More Documentation

[darrellmeyer]

I wanted to query the community to see in what areas you would most like to see new documentation. Feel free to reply if you have a request.

[gslender]

more detail in all of the javadoc - there are older parts with incorrect examples, some doc comments that are not correct in what they relate to, and unclear description about settings and properties

in summary, I'd recommend a top-to-bottom review of all the javadoc to ensure its tip-top shape and fully documented.

IMO this is what developers rely on in 1st instance when they are unsure how things should be plugged togther the javadoc documentation is where eclipse shows info about a class, method etc... if it explains it right there and then how things work then there is limitted need for examples, blogs and wiki pages that explain it.

there, that was my $5 worth ;-)

[bakachu]

+1 To what gslender said

Good Javadoc with a good examples page (which you already have) is a great combination, as you get the bigger picture ideas from the examples, and the detail from the JavaDoc :)

[Cypher]

Definitely a better JavaDoc would help... Also I would welcome a better description on how to use the data stores, loaders, binders, readers and proxies with examples/code snippets. The existing Online Help (http://extjs.com/helpcenter/index.jsp) is still quite brief.

Also a better description of event system and handlers would be appreciated...

[bmetz]

I've been experimenting with Ext GWT, and I would definitely like to see more Javadocs to get ramped up. I am thinking back to learning the SWT/JFace widget toolkits and even though it was a lot to take in, there was always plenty of up front explanation at the top of the class and on almost every method.

The new standalone examples for 1.1 are very helpful but the ultimate goal that would make life great would be almost a 'faq for code' like SWT has for its widgets, where for each kind of widget there are 5+ usage scenarios coded out with their own example:

http://www.eclipse.org/swt/snippets/

[zaccret]

I see two other points :

1 - Documentation for the GXT MVC features.

2 - Usage of generics in samples (Loaders, Proxys...)

[jpnet]

I agree with everyone on better Javadocs. I would also like to see a Wiki setup like what ExtJS has. I really think it would help out a lot of newbies including myself. I would be glad to contribute as well.

Thanks,

JP

[magnusathenet]

I see two other points :

1 - Documentation for the GXT MVC features.

2 - Usage of generics in samples (Loaders, Proxys...)

I agree, more documentation on MVC and Events usage, to understand the meaning of your choice in some samples.

[TheBuzzer]

the best is to improve javadoc.

you can even have code examples in the javadoc.

I used the javadoc a lot to try to find features. I realized some features in gxt are not clear so it was a bit hard for me to find or know what it does.

javadoc will be the best help than different examples of widgets and stuff.

[magnusathenet]

the best is to improve javadoc.

you can even have code examples in the javadoc.

I used the javadoc a lot to try to find features. I realized some features in gxt are not clear so it was a bit hard for me to find or know what it does.

javadoc will be the best help than different examples of widgets and stuff.

I know, but there is also somenthing over... a mean the big picture of the framework.

[eugenparaschiv]

From the documentation perspective only, the Javadocs would be the first thing to improve, as now the docs are very very basic in most parts of the framework. Then, we need examples of the most used functionality in some of the parts of the framework, like: Grid: how to do certain things, so that we don't have to search the forums each time for answers. For an example of what to include here, there is an excellent FAQ for Grid in the EXT JS forums, and most of the questions in there apply here as well (evidently), so if that guide could undergo a makeover for GXT, either in the Javadocs of the Grid classes or in a Grid tutorial, that would be great (and official, not user made). As of now, the Grid documentation is scarce. Of course grid is not the only part of the framework that needs better docs, but it's the first thing that comes to mind, especially because it's a large part of GXT now, and because it seems that a very large part of the questions in the forums have something to do with Grid. In the EXT JS forums as well, a large portion of the questions are grid related as well, so better Grid docs would definitely help.
Regards.
Eugen.

[magnusathenet]

Another important point are layout!
Often when I design a new panel with particular layout I try to guess what it is supposed to do without luck! :D

[gab77]

Hello Darrell,

it would be also interesting to see how the low level concepts behind GXT are working. Wha are the dependencies between extjs and gxt.

What exactly HTML is produced in the delivered DOM. What CSS are used for what? Which CSSs are responsible for layouting, scrolling, and which for just look and feel.
What are the dependencies between gxt El, XElement, DomQuery, DomHelper and gwt Element? There are for example El#getConstrainToXY (Java GWT) and Ext#getConstrainToXY (JavaScript nativ) methods. Why two methods which do the same? or similar?
How to write custom components - not composites but - low level component as button, tree or grid . What are the steps to achieve that?


Thank you in advance.

Best regards,
Gabriel.