Restructuring of UI projects

We are currently restructuring the common-widgets library.

Goals

• Enable applications to no longer use LSA code/other services code by moving non UI framework dependent code from UI projects into separate projects. This would also enable application services to no longer use UI code.
• Reduce overhead by no longer mixing code of different UI frameworks in projects and classes.
• Provide a base for existing UI libraries written by other departments which also create FCC application.

New project structure

UI project naming guidelines

• Include name of UI framework into artefact names? --> Yes, fx/swing or whatever will be used in the future will be appended.

Projects

common-uilib

Base for all UI projects. May not contain framework-specfic code. Also contains non framework-specific resources like images.

common-uilib-fx

Base for all JavaFX UI projects. Contains all UI related stuff including widgets. This can be generic or general-purpose stuff. Should be structured by content aspects (e.g. bindings, language-dependent-bindings, style helper, common styles).

common-uilib-swing

Base for all Swing UI projects. As Swing code is handled as legacy this library also contains LSA code. There is no 'common-lsa-uilib-swing project.

common-lsa-uilib

Contains UI framework-independent LSA classes dedicated for use in user interfaces.

common-lsa-uilib-fx

Contains JavaFX LSA widgets and utilities.

MyWidget-widget-fx / SPECIFICWIDGET-fx

These projects contain more complex widgets based on the following criteria. Not all have to be met though - it's just a rough guideline

• Simple widgets have just one or a few node classes
• Simple widgets normally don’t add too many dependencies to the library.
• Simple widgets have a high chance to be used in many applications.
• Simple widgets may have an assocuated skin class and maybe a few helper classes but not a complex inner structure.

Examples:

• common-content-widget: Many node classes, associated service to get the contents
• common-schema-widget: Complex inner structure

A SPECIFICWIDGET-fx could be common-gauges-fx or common-chart-fx. This should be used, when the library provides specific node classes of a certain type. There is currently no such library internally.

Refactoring guidelines

• Try not to spread widgets over several projects, if there is only an implementation for one framework.
• Contains JavaFX code and uses LSA --> common-lsa-utils-uilib-fx
• Contains LSA utilities --> common-lsa-utils-lib
• Contains JavaFX code --> common-uilib-fx
• Contains generic UI code -> common-uilib
• Contains non UI framework-related resources (e.g. images) --> common-uilib
• Contains swing code --> common-uilib-swing
• Contains swing code and LSA code --> common-uilib-swing

logger

The logger factory has to be removed from the interface and split into specific classes for swing and fx sharing the common interface AppLogger.

accsoft-gui-fx handling (suggestion)

For now we keep this library. We try to add improvements without actually changing accsoft-gui-fx (beside bugfixes). If improvements cannot be performed on top of accsoft-gui-fx, it's also okay to refactor the required classes into our projects, but not more as necessary.

Skripte

• Logger Migrationsskript https://git.acc.gsi.de/bpeter/scripts-bpeter/src/branch/master/update-swing-logger.py

Call to action: Adapt your application

Update dependencies

If you use LSA directly in your application

We recommend to depend on common-lsa-uilib-fx. An alternative is to depend on common-lsa-utils-lib (fcc-commons git organization) and common-uilib-fx. If you get compile errors related to LSA UI code, you probably need common-lsa-uilib-fx.

If you don't use LSA

We recommend to depend on common-uilib-fx. This is also suitable if your FX-app is divided into an application/application service project structure.

Adapt your non-UI LSA library

If you have used common-lsa-utils-uilib in the past, now use common-lsa-utils-lib (fcc-commons git organization).

Fix common refactoring-related compile errors

Logging

Change

private static final AppLogger LOGGER = AppLogger.getFxLogger();

to

private static final AppLogger LOGGER = AppLoggerFactoryFx.getLogger();

Image Constants

Change

final Image copy = ImageLocator.getImage(ImageLocator.IMAGE_COPY);

to

final Image copy = ImageLocator.getImage(ImageLocatorConstants.IMAGE_COPY);

Static imports of common classes

Use find and replace all in your project

# from
# to

import static de.gsi.cs.co.ap.common.dependencies.config.PropertyConfig
import static de.gsi.fcc.commons.common.dependencies.config.PropertyConfig


import static de.gsi.cs.co.ap.common.languagetranslator.bindings.TranslationBindingsUtils
import static de.gsi.fcc.applications.common.uilib.fx.languagetranslator.TranslationBindingsUtils


import static de.gsi.cs.co.ap.common.gui.elements.fx.concurrent.ApplicationTasks
import static de.gsi.fcc.applications.common.uilib.fx.concurrent.ApplicationTasks


import static de.gsi.cs.co.ap.common.languagetranslator.LanguageTranslator
import static de.gsi.fcc.commons.languagetranslator.LanguageTranslator


import static de.gsi.cs.co.ap.common.utils.concurrency.GsiConfigurableThreadFactory
import static de.gsi.fcc.commons.common.utils.concurrency.GsiConfigurableThreadFactory


import static de.gsi.cs.co.ap.common.gui.elements.fx.StyleClassUtils
import static de.gsi.fcc.applications.common.uilib.fx.styles.utils.StyleClassUtils

Refactoring progress

If nothing else is mentioned, repositories are located in the fcc-applications organization. 'Done' means that the refactored master branch is available remotely.

• common-utils
• common-lsa-utils-lib (fcc-commons)
• language-translator-lib
• common-uilib
• common-image-lib
• common-uilib-swing
• cscoap-common-units-ui
• common-lsa-uilib
• common-context-widget-service
• common-lsa-uilib-fx
• common-schema-widget
• common-lsa-uilib-fx
• common-context-widget
• scheduling-app
• bss-control-app
• device-control-app
• parammodi-app
• launcher-app
• fixed-display-launcher-app
• expert-digitizer-app
• expert-storagemodering-app
• masp-app
• ionsource-reactor
• requester-app

Jenkins

New projects added:

• common-uilib-fx
• common-lsa-uilib
• common-lsa-uilib-fx
• common-uilib-swing
• common-lsa-utils-lib (fcc-commons)

Disabled projects:

• common-widgets
• common-appbase
• common-lsa-utils-uilib

Add Jenkins INT tasks for added int branches

Package refactoring

Packages have been refactored for the following projects. The changes have been merged to master.

• common-context-widget
• common-context-widget-service
• common-dependencies
• common-image-lib
• common-lsa-uilib
• common-lsa-uilib-fx
• common-lsa-utils-lib
• common-schema-widget
• common-uilib
• common-uilib-fx
• common-uilib-swing
• common-utils
• common-value-lib
• cscoap-common-units
• cscoap-common-units-ui
• language-translator-lib

Misc

• Make sure int works again based on masters before refactoring
• Adapt reactor
• Adapt mkws-Skript
• Adapt normal JavaFX archetype
• Adapt application service-based archetype
• Adapt create class template (logger factory
• Document using git-filter-repo
• Move and adapt AvailabilityTest from common-image-lib to common-uilib, remove unnecessary images.