Hello Hilaire, I think a mail of Sven of last year will answer most of your questions, I quote it below. In addition to that mail: - Spec is the standard UI builder for Pharo so it is reasonably complete and should be supported in the future. - The book Sven talks about is very much a work in progress, the URL for now is https://ci.inria.fr/pharo-contribution/view/Books/job/PharoBookWorkInProgres... Here is the original mail by Sven:
There is an excellent presentation by Johan Fabry did during the last Pharo Days, 'Using Spec to Build a UI'. *MUST WATCH* (the video is not yet fully public, but soon will be, the link should work though):
http://youtu.be/OL23s9ZUIR0?list=PL4actYd6bfnz98ngrKALwwStl3C3odEKG
The slides are also not yet available, but soon will be (the talk is much better that the slides on their own).
This draft chapter 'Spec: a framework for describing user interfaces' for an upcoming book:
https://ci.inria.fr/pharo-contribution/view/Books/job/PharoBookWorkInProgres...
Look in the image.
Browse the hierarchy below AbstractWidgetModel in the category Spec-Core-Widgets in Pharo 4, look at the protocols called 'protocol' & 'protocol-events' mainly. Look for references to each class. Trace senders of methods until you arrive at examples. Study the examples, play with them, change them.
The UI of most tools in Pharo is also implemented using Spec. Browse the hierarchy below ComposableModel to find them. (Komitter, Versionner, Critics, Metacello, the old Eye Inspectors, ..). Watch and learn.
The cool Spec website:
Read some cool articles like:
https://medium.com/concerning-pharo/rediscovering-the-ux-of-the-legendary-hp...
See the section 'HP35CalculatorModel' for the Spec part.
The following papers (some older ones refer to API that has changed):
'Seamless Composition and Reuse of Customizable User Interfaces with Spec'
http://rmod.lille.inria.fr/archives/papers/Ryse13a-SCICO-Spec.pdf
'Spec - A Framework for the Specification and Reuse of UIs and their Models'
http://rmod.lille.inria.fr/archives/papers/Ryse12b-Spec-IWST12-Final.pdf
'Spec â Technical Report'
http://rmod.lille.inria.fr/archives/reports/Ryse12a-SpecTechReport.pdf
Use the image to build a couple of simple UIs using Spec. You will be surprised to learn that it is not that difficult. Just go with the flow, don't try to enforce your world view on it, wait until you are further along.
On Feb 4, 2016, at 13:42, Hilaire <hilaire@drgeo.eu> wrote:
Hello
I want to evaluate the use of Spec for desktop application.
What are the recommended spec reading?
Is Spec feature complete enough to develop application with complex GUI? (very subjective question)
Is it intended to remain compatible with future release and modification of the underneath graphic system?
Thanks
Hilaire -- Dr. Geo http://drgeo.eu
---> Save our in-boxes! http://emailcharter.org <--- Johan Fabry - http://pleiad.cl/~jfabry PLEIAD and RyCh labs - Computer Science Department (DCC) - University of Chile