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Difference between revisions of "GEF/GEF4"

< GEF
(Current Status)
(Components / Reference Documentation)
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__NOTOC__
 
__NOTOC__
  
[[GEF/GEF4 | GEF4]] is the unified effort to develop a new GEF 4.x code base as a modernization of the current production components Draw2d/GEF (MVC) 3.x, and Zest 1.x. Being developed in parallel to maintaining the production components, [[GEF/GEF4 | GEF4]] is set up as a set of smaller, more lightweight [[#Components | components]] that currently only provide provisional API.  
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[[GEF/GEF4 | GEF4]] is the unified effort of the [http://www.eclipse.org/gef Graphical Editing Framework (GEF)] project team to develop a new GEF 4.x code base as a modernization of the current production components [https://www.eclipse.org/gef/draw2d/ Draw2d 3.x], [https://www.eclipse.org/gef/gef_mvc/index.php GEF (MVC) 3.x], and [https://www.eclipse.org/gef/zest/index.php Zest 1.x].  
  
Additional information about our plans and can be inferred from the following talks:
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Being developed in parallel to maintaining the production components, [[GEF/GEF4 | GEF4]] is set up in terms of smaller, more lightweight [[#Components / Reference Documentation | components]], uses JavaFX instead of SWT as rendering technology, and allows to build up graphical applications for Eclipse (using a JavaFX-SWT-integration) as well as standalone.
* [http://www.eclipsecon.org/2012/sites/eclipsecon.org.2012/files/GEF_Past_Present_Future_0.pdf Alexander Nyßen (2012): GEF - Past, Present, and Future, EclipseCon NA, Reston (VA), 2012]
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* [http://www.eclipsecon.org/europe2012/sites/eclipsecon.org.europe2012/files/GEF4_Share_And_Enjoy_0.pdf Alexander Nyßen (2012): GEF4 - Share And Enjoy..., EclipseCon Europe, Ludwigsburg, 2012]
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Please note that '''all GEF4 API is still provisional''', i.e. there is no released API yet. Therefore, all API-packages are exported with the x-internal directive. To differentiate them from non-API packages, all non-API packages are explicitly named as 'internal' and are either not exported by the bundle manifest, or only via an x-friends directive (if they are used in other test bundles, etc.). You may want to consult the [[GEF/Contributor_Guide | Contributor Guide]] for details on how to set up your IDE to get rid of any restricted access warnings that are caused by this policy.
* [http://www.eclipsecon.org/2013/sessions/gef4-share-and-enjoy Alexander Nyßen (2013): GEF4 - (Continue to) Share and Enjoy..., EclipseCon NA, Boston (MA), 2013]
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* [[media:GEF4_SwtFX.pdf | Alexander Nyßen (2013): GEF4 SwtFX (Lightning Talks), EclipseCon Europe, Ludwigsburg, 2013 ]]
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* [[media:GEF4.pdf | Alexander Nyßen (2013): GEF4, RheinJug, Düsseldorf, 2013 ]]
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* [https://www.eclipsecon.org/na2014/sites/default/files/slides/GEF4_There_s_really_something_going_on_0.pdf Alexander Nyßen (2014): GEF4 - There's really something going on!, EclipseCon NA, San Francisco (CA), 2014]
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== Current Status ==
 
== Current Status ==
Work is currently being spent on developing a JavaFX-based replacement for the core of GEF (GEF4 FX, GEF4 SwtFX, GEF4 MVC), as well as further migration of the former Zest2 code base (GEF4 Layout, GEF4 Graph, GEF4 DOT, GEF4 Zest.FX). Integration builds are available on a weekly basis (see [[#Developer Resources | Developer Resources]]), and we are intending to publish a first release of the GEF4 components with the Mars simultaneous release.
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All GEF4 components are part of the [http://projects.eclipse.org/projects/tools.gef/releases/3.10.0-mars GEF 3.10.0 (Mars)] contribution to the [https://projects.eclipse.org/releases/mars Mars simultaneous release]. An overview of the significant features added during the Mars release train can be found in the [[GEF/New_and_Noteworthy/3.10| New and Noteworthy in 3.10]]. Information on earlier achievements can be inferred from the talks listed under [[#Further Reading|further reading]].
  
