Maui (was: [ANN] BobsUI for 3.8)

Chris Muller chris at funkyobjects.org
Mon Oct 31 20:26:14 UTC 2005


Javier Diaz-Reinoso wrote:

> with the idea of be "the maintainer" of BobsUI, I use squeak  
> principally as an lenguaje to prototype projects not to deploy them,  
> so I really don't use "business widgets" in squeak very much.

I don't mean to steal thunder from Bobs UI, but the similarities to Maui
surprised me enough to post.

Maui is another UI framework for very-quick prototyping.  It's a naked-objects
framework that lets you visually compose objects using only three "widgets":

  - Domain-instance widget (represents domain instances, they sit on the
desktop or embedded in another domani-instance)
  - Message widget (for activating messages)
  - Parameter-holder widget (part of a keyword message-widget; for dropping
domain-instance widgets).

Configurations are saved by remembering prototypical instances that you've
configured.  Then any domain of that class (or subclass) can assume that named
view.

> BobsUI have interesting features:
> 1.- have separate runtime and development modes

So does Maui.  In development mode, the messages that were dropped keep their
Smalltalk-style selectors, in "user mode" a space is put between the parts
automatically.

Also, in development mode you are able to pick up the message-widgets
themselves.

> 2.- the repository, where the layouts of the windows (or "frames")  
> are stored as XML text, so is easy to transport to other images

Doesn't got to XML, but the UI's are easily transportable to other images
either through Magma, or any of the Squeak serialization frameworks.

> 3.- the interactive creation of the layouts

Nice, and this is for Maui too.

> 4.- the "no halo" widgets, so the user can't show accidentally the  
> halos, that with disable and enable a few preferences and you have  
> an "application".

Same for Maui while in "user mode".

 - Chris



More information about the Squeak-dev mailing list