IdeaJam(tm) feed for Thomas Bahn

Domino Designer / : Add class methods and attributes to LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:59:06 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript OOP
Idea:

In other OO programming languages, there are class methods and attributes. These members are shared by all objects of the class.

In Java, these members are flagged by the "static" modifier before the identifier.

Class methods can be called on the class itself without the need for an object.

They are essential for some class "self-management" capabilities, like counting the instances of a class or having a list of all created objects.

Class members are necessary for the common Singleton design pattern and useful for object pools (like database connections).

Domino Designer / : Add the concept of "Interface" to LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:47:10 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript OOP
Idea:

In Java - like in other modern object-oriented programming languages - there is the concept of "Interfaces". They are like classes, but have no implemention code.

Classes cannot extend Interfaces (like a superclass), but implement them. That is, they must implement each method of the interface.

Interfaces can be used as types for variables and attributes.

Most design patterns (OO best practice solutions for common problems, commonly used in the "Java world") use interfaces.

Interface implementation is an alternative to multiple inheritance (one class has more than one superclass), which has some problems in itself.

Domino Designer / : Add abstract classes and methods to LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:51:18 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript OOP
Idea:

Add abstract classes to LotusScript: These classes can't be instantiated (New Class() throws an error). There are used as superclasses only.

An abstract class usually has at least one abstract method, that is an method without an implementation. These can be called by other methods of the class, but have to be implemented in a subclass.

The concept of abstract classes and methods are commonly implemented in other modern OO programming languages.

Domino Designer / : Array/List literals in LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:35:57 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript Arrays Lists
Idea:

In each and every other language the are array literals (ways to write arrays as constants), e. g. in @formula language you can write "a" : "b" : "c".

You could use Evaluate(|"a" : "b" : "c"|), but this isn't the best solution for performance and you can't use this for constant arrays (like names of weekdays, months, etc.)

Like for arrays, List literals would be useful for clearer and more maintainable code.

Domino Designer / : Full DXL round-trip

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:50:42 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: DXL
Idea:

For every Notes version, the reimporting the exported DXL should result in (bit-)identical documents and design elements. Even if it is not possible, to create a real XML representation of everything stored in documents (especially RichText), it should be exported as Base64 encoded binaries.

If there would be such an ex- and import, tools can be created based on DXL.

I know, there are already tools of this kind, like Noteshound, but they are not reliable, yet.

re: Full DXL round-trip

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:22:34 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Comment: 1 year ago, I was a big friend of full round trip dxl. I the meantime I have stated to believe it to be a dangerous illusion. There must be a reason that we don't have it now, as dxl was introduced in Version 6. The reason might be, that the data model of Notes Rich Text is to complex. I have learned illusions to be the one most dangerous thing in It-projects/products.
Better start a non-downward compatible RichText 2.0 based on openOffice standards based on a clean xml-schema. I am a big friend of downward compability, but - from my pov - this might be a case where its too costly and everybody is hoping that one time we will get a nice, clean, full-roundtrip dxl. I fear, that this will never happen.

re: Add subcategories for Domino Designer idea space

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 21:01:42 +0000

Author: Bruce Elgort
Comment: Thomas,

We have asked IBM for sub categories that they would like to see for Domino Designer. They did provide the sub-cats for Sametime, Domino Admin. and the Notes Client. Hopefully we will get them soon.

Domino Designer / : Allow mulitple declarations of the same constant in LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:27:23 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript
Idea:

If you %Import e.g. errconst.lss in some script libraries and Use them in one place, the compiler complains, that a constant with the same name is already declared.

This is right and prevents some "evil" effects, but results in a basic script library to %Import all lss-files to be included everywhere.

If the compiler would check for the constants' values and if both have the same value, it could ignore the duplicate declaration (and use either one internally).

Domino Designer / : Add some "reflection" API to LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:18:13 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript
Idea:

In Java, there is an API to access the classes, methods, attributes itself. For example, you can get a Class using

Class x = Class.forName("classname")

and then create instances by

x.newInstance()

There lies a lot of magic in this capability!

Domino Designer / : Add Function type for variables, attributes and parameters

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:21:22 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript
Idea:

Create a new type for variables, attributes and parameters: Function (like in JavaScript).

This way you can pass functions as parameters in procedure calls, e. g. for call-back functionality.

Domino Designer / : Add namespaces/packages to LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:05:37 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript OOP
Idea:

For bigger applications, OO frameworks, reusable components in other OO language there is a concept of namespaces or packages.

This would be useful in LotusScript, too.

Domino Designer / : List Members + Parameter Info for custom classes in LotusScript

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 21:53:35 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: LotusScript OOP
Idea:

Enhance List Members and Parameter Info (auto-completion feature) in Domino Designer to work for custom LotusScript classes.

Domino Designer / : Add NotesUI classes to Java

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 21:47:41 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Tags: Java
Idea:

Add the NotesUI classes like NotesUIDocument, NotesUIWorkspace etc. to the Java Notes-API.

This would allow programming Notes client applications completely with Java (and @formulas/JavaScript) and thus replacing LoutsScript. I see this as an alternative to enhance LotusScript to become a "real" OO language.

re: List Members + Parameter Info for custom classes in LotusScript

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:20:34 +0000

Author: Jens Polster
Comment: I hope to see that in the Eclipse based Domino Designer.

re: BUG: RSS feed isn't valid

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 18:11:19 +0000

Author: Matt White
Comment: Thanks for the tip Thomas, we've fixed this in our dev system. It will be released some over the next few days.

re: Add some "reflection" API to LotusScript

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:09:32 +0000

Author: Dan Sickles
Comment: this and first class functions along with the current ability to create untyped variables would make LS a real dynamic language (modulo metaclasses). Lotusscript could be fun!

re: Add NotesUI classes to Java

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:14:52 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Comment: If that were simple to implement for Lotus, it would have been done yet. Better build notes UI dev for Notes8 from scratch by base it on Eclipse RCP / JFace/swt (without downward compability for non-Eclipse Notes Clients).

re: List Members + Parameter Info for custom classes in LotusScript

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:01:46 +0000

Author: Tom Oneil
Comment: Sorry about the duplicate... I searched for type ahead before creating my entry.

re: Full DXL round-trip

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:20:25 +0000

Author: Thomas Bahn
Comment: RichText is stored in data structures. In C/C++ it should be no problem to "serialize" these structures into byte stream and encode those streams in Base64.
For the import, the stream could be decoded and "deserialized".

If you store the RichText in the nsf file, exactly this must take place (without the encoding). Why should it be impossible for DXL?

I do not assume, they will ever get RichText into a DXL representation with nodes and attribute, but a Base64 byte stream...

re: Use stop words for tags

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:39:45 +0000

Author: Matt White
Comment: I don't disagree Thomas. The reason I'm demoting though is that I would like tags to happen organically. Also I'm worried that maintaining a black list of tags could become a maintenance problem. We are trying to make the system as low maintenance as possible.