Angel, that sounds like an awsome idea if all you're doing is data
processing, but you loose some elements when you think of the platform that
the vistors get in the end, a 2-D scrolling display that, unless the
designer has done things perfectly (most don't, there's always one platform
you miss), tend to look at least a tidge different on different browsers.
In all honesty, I'd love to see a simulation of what is being coded in real
time. Back when I first started working with web pages there was an editor
that showed a "preview" of the page you were building *as* it was being
coded. It wasn't a WYSIWYG, though. The code was actually entered in a
text box in one window, and as you modified it you would see the changes in
the window below.
Wouldn't it be awesome to see something like this with "mock" data that
Studio inserted based on a dictionary of variable names that studio would
"learn" based on what the developer uses and defines? Wouldn't it be even
better to know that the report you're working on will come out looking,
"just like that"?
I guess my other wish would be to have a better validator in place.
Granted, I work with Studio 4.0.1 so I may be behind the times a tad on that
aspect, but the validator included with my version throws fits if I <cfloop>
around a <tr> or close a form tag in the "wrong place" because I don't want
that stupid extra space!
That's my dreams... and now for bed!
Enjoy!
Hatton Humphrey
-----Original Message-----
From: Angél Stewart [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2001 3:04 PM
To: CF-Talk
Subject: RE: Vote on ColdFusion Enhancements!
Hmm..well I had an idea for CFSTudio...that might have to be implemented at
the CF Server level to be effective..or not..but
here it is. Please don't laugh :):
Leverage the power of flash and 3D Virtual Environments to make modular
programming a lot easier.
How about having each 'block' of code being a 3D box..and the input and
output of each piece of code would be represented by
a double/single headed arrow etc. that would link the boxes together.
You could have a 'library' of these code modules that you could 'drag' onto
the programming area. You would be able to view
the raw code and change it as well within each module or 3D block. You hover
the mouse over a block and you might see
pertinent info like a Comment string included by the developer, or if it is
a custom Tag the input and output that the tag
does as well as a comment string etc.
You can also scroll back and forth, or around in a 3D space to watch the
'flow' of the program as it takes shape, and isolate
various elements such as Variable names, Umm..whether Client variables or
Session variables...track queries and what hits are
made to the database and what information is requested and see the results
VISUALLY between the code block and a 3D
representation of a database so you can think about things like load
balancing etc. right there on the fly to give you a good
gauge as to how your program will perform and the amount of calls that are
being made etc.
Or Isolate a section of the code flow and then check what Session and CLient
variables should be present at this stage and
then quickly back track to see where they should be set so you can easily
track errors and see the program flow. You should
be able to walk through the code by backing up to a Page level and go from
page to page checking variables and output,
databse calls..and then double click to 'zoom' in on a single page and then
drill down further if necessary into a custom tag
to see the raw CF Code.(Call an instance of traditional CF Editor)
We could also take this a step further in terms of debugging, and analysing
a program as opposed to actually creating and
putting together a program like this if that is too radical. So you write
the program normally, and this Virtual Program
Display or CF-VPD would analyse the .cfm files, check what is called in
which file and then construct a 3D Map of these
connections that you can then use to track down errors or spot ways to make
your code more efficient.
The Visual 3D representation would take advantage of the rich media
environments that are quite common in the Entertainment,
world, but haven't quite made it into the mainstream business arena yet.
Adobe and other companies are trying to introduce
the notion of the 3D web. But the limiting factor on the net is bandwidth,
on a single development workstation that isn't a
factor however so there's nothing to hold back a Visual approach in that
sense.Enabling this system over a broadband internet
connection similar to how RPC works now should be included though.
Each 'CFTag' could be represented by some sort of 3D symbol and
connected...I'm thinking something like Visio..but in
3D..where you can roll up or down..back and forth through the program with
the mouse. It may sound confusing..but if you
think about it, it should make development a lot easier, quicker, and more
accessible to a wide variety of people.
Anyways..this is just an idea that has been floating around in my head for a
while..maybe I'm just reading too many Sci Fi
books. :)
-Gel
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