Re: [Axiom-developer] User Interface Help

[root]

>> I am working on a javascript version of the hypergraph
>> similar to what you suggest. The key advantage of a javascript
>> implementation is that I can embed it in the new Axiom Firefox
>> browser front end. This will allow me to dynamically look up
>> information during the graph traversal.
>
>One advantage to using Java is that the HyperGraph applet can be run
>inside of FireFox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, etc. without
>modifications (why limit one's self to supporting just one popular
>browser when you can support them all?).  The applet can also be run
>directly from the command line without the need for a browser at all.

One primary consideration is the number of languages we need to support.

There is currently no Java in Axiom.  Java is a heavy component to add
to the build dependency. Other than that consideration, I have nothing
against Java. My prior open source project (pinger) was all java code.

Javascript is a different story.  Given that we're using the browser
as a replacement for the C code in graphics and hyperdoc, it seems
reasonable to use javascript as a replacement language.

I'm learning how to dynamically draw images using javascript and the
canvas objects to replace the current graphics code. That code will
get extended to handle things like hypergraphs or other kinds of
graphs. And the hypergraph facility will eventually get reflected back
into Spad code so we'll have new ways of drawing things like charts,
histograms, hypergraphs, etc.

I have hypergraphs "sort of" working (the transformations and drawing
all work). I'm trying to make the nodes richer so we can get better
information at each node.

So Javascript seems well integrated while Java is "on the side".




As to the question of supporting "one browser" rather than supporting
them all, I'm taking the same approach as the rest of the Axiom system.
That is, I'm not claiming that the code is specific to Firefox (or Linux)
but I am claiming that I know the code will run on the supported platforms.
I can make that claim because I build it and test it.

As usual, I expect that Microsoft will be problematic. IE does not
support the canvas object so there is very little chance of an IE
front end. I understand that there is a plugin for external canvas
support in IE but I have not tried it.

However, Firefox on Windows will completely eliminate the whole
graphics/hyperdoc porting issue as well as unify the two into a
standard front end. So I suspect that Axiom on Windows will be much
easier to port in the near future.




The whole issue hinges on available time. 

Tim