IMO instead of thinking to support different UI framework we can define our standard html and then write css based on it.
If anyone want to plug different UI framework then user can create new template file and and set it in widget.properties. Thanks & Regards -- Deepak Dixit www.hotwaxsystems.com www.hotwax.co On Thu, Jul 6, 2017 at 1:48 AM, Michael Brohl <michael.br...@ecomify.de> wrote: > I'm currently twisting my had around the question of theme compatibility. > > The current theme set and the html code (freemarker templates and the code > produced by forms and widgets) correspond with each other (naturally). > > So if we want to introduce a new CSS framework like Bootstrap, we will > have to follow it's CSS reference and introduce it's CSS classes to the > html and forms/widgets code. This will surely break the other themes. > > So we have to (1) either find a way to remain compatible with the old > themes or (2) decide to break the old themes (and remove them). > > (1) would mean that we (I cite myself) > > > will need a new approach to be able to "plug in" different UI > frameworks. We'll need a UI layer who represents the screen contents in an > abstracted way (possibly an enhanced Freemarker macro library) and make it > possible to generate HTML code with the right css attributes for the target > library. > > (2) would mean that we will have only one first theme for a time (I'm sure > that others will follow more quickly because of using a standard CSS > framework) > > > If I look at the Odoo approach [1], it seems that they are not compatible > with different frameworks but have their base template build mainly on > Bootstrap and jQuery. I still think that maintaining an abstract layer for > different frameworks or "theme languages" is too much a burden for us. > > But will the community agree upon (2)? > > I might be wrong with my assumptions as I am not an expert (just > interested in a much better UI) so I appreciate the community's feedback on > this. > > Thanks and best regards, > > Michael > > > [1] https://www.odoo.com/documentation/10.0/howtos/themes.html > > > Am 04.07.17 um 20:53 schrieb Taher Alkhateeb: > >> I agree with Michael, baby steps for the win. I propose we perhaps >> >> just postpone "big ideas" for now and focus on things that can get >> results quickly to put life back into this initiative. Maybe next >> actions could be the following: >> >> - Create a base theme >> - Move all artifacts from framework/images to the base theme (jquery, >> bootstrap or whatever already exists) and do the rewiring. Also look >> for any web artifacts anywhere and move them to the base theme. >> Essentially, remove any thing that is web-based and centralize it in >> the theme. >> - Create an implementation theme on top of the base theme >> >> Once the above is done, then we can have a discussion of what to do >> next. There are _many_ ideas, but I will restrain myself this time >> until we get some action first :) >> >> On Tue, Jul 4, 2017 at 6:31 PM, Jacques Le Roux >> <jacques.le.r...@les7arts.com> wrote: >> >>> Le 04/07/2017 à 16:57, Michael Brohl a écrit : >>> >>>> Hi James, >>>> >>>> thanks for your suggestions. >>>> >>>> As far as I know, JSF would introduce some new technologies because it >>>> relies on beans and JSP's (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm not sure if we >>>> want >>>> to go so far. >>>> >>> >>> Facelet is now the recommended technology for JSF >>> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2095397/what-is-the-diff >>> erence-between-jsf-servlet-and-jsp >>> and both are parts of JavaEE. >>> >>> I agree with Michael and would not like to change OFBiz widgets for JSF. >>> Not >>> that I don't like nor trust JSF (and Oracle, but then a bit less), but >>> the >>> work is overwhelming and obviously we don't have the resources for that. >>> >>> I digged a little deeper into the UI stuff, templates and theming and >>>> have >>>> to correct my summary a bit: I mentioned AngularJS and Bootstrap on the >>>> same >>>> level which is like comparing apples and oranges. AngularJS is a >>>> client-side >>>> JavaScript framework to build single page applications, icluding his own >>>> model-view-controller mechanism while Bootsrap is a CSS framework which >>>> provides comprehensive UI elements in a structured way. >>>> >>>> I guess that the use of Angular would need a whole lot more changes in >>>> OFBiz than the use of Bootstrap. >>>> >>>> So I tend to think that we have to agree on a CSS framework like >>>> Bootstrap >>>> and rewrite the UI to use the proper CSS classes for this framework. >>>> That >>>> would possibly reduce the complexity and makes this statement of mine >>>> obsolete: >>>> >>>> - we will need a new approach to be able to "plug in" different UI >>>>> frameworks. We'll need a UI layer who represents the screen contents >>>>> in an >>>>> abstracted way (possbly an enhanced Freemarker macro library) and make >>>>> it >>>>> possible to generate HTML code with the right css attributes for the >>>>> target >>>>> library. >>>>> >>>> It's maybe too ambitious wanting OFBiz to be able to be used with >>>> different frameworks. The Bootstrap CSS world is well documented [1] and >>>> there are a lot of really good looking and functional free templates out >>>> there. So if we provide the UI code for it, together with one basic >>>> theme, >>>> users can put their own themes on top of it. >>>> >>>> Maybe this is a way to come to a competitive UI in a relative short >>>> amount >>>> of time. I don't think that we can afford to make this a year-long >>>> project. >>>> >>>> What do others think? >>>> >>> >>> I agree that using Bootstrap would be a good thing. An alternative is >>> Foundation https://www.keycdn.com/blog/bootstrap-vs-foundation, this >>> could >>> be possibly discussed. >>> That's what ilscipio has used, with some success at the UI level I'd say >>> (they now tend to lean to