Difference between revisions of "Feature Ideas"

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===NonVisual===
 
===NonVisual===
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 +
==PDA Support==
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Something that currently does not exist is a complete multiplatform solution for PDAs. If we can implement this, Lazarus will become the first multiplatform RAD for PDAs ever created. Some devices work with Java, some work with c++ and Qtopia, some work with their particular APIs, there is no single solution currently that can embrace a large portion of PDAs. Application have to be redone for every PDA or simply just run on one of them (what most people do).
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 +
The LCL implements many things. It is not necessary to implement them all to have a reasonably working Lazarus PDA widgetset. The most important things to be implementeded for PDAs are:
 +
 +
* TApplication
 +
* TForm
 +
* TScreen
 +
* TCanvas and painting
 +
* Most Events (onClick and OnPaint at least)
 +
* Basic widgets like: TButton, TLabel, TEdit, TMemo.
 +
* Only minimum nessary LCLIntf functions to make TCanvas work. (GetDC, ReleaseDC, BeginPaint, EndPaint and some painting functions)
 +
 +
Others can be easely implemented by people who need them after those are ready.
 +
 +
Here is a list of some PDAs and the status of their support on Free Pascal / Lazarus:
 +
 +
* Palm OS - Hard because Free Pascal 1.0 supports 68k, this wasn't updated and the new compiler 2.0 doesn't support it. This is required as Palm devices are compiled for 68k and latter run on ARM processors using a kind of emulation.
 +
* Symbian OS - Possible for their ARM devices. Requires first adding a new Runtime Library for this OS to the Compiler.
 +
* Java - Some handheld devices, specially phones, only support java bytecode. May seam a little odd, but there is a Pascal Compiler capable of compiling the source into a jar and then into bytecode. I think this is the one: http://www.ppcompiler.org Pascal & Palm Compiler. It is possible to integrate their technology into a new supported target for Free Pascal.
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* Windows CE - The compiler already works really  Under implementation.
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==More Interfaces==
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* Cocoa - Requires that first OpenSTEP bindings are created for Free Pascal.

Revision as of 16:07, 14 February 2006

This Page is intended to collect ideas for features that could be included in Lazarus. Putting an idea here does not mean it WILL be put into Lazarus. It's just a place to gather ideas. Think of this as more of a wishlist.

Also another place to log feature requests is here: [Lazarus Bugtracker]

IDE

Features that could be included in the IDE

Refactoring

Global Variable/Method renaming

Proper renaming (as in if I rename a field in an object it can change everything that uses it but NOT other stuff that happens to have the same name) -Plugwash

What is wrong with the current implementation? Vincent 23:07, 13 Feb 2006 (CET)

Parameter Renaming in Methods

adding a parameter to a method (and updating everything that uses it) -Plugwash

Encapsulating Fields

though thats not really needed in object pascal because object pascal has properties but its vital in cleaning up thrown together java. -Plugwash

Create/Free objects

Declare an object myObj:TMyClass into a TForm class an type some Ctrl-Shift-Key, then the IDE adds a line myObj:=TMyClass.Create in FormCreate and myObj.Free in FormDestroy. -Rednaxel

LCL

Components that are possible to make that will work across all platforms supported by Lazarus

Components

Visual

Help system for apps created by Laz! Either a cross-platform help system or some way of using the OS's native help system.

NonVisual

PDA Support

Something that currently does not exist is a complete multiplatform solution for PDAs. If we can implement this, Lazarus will become the first multiplatform RAD for PDAs ever created. Some devices work with Java, some work with c++ and Qtopia, some work with their particular APIs, there is no single solution currently that can embrace a large portion of PDAs. Application have to be redone for every PDA or simply just run on one of them (what most people do).

The LCL implements many things. It is not necessary to implement them all to have a reasonably working Lazarus PDA widgetset. The most important things to be implementeded for PDAs are:

  • TApplication
  • TForm
  • TScreen
  • TCanvas and painting
  • Most Events (onClick and OnPaint at least)
  • Basic widgets like: TButton, TLabel, TEdit, TMemo.
  • Only minimum nessary LCLIntf functions to make TCanvas work. (GetDC, ReleaseDC, BeginPaint, EndPaint and some painting functions)

Others can be easely implemented by people who need them after those are ready.

Here is a list of some PDAs and the status of their support on Free Pascal / Lazarus:

  • Palm OS - Hard because Free Pascal 1.0 supports 68k, this wasn't updated and the new compiler 2.0 doesn't support it. This is required as Palm devices are compiled for 68k and latter run on ARM processors using a kind of emulation.
  • Symbian OS - Possible for their ARM devices. Requires first adding a new Runtime Library for this OS to the Compiler.
  • Java - Some handheld devices, specially phones, only support java bytecode. May seam a little odd, but there is a Pascal Compiler capable of compiling the source into a jar and then into bytecode. I think this is the one: http://www.ppcompiler.org Pascal & Palm Compiler. It is possible to integrate their technology into a new supported target for Free Pascal.
  • Windows CE - The compiler already works really Under implementation.

More Interfaces

  • Cocoa - Requires that first OpenSTEP bindings are created for Free Pascal.