
> productivity in developing, pros and cons and experiences using it?
>

I have to say, that using wxSqueak now has many problematic aspects. There's
available only demo release with the minimal interface and it implements
only messages that have been needed for simple demonstration applications.

            Fortunately the generated set of primitives and basic
encapsulating methods is almost complete and so if you need next
functionality, you have only to write (or generate) a Smalltalk wrapper. In
current wxSqueak you cannot find such basic methods as getValue of
WxTextCtrl (simple edit box) and you have to write by self!

            When the primitive interface is missing, you have to find the
other way how to implement what you want. But it's not frequent trouble.

            You cannot use any GUI builder now.

            Today wxSqueak runs only on Windows. The initial release doesn't
work on Windows 98, but I have found the way how to persuade it to run. I
had to totally rewrite the startup sequence of Squeak, kill all Squeak
processes which aren't needed (as Morphic UI loop etc.), tune wxSqueak event
and callback system processes priorities etc. As the side effect I have
perfectly lockdowned image ;-)

            When you write wxSqueak application, many errors cause VM crash,
so you have to save your work often (last logged changes don't help you many
times).

            There are some other issues while message passing, overriding
some specific methods etc.



            For all that I have to say, that wxSqueak is excellent piece of
code. The moment you write general Smalltalk wrappers (you bind combo boxes
with collections, write the set of specific edit boxes for entering and
validating numbers, dates etc..), you get really very nice tool that can use
all power of Smalltalk behind it. It's very productive and flexible.
Structure of code is easy to read and understand. And if you tune wxSqueak
system processes, it's as fast as any other native application.



            It's sure that wxSqueak has huge potential. It can give new
dimension to Squeak development and bring it closer to mainstream. While
programming you can still use Morphic with all its capabilities and
development tools, but your customer gets something what looks familiar.

            I hope that the author of wxSqueak makes the development process
of it more open soon.



Pavel




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