Foundation). Now they derived from OFBiz at >>> other >>> technology levels (no or less form widgets but more FTL macros, even an >>> API >>> of FTL macros). So I'd try to compare the rest... >>> >>> I'd also let Angular out of the picture. Some prefer React (initially >>> from >>> FB) and I wonder what those who have used Angular 1 think about Angular >>> 2! I >>> also remember another Google "attempt": GWT. Are there still people >>> using it >>> with OFBiz? I guess you get my point, trends pass and tools with them... >>> >>> Jacques >>> >>> >>> Best regards, >>>> >>>> Michael Brohl >>>> ecomify GmbH >>>> www.ecomify.de >>>> >>>> [1] https://www.w3schools.com/bootstrap/bootstrap_ref_all_classes.asp >>>> >>>> >>>> Am 03.07.17 um 15:00 schrieb James Yong: >>>> >>>>> Hi Michael and all, >>>>> >>>>> We can look into JSF 2.2 as a possible candidate. It is similar to >>>>> OFBiz >>>>> Widget and seems to fit the new requirements described so far in this >>>>> thread. >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> James Yong >>>>> >>>>> On 2017-07-03 17:42 (+0800), Michael Brohl <michael.br...@ecomify.de> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Sharan, >>>>>> >>>>>> thanks for the reminder. >>>>>> >>>>>> It's fine to have another theme to choose for the "old" UI, I just >>>>>> want >>>>>> to point out that (in my mind) the new theme/UI initiative goes far >>>>>> beyond having just another theme on base of the current technological >>>>>> stack: >>>>>> >>>>>> - new themes should be responsive >>>>>> >>>>>> - we should be able to use different UI frameworks like Bootstrap and >>>>>> AngularJS who take care of responsiveness and browser compatibility >>>>>> >>>>>> - it must be easy for developers to write the screen structure and >>>>>> also >>>>>> easy for webdesigners to build a good design on base of this >>>>>> >>>>>> - developers should not care about CSS styles and classes, and >>>>>> webdesigners should not cara about how the screen snippets are put >>>>>> together or how the screens get their data. >>>>>> >>>>>> - we will need a new approach to be able to "plug in" different UI >>>>>> frameworks. We'll need a UI layer who represents the screen contents >>>>>> in >>>>>> an abstracted way (possbly an enhanced Freemarker macro library) and >>>>>> make it possible to generate HTML code with the right css attributes >>>>>> for >>>>>> the target library. >>>>>> >>>>>> - a rewrite of the screens will be necessary to make the UI less >>>>>> cluttered and overloaded. This will require some concepts/design work >>>>>> beforehand >>>>>> >>>>>> - there are surely many other possible requirements (I am not a UX or >>>>>> web design expert) >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> I appreciate the contribution of the new theme. I am also sure that >>>>>> this >>>>>> will not solve the challenge to drive OFBiz to another level, UI wise. >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks and regards, >>>>>> >>>>>> Michael Brohl >>>>>> ecomify GmbH >>>>>> www.ecomify.de >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Am 03.07.17 um 10:52 schrieb Sharan Foga: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi All >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Don't forget that we also had the offer of a theme from Provolve and >>>>>>> Stannah. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-6985 >>>>>>> >>>>>>> This is a theme that they are using at the moment (so it working) and >>>>>>> have said it could be contributed back to the project. If it's only a >>>>>>> case of having someone volunteer to implement it into the trunk then >>>>>>> this could be a way to get a nice theme up and running quickly for >>>>>>> us. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks >>>>>>> Sharan >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On 03/07/17 10:29, Michael Brohl wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Thanks Nicolas, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> is there anything, even work in progress, you are able to share at >>>>>>>> the moment? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> This way other could chime in and help moving further. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Michael Brohl >>>>>>>> ecomify GmbH >>>>>>>> www.ecomify.de >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Am 03.07.17 um 09:26 schrieb Nicolas Malin: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Hi Michael >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Le 02/07/2017 à 20:42, Michael Brohl a écrit : >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Hi Julien, all, >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I'd like to resurrect this discussion and the activities to >>>>>>>>>> improve >>>>>>>>>> the OFBiz user interface. I think we really should put some >>>>>>>>>> focused >>>>>>>>>> effort on it if we want OFBiz to be recognized as a modern ERP. >>>>>>>>>> Also, if we imporve the UI, more users and also developers will be >>>>>>>>>> attracted which will be a win for the community and further >>>>>>>>>> development of OFBiz. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Nicolas and others who have started work on this: can you give us >>>>>>>>>> an update about the efforts undertaken and where we stand? >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Currently I block on the comon-theme with a good information >>>>>>>>> propagation. My next step will be create a dedicate object as >>>>>>>>> referent on widget context, but my works has been disturb with the >>>>>>>>> framework separation and the git-svn link break. >>>>>>>>> Instead of continue, I help some people to work on the groovy >>>>>>>>> mini-lang conversion. I plan to improve a few the groovy DSL and >>>>>>>>> after I continue the work on commont-theme. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Nicolas >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>> > >
