From: Kenneth J.Davis (jeremyd@computer.org)
Date: Mon Jul 29 2002 - 23:24:19 EDT
Alan Horkan <horkana@tcd.ie> wrote on 7/28/2002 10:14:51 PM:
>
>on a vaugely related matter has any thought been given to a consistant
>plugin api across Gnome-Office? specifically is Abiword trying to copy
>anyone or are we hoping someone will copy our pluing API.
I don't use Gnome stuff, so I couldn't answer there; presently our [AbiWord's]
Plugin API (not counting the recent SPI additions & [un]registration) is more
of all [most] our classes available internally than a clearly defined API.
Now the C[1] API I'm [slowly] working on is initially only slightly simpler
than the current situation. Once I get the [2]importers/exporters supported,
my plan is to ask for suggestions for improvements/simplications/...
I would say our plugins are very application specific as they currently
are written, though it should be possible for some of them at least to
be written in a more application neutral manner ([or at least less AbiWord
internal specific] which is something I would like in the future as I get
a chance to improve the C API exported by the AbiCapi plugin; but this isn't
planned for my initial 1.0 release of it (unless I magically get more
time or find another job working with computers again).
Of course my C API plugin work is still unofficial stuff, so until its
ready for others to review & hopefully liked, nothing regarding it
really matters [except on Windows where I can support it].
[1] while the API is C, the current plugins are still C++ technically, and
can have access to classes through pointer fun.
[2] sorry about taking so long here, but I will [life permitting] have
this done within the next few weeks (my recent job change has sucked both my
time and desire to do much of anything on days I work).
>
>For basic text processing type plugins (like change case, word count or
>something) in theory some plugins could be reusable across many
>applications (i just described a library didn't i, ho hum).
In theory sure. We could