Please note that (even including the intended Mars release version) '''all GEF4 API is still provisional''', i.e. there is no released API yet. Therefore, all API-packages are exported with the x-internal directive. To differentiate them from non-API packages, all non-API packages are explicitly named as 'internal' and are either not exported by the bundle manifest, or only via an x-friends directive (if they are used in other test bundles, etc.). See [https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=438900 bug #438900] for details on our provisional API policy, as well as the [[https://wiki.eclipse.org/GEF/Contributor_Guide GEF Project Contributor Guide]] for details on how to set up your IDE to handle this properly.
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Having complete the migration of the Zest 2.x code base to GEF4 with Mars M6 (see [https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=372365 #372365] for details), we have worked on closing parts of the remaining functional gap between GEF4 and GEF 3.x up to M7. From M7 onwards we are now concentrating on augmenting the javadoc and [[#Components / Reference Documentation | reference documentation]].
  
== Components ==
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== Components / Reference Documentation ==
[[Image:GEF4_Vision.png|500px]]
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GEF4 is internally constituted of the following nine components (with their respective sub-modules). The reference documentation for each component may be accessed via the component links. You may also consult the [[GEF/GEF4#Further Reading |Further Reading]]-section for additional information.
  
* [[Image:Ok_green.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/Geometry | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#268558">GEF4 Geometry (Geometry / Geoemtry.Convert.SWT / Geometry.Convert.FX)</span>]] - Provides different abstractions (Euclidean, Projective, Planar) for 2D geometric calculations, and conversions of planar geometries (curves, shapes, poly shapes) to/from respective SWT, AWT, and JavaFX equivalents (as well as conversions between SWT and AWT geometries). Is already quite stable but still requires some performance optimizations. Also, change notification support is still lacking.
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[[Image:GEF4-Components.png|600px]]
  
* [[Image:Progress.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/FX | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#4C6084">GEF4 FX</span>]] - Provides support for rendering IGeometry-based JavaFX shapes, visual anchor implementations, and common JavaFX-specific abstractions (IFXConnection) to be used by upstream components. Will have to be extended with additional anchor implementations, decorations, and custom widgets.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/Common | <span style="color:#5B8E92">GEF4 Common (Common)</span>]] - Provides basic abstractions and infrastructure used by (potentially) all other GEF4 components, including an enhanced [http://nyssen.blogspot.de/2014/11/iadaptable-gef4s-interpretation-of.html adaptable pattern] and notification support.
  
* [[Image:Progress.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/SwtFX | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#705384">GEF4 SwtFX</span>]] - Provides support for embedding SWT Controls (generic adapter as well as specific adapters for Button, StyledText) via adapters into a JavaFX scene graph using the JavaFX SWT integration. Also enhances the JavaFX-SWT-Integration with forwarding of touch gestures. Will have to be extended to provide dedicated support for adapting additional SWT controls.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/Geometry | <span style="color:#268558">GEF4 Geometry (Geometry / Geoemtry.Convert.SWT / Geometry.Convert.FX)</span>]] - Provides different abstractions (Euclidean, Projective, Planar) for 2D geometric calculations, and conversions of planar geometries (curves, shapes, poly shapes) to/from respective SWT, AWT, and JavaFX equivalents (as well as conversions between SWT and AWT geometries).
  
* [[Image:Progress.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/MVC | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#05124E">GEF4 MVC (MVC / MVC.UI / MVC.FX / MVC.FX.UI)</span>]] - Core model-view-controller framework to build up graphical editors and views. Provides an UI toolkit independent and a JavaFX specific layer, as well as Eclipse-UI integration for both. Can be used to build standalone and Eclipse-integrated editors and views.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/FX | <span style="color:#4C6084">GEF4 FX (FX / FX.UI)</span>]] - Provides support for rendering [[GEF/GEF4/Geometry | GEF4 Geometry]]-based shapes, as well as abstractions that are needed in the context of graphical editors and views, i.e. visual anchor implementations and a connection abstraction. Also enhances the JavaFX-SWT-Integration with forwarding of touch gestures and provides proper support for embedding SWT Controls via a generic adapter into a JavaFX scene graph (within the context of the JavaFX SWT integration).
  
* [[Image:Progress.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/Graph | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#960607">GEF4 Graph</span>]] Provides a (currently) very simply, UI-independent data-model (Graph, Node, Edge). Will need to be extended to suit as underlying data model for GEF4 Layout (sub-graphs).
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* [[GEF/GEF4/Graph | <span style="color:#960607">GEF4 Graph (Graph)</span>]] Provides a simply, UI-independent data-model (Graph, Node, Edge) for representing directed graphs. Is used as input/output model by [[GEF/GEF4/DOT | GEF4 DOT]] and underlying visualization-model for [[GEF/GEF4/Zest | GEF4 Zest]].
  
