Proposed SDK App

[webmasterpdx]

I've got a whacky idea. I think I'm going to create an SDK app (Software Development Kit). The idea is to have a color editor with search for text functionality etc, etc...
I'll add a GUI IDE, where you can specify your menus and submenus and it'll generate wrappers for your event handlers. I'll see if I can also add a Terminal IO capability, like stdin/stdout, for people to quickly whip out programs using the GUI capabilities.
I can also add a canvas that you can place widgets on like sliders, number selectors, drop down lists, checkboxes, etc, etc..
I'm unsure as of now what is possible and not possible, but it'd be really useful to have our own HP Prime visual studio equivalent for software development, that solves all that stuff that takes so long to figure out.
This will be a very useful tool if I can accomplish it. I'm not making this my life work, but it'll be a fun project and I think it's needed. In addition, I'll really learn the internals of the Prime functionality.
I'll start it for sure....
Now if I do this, I need others to promise me something. Please do not use the same name if you copy this app and change it. I want to reserve the App name SDK and program name libSDK.

Some of this is already done. I've seen a color editor out there...I can figure out how to implement some of these things from these existing programs and build on that.

When I release the first version, I'll certainly be open for requests and suggestions, and if you do have an improvement, I'll certainly consider changing the app with your suggestions in a future release.
I also believe that when I come out with a high enough version, I'll use the app itself to rewrite a cold room version of the app....the ultimate test. I remember I think the first C compiler was rewritten and compiled by itself...the ultimate release test.
Thx
-Donald

[Robert Graulich]

I also had that idea, after creating a few smaller programs. My editor already allows simple editing, but for now it is more a prove of concept. Trying to understand, what could enhance program entry. I don't want to re-enter identifiers, that are already somewhere in the text, like variable and function names. In addition I want to improve code navigation. A search function is not enough, IMO, because I would have to enter text, again.

Are my findings correct that we cannot access 'app' programs?

And what about compilation? We can assign the source code to Program("NAME"). This returns 0 in case of a compilation failure and 1 in case of success. But how can I find out, at which character position the compiler bails out? Do we have to provide our own parser? I don't like the idea.

And, well, I will not use SDK.

[compsystems]

the idea is to create a prg editor (Win)?. I think it's a good idea, do something similar or continue the ERWIN project

PrimePAD
http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-36....t=primepad

For example, without TIEDIT I could not have written program packages with n functions
TIEDIT
http://pengels.bplaced.net/index.php/tiedit

[webmasterpdx]

I was thinking not just a program editor, but also the ability to generate GUI code, like menus, widgets, etc...using more of a wysiwyg type interface. I'm still just playing around trying to figure out how to do certain things.
As for app programs....a lot of this stuff is stored in variables.....look at vars or mem to see if it's there.
I'm thinking of something that can be used with what is already there to improve productivity....so to debug, you might have to edit the program using the existing editor, etc...if we can't figure out how to get at that info.
Thx
-Donald

[webmasterpdx]

I know if you double click on the app in the connectivity kit, it'll pop up a multitabbed window, and one tab will be program so you can access the code for the app there.
Also, if you select the app, the program appears in the shift-programs area....
Under Vars-App-<appname>-<AProgram>
Note Aprogram is dependent on the app, but thats the var where the program is stored....
Sometimes, there is a submenu for more than one...
Hope that helps...

[compsystems]

Another idea a inputform editor from PC app

http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-7832.html



link to Dialog Box Tutorial PDF

[webmasterpdx]

So far I've discovered that the only built-in widgets are the input forms and limited checkbox functionality. Only base menu (menu buttons, but no submenus) are supported. There are no sliders and progress bars....these are all done graphically. The input fields are input by typing on the input line and hitting OK and that input line is put in the input field. It can't distinguish between real and integers unless you use the # character (ugly). Bottom line is the prime is severely limited in it's widgets functionality. Now if you program them graphically from scratch, you could do it....so to do a real Sdk with a real GUI would require writing the widgets from scratch pretty much.
I need to think if there is an efficient way to do that. Ideally any SDK should use widgets residing in the firmware. However, maybe if i write the code, they'll eventually appear in the firmware.
Need to think about this....