RE: [Phpgroupware-developers] Adding ajax (prajax) and a test for it - patch #5311

[Sigurd Nes]

> From: Dave Hall address@hidden
> Sent: 2006-08-16 05:44:54 CEST
> To: address@hidden
> Subject: Re: [Phpgroupware-developers] Adding ajax (prajax) and a test for it 
> - patch #5311
> 
> On Tue, 2006-08-15 at 20:51 +0200, Sigurd Nes wrote:
> > http://savannah.gnu.org/patch/index.php?func=detailitem&item_id=5311
> > 
> > I have added a patch (#5311) that ports PRAjax - PHP Reflected Ajax to
> > phpgroupware (HEAD) and a demonstration of usage.
> > 
> > http://prajax.sourceforge.net/
> > 
> > Check out a fresh copy of 'phpgwapi' and 'hrm' before applying the patch
> > with 'patch -p0 < prajax.diff'.
> > 
> > Install 'hrm' - and go to:
> > /~phpgroupware/index.php?menuaction=hrm.ajax_test.index
> > 
> > The ajax library resides in phpgwapi/inc/prajax
> > 
> > It is very easy to use - but to compare with 'SARISSA' or 'YUI' - it
> > would be nice if someone could write a similar test for them as well.
> > 
> 
> Sarissa is just a very simple cross browser XHR/XML wrapper so you can
> use the same methods on all browsers which support them.  It isn't
> really possible to write a test for it.
> 
> I am open to suggestions about best we can integrate YUI into phpgw.  I
> have spent some time looking at various "ajax toolkits" and found yui to
> be the nicest. see http://developer.yahoo.com/yui for more info.  I
> haven't looked at how we can make this easier to integrate for
> developers (at this stage).
> 
> > (The reason for using 'hrm' for testing is just to minimize my effort to
> > make this work)
> > 
> > Any comments ?
> 
> Here are my initial comments, without running the demo.  I have only
> scanned over the patch.
> 
> * Services_JSON is already in the api - class.Services_JSON.inc.php
> * prototype is pretty ugly, even tho it can do some nice things
> * $phpgw_info['flags']['java_script'] will be deprecated in 18,
>   - use the js class instead
> * We could look at using ?phpgw_return_as=json (see attached)
>   - make sure you are using the latest version of phpgw/index.php
> 
> I think PRAJAX is ok, but it hasn't grabbed me as an optimal solution.
> A toolkit independent implementation of ajax across phpgw would be the
> best solution imho.  You should also notice that there is phpGWlink() in
> js now (enabled by default in idots others to follow), so GET based
> sessions are fully supported.
> 
> We should look at developing some basic "AJAX widgets" that devs can
> easily drop in their apps to make easier.
> 
I am all for it - as long as it works and is easy to use (code) - how about 
implementing some basic examples to flatten the learning curve ?

Regards

Sigurd