GUI XML to AspectJ translator project

A Project for 539D in Term 2 of 2006: DuckySherwood, Sebastian, and Sukesh

For this project, we will take an XML representation of a GUI plus some glue code and convert it to AspectJ SWING code.

Immediate tasks

Write a new proposal and resubmit it to Eric, preferably by Sunday

• Develop expertise in XML SC

• Choose XML GUI language
  • Find XML variants SS
  • Evaluate XML variants, including evaluating how Java/AspectJ gets plugged in and whether or not there is a GUI that will dump that output SS
  • Present the different tools and recommend one SS

• Set up/install tools
  • AspectJ
  • Eclipse KDS SS SC
  • XML tools to be determined KDS SS SC
  • Set up CVS repository KDS?
  • Set up collaboration tools
    • Set up Skype SC
    • Figure out what is blocking sound on KDS home computer KDS
    • Publish contact information KDS SS SC
    • Make wiki page KDS
    • Get on wiki SS SC (KDS help)

• Hand-code one small example in AspectJ KDS SS SC

• Do academic literature review
  • XML GUIs KDS
  • Observer pattern KDS

• Develop schedule (all?)
  • come up with tasks
  • write up schedule

• Write proposal led by KDS

Resources

This section is for putting various resources -- tutorials, reference guides, download pages -- and evaluations.

AspectJ

(Put AspectJ resources on the AspectJ page.)

XML language resources

XML GUI resources and evaluations

• Luxor -- XUL toolkit -- looks like it interprets XUL, but XUL might be a good starting point. (Is there a graphical XUL builder?) -- kds
• jxmlguibuilder XML to Java: difficult documentation (in German), project looks abandoned
• Java Gui Builder (JGB) XML to Java -- minimal documentation, minimal activity, stuff looks abandoned
• SWI XML
• Glade -- builds XML, but presumes GTK widgets

These might or might not be useful -- some might have some dialect of XML as a output language

• List of Java GUI builders
• clear article on what it takes to GUIbuild
• jvider -- commercial
• Jigloo -- commercial

Schedule

(This is tentative -- kds.)

• 20 Feb: Tools set up, XML dialect chosen, new proposal handed in (including schedule).
• 26 Feb: Minimal application hand-coded in AspectJ based on an XML description; strategy for incorporating code with XML settled on
• 5 Mar: Minimal application translated and working
• 12 Mar: check boxes, radio buttons, combo boxes, text entry, list boxes fully translatable and working
• 19 Mar: trees fully functional, last minute disasters
• 26 Mar: last-minute disasters, project writeup
• 3-5 Apr: Project presentation