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

final_2020_08.png

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

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

Jenkins

New projects added:

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

Disabled projects:

  • common-widgets DONE
  • common-appbase DONE
  • common-lsa-utils-uilib DONE
Add Jenkins INT tasks for added int branches DONE

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 DONE
  • Adapt reactor DONE
  • Adapt mkws-Skript TODO
  • Adapt normal JavaFX archetype TODO
  • Adapt application service-based archetype TODO
  • Adapt create class template (logger factory TODO
  • Document using git-filter-repo TODO
  • Move and adapt AvailabilityTest from common-image-lib to common-uilib, remove unnecessary images. DONE
I Attachment Action Size Date Who Comment
dependencies.pngpng dependencies.png manage 37 K 16 Oct 2019 - 08:28 ChristianHillbricht  
dependencies.txttxt dependencies.txt manage 1 K 16 Oct 2019 - 12:10 ChristianHillbricht Plant UML
final_2020_08.pngpng final_2020_08.png manage 57 K 19 Aug 2020 - 08:00 ChristianHillbricht  
final_2020_08.txttxt final_2020_08.txt manage 1 K 19 Aug 2020 - 07:13 ChristianHillbricht  
less-projects.pngpng less-projects.png manage 54 K 31 Jul 2020 - 16:37 ChristianHillbricht  
less-projects.txttxt less-projects.txt manage 1 K 31 Jul 2020 - 16:36 ChristianHillbricht  
ui-refactoring-future.pngpng ui-refactoring-future.png manage 50 K 16 Oct 2019 - 08:29 ChristianHillbricht  
uilib-refactoring-future.txttxt uilib-refactoring-future.txt manage 1 K 16 Oct 2019 - 12:10 ChristianHillbricht  
Topic revision: r29 - 21 Oct 2020, ChristianHillbricht
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