[izpack-devel] Multi-Panel Panels

[Hal Vaughan]

On Monday 09 January 2006 02:30 pm, Klaus Bartz wrote:

...
> >> Or look (on windows) into the registry. There are all regular installed
> >> version registered. For Unix you can do an other way, may be search the
> >> common dirs for applications.
> >
> > That's one way.  I haven't gotten into that much detail yet.  But are all
> > programs installed with IzPack in the registry?
>
> Most not because this feature is only available since 3.8.0 :-)
> But for your problem I have looked into my registry and there are both
> programms registered.

I'm also using RealVNC, and haven't checked yet.  It's one of those things 
Windows developers would be much more aware of than others.  I may write the 
code for the directory search (I think there's one in UserInput that I can 
copy) and let a Windows person write the registry code, if someone would 
like.  That's a ways off.  The first step is to get it working!  ;-)  Then 
it's time to figure out things like that.

...
> > I was thinking of something close to that, but I've seen programs change
> > their
> > version messages from one version to another (other than just updating
> > the
> > version number).  It'd be more work, but more accurate, to specify a
> > command
> > (and parameters) and a list of acceptable or unacceptable strings to
> > search
> > for in the output.  For example:
> >
> > $ bigapp --version
> > BigApp, (C) 2005 by Megalithic Corporation
> > Version 2.1.9
> >
> > $bigapp --version
> > Monolithic Corporation, a Megalithic subsidary
> > BigApp 1.9.2
> > (C) 2005
> >
> > Since we're dealing with all programs out there, this would allow the
> > developer to specify strings to match all acceptable (and some non
> > acceptable) verisons.  A little more work, but it provides much more in
> > terms
> > of ability and accuracy.
>
> I agree. Because this behavior of real programms I have implemented a
> version
> scanner in JDKPathPanel (line 167ff).

I'll have to look at that.  I think I remember having that problem at one 
point a few years back when I had to figure out what version of Java a system 
was using.

...
> > I prefer the simpler panels.  I experimentend, though, and found just
> > the code
> > for multiple panels was not hard.  There are some custom panels I'm using
> > that I need several times, and I found it easy to set that up.  But
> > UserInput
> > is definitely a complex panel.  I have no desire to write anything that
> > complex -- which is why I was thinking of doing this as a series of
> > panels.
>
> I have accepted this rule of IzPack (a panel is like a singelton) long
> time ago.
> What I do is to write a base or intermediaer class which is configurable
> and
> the derived classes are most only configure the base class. That was the
> primary idea of splitting TargetPanel into a base class (PathInputPanel)
> and
> a really short derived TargetPanel. I think, I have ~ 6 panels derived
>  from it.
> OK, JDKPathPanel is not so short...

I've looked at those panels in passing.  I am not sure yet, but I think I can 
use PathInputPanel as part of what I'm doing.  It's easier to figure out what 
3 panels of 200-400 lines are doing, if each handles separate tasks, then 
trying to read 600-1200 lines of code.  (And, the part I like is that it's 
easier to debug!)

> We have in our server installation a customized JBoss installation. In my
> JBossPathPanel I ask with a Dialog triggert in the
> JBossPathPanel.panelActivate()
> the user whether he/she would install the customized JBoss or use an
> allready
> installed JBoss. Dependant on the return value of the Dialog I configure
> the
> JBossPathPanel whether it should handle a path for the new customized
> installation
> or a allready existent product. Late configure of PathInputPanel is
> possible.
>
> OK, I tend to resolve problems via inheritance. You can do it in your way,
> that's
> one of the big benefit of IzPack I think.

I think I'd use inheritance more if I understood it or was more used to it.  
I'm self taught, especially in Java, and I learned what I have needed to 
write the programs I needed.  I'm learning more about using inheritance in 
IzPack than I've learned before (and some of that is through the path panels 
you wrote and mentioned here -- so thanks!)

Hal