* [[Image:Progress.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/Layout | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#7C866A">GEF4 Layout</span>]] - Provides layout algorithm implementations as well as a data-model facade to feed these algorithms. Will have to be harmonized with GEF4 Graph, so that GEF4 graph models can be used as underlying data-model.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/Layout | <span style="color:#7C866A">GEF4 Layout (Layout)</span>]] - Provides layout algorithm implementations as well as a model facade to adapt layout model data for these algorithms.
  
* [[Image:Glass.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/Zest | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#206FAD">GEF4 Zest (Zest.FX / Zest.FX.UI)</span>]] - Will provide graph-based visualization based on JavaFX. So far transferred from original Zest2 code base, adopted to GEF4 namespace and versioning, and integrated into GEF4 Git repository and update-site. Not yet fully adopted/re-modularized to depend on other GEF4 components only (i.e. still dependent on Draw2d 3.x). However, the GEF4 Layout, GEF4 Graph, GEF4 DOT, and GEF4 Cloudio components have already been factored out ([https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=372365 372365]).
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* [[GEF/GEF4/MVC | <span style="color:#05124E">GEF4 MVC (MVC / MVC.UI / MVC.FX / MVC.FX.UI)</span>]] - The core model-view-controller framework to build up graphical editors and views. Provides an UI toolkit independent and a JavaFX specific layer, as well as Eclipse-UI integration for both. Can be used to build standalone and Eclipse-integrated editors and views.
  
* [[Image:Progress.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/DOT | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#561D8E">GEF4 DOT (DOT / DOT.UI)</span>]] Provides GraphViz DOT-Editor (Xtext) and import/export to GEF4 Graph. Will have to be extended to e.g. support sub-graphs.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/Zest | <span style="color:#206FAD">GEF4 Zest (Zest.FX / Zest.FX.UI)</span>]] - Visualization framework that supports visualization of [[GEF/GEF4/Graph | GEF4 Graph]]-based models, integrating automated layout based on [[GEF/GEF4/Layout | GEF4 Layout]].
  
* [[Image:Ok_green.gif]][[GEF/GEF4/Cloudio | <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#8A3572">GEF4 Cloudio</span>]]  - Provides support for visualizing tag clouds. Is based on SWT/JFace, integrated in the Eclipse UI, and will (at least for now) not be ported to JavaFX.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/DOT | <span style="color:#561D8E">GEF4 DOT (DOT / DOT.UI)</span>]] Provides a basic [http://www.graphviz.org GraphViz] [http://www.graphviz.org/content/dot-language DOT]-Editor (Xtext) as well as a [[GEF/GEF4/Zest | GEF4 Zest]]-based [http://www.graphviz.org/content/dot-language DOT]-visualization.
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* [[GEF/GEF4/Cloudio | <span style="color:#8A3572">GEF4 Cloudio (Coudio.UI)</span>]]  - Provides support for visualizing tag clouds. Is based on SWT/JFace, integrated in the Eclipse UI, and will (at least for now) not be ported to JavaFX.
  
 
== Developer Resources ==  
 
== Developer Resources ==  
  
All relevant information about how to obtain our source code, where to find our Hudson build jobs, update sites, mailing lists, or our forum, etc. can all be found in the respective sections of the [https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/tools.gef GEF project dashboard]. In addition to this, there is a dedicated [[GEF/Contributor Guide | GEF Project Contributor Guide]] that describes how to setup a workspace, provide a patch, execute a headless Tycho-build, and more.
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All relevant information about how to obtain our source code, where to find our Hudson build jobs, update sites (CI, milestones, releases), mailing lists, or our forum, etc. can all be found in the respective sections of the [https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/tools.gef GEF project dashboard]. In addition to this, there is a dedicated [[GEF/Contributor Guide | Contributor Guide]] that describes how to setup a workspace, provide a patch, execute a headless Tycho-build, and more.
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The reference documentation for each GEF4 component is referenced from within the [[#Components / Reference Documentation | components]] section.
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 +
== Further Reading ==
 +
 
 +
Further information about the history and current plans, as well as on technical details can be inferred from the following presentations/articles/posts:
 +
* [http://nyssen.blogspot.de/2014/11/iadaptable-gef4s-interpretation-of.html Alexander Nyßen (2014): IAdaptable - GEF4's Interpretation of a Classic, ANy's Argument (Blog)]
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* [http://de.slideshare.net/AlexanderNyssen/gef4-our-mission-to-mars Alexander Nyßen (2014): GEF4 - Our mission to Mars, EclipseCon Europe, Ludwigsburg, 2014]
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* [http://www.slideshare.net/AlexanderNyssen/gef4-there-there-sreallysomethinggoingon Alexander Nyßen (2014): GEF4 - There's really something going on!, EclipseCon NA, San Francisco (CA), 2014]
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* [[media:GEF4.pdf | Alexander Nyßen (2013): GEF4, RheinJug, Düsseldorf, 2013 ]]
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* [[media:GEF4_SwtFX.pdf | Alexander Nyßen (2013): GEF4 SwtFX (Lightning Talks), EclipseCon Europe, Ludwigsburg, 2013 ]]
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* [http://www.slideshare.net/AlexanderNyssen/gef4-continue-to-share-and-enjoy Alexander Nyßen (2013): GEF4 - (Continue to) Share and Enjoy..., EclipseCon NA, Boston (MA), 2013]
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* [http://www.slideshare.net/AlexanderNyssen/gef4-share-enjoy Alexander Nyßen (2012): GEF4 - Share And Enjoy..., EclipseCon Europe, Ludwigsburg, 2012]
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* [http://www.slideshare.net/AlexanderNyssen/gef-past-present-and-future Alexander Nyßen (2012): GEF - Past, Present, and Future, EclipseCon NA, Reston (VA), 2012]
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[[Category:GEF]]
 
[[Category:GEF]]

Revision as of 10:35, 22 May 2015


GEF4 is the unified effort of the Graphical Editing Framework (GEF) project team to develop a new GEF 4.x code base as a modernization of the current production components Draw2d 3.x, GEF (MVC) 3.x, and Zest 1.x.

Being developed in parallel to maintaining the production components, GEF4 is set up in terms of smaller, more lightweight components, uses JavaFX instead of SWT as rendering technology, and allows to build up graphical applications for Eclipse (using a JavaFX-SWT-integration) as well as standalone.

Please note that all GEF4 API is still provisional, i.e. there is no released API yet. Therefore, all API-packages are exported with the x-internal directive. To differentiate them from non-API packages, all non-API packages are explicitly named as 'internal' and are either not exported by the bundle manifest, or only via an x-friends directive (if they are used in other test bundles, etc.). You may want to consult the Contributor Guide for details on how to set up your IDE to get rid of any restricted access warnings that are caused by this policy.

Current Status

All GEF4 components are part of the GEF 3.10.0 (Mars) contribution to the Mars simultaneous release. An overview of the significant features added during the Mars release train can be found in the New and Noteworthy in 3.10. Information on earlier achievements can be inferred from the talks listed under further reading.

Having complete the migration of the Zest 2.x code base to GEF4 with Mars M6 (see #372365 for details), we have worked on closing parts of the remaining functional gap between GEF4 and GEF 3.x up to M7. From M7 onwards we are now concentrating on augmenting the javadoc and reference documentation.

Components / Reference Documentation

GEF4 is internally constituted of the following nine components (with their respective sub-modules). The reference documentation for each component may be accessed via the component links. You may also consult the Further Reading-section for additional information.

GEF4-Components.png

  • GEF4 FX (FX / FX.UI) - Provides support for rendering GEF4 Geometry-based shapes, as well as abstractions that are needed in the context of graphical editors and views, i.e. visual anchor implementations and a connection abstraction. Also enhances the JavaFX-SWT-Integration with forwarding of touch gestures and provides proper support for embedding SWT Controls via a generic adapter into a JavaFX scene graph (within the context of the JavaFX SWT integration).
  • GEF4 Graph (Graph) Provides a simply, UI-independent data-model (Graph, Node, Edge) for representing directed graphs. Is used as input/output model by GEF4 DOT and underlying visualization-model for GEF4 Zest.
  • GEF4 Layout (Layout) - Provides layout algorithm implementations as well as a model facade to adapt layout model data for these algorithms.
  • GEF4 MVC (MVC / MVC.UI / MVC.FX / MVC.FX.UI) - The core model-view-controller framework to build up graphical editors and views. Provides an UI toolkit independent and a JavaFX specific layer, as well as Eclipse-UI integration for both. Can be used to build standalone and Eclipse-integrated editors and views.
  • GEF4 Cloudio (Coudio.UI) - Provides support for visualizing tag clouds. Is based on SWT/JFace, integrated in the Eclipse UI, and will (at least for now) not be ported to JavaFX.

Developer Resources

All relevant information about how to obtain our source code, where to find our Hudson build jobs, update sites (CI, milestones, releases), mailing lists, or our forum, etc. can all be found in the respective sections of the GEF project dashboard. In addition to this, there is a dedicated Contributor Guide that describes how to setup a workspace, provide a patch, execute a headless Tycho-build, and more.

The reference documentation for each GEF4 component is referenced from within the components section.

Further Reading

Further information about the history and current plans, as well as on technical details can be inferred from the following presentations/articles/posts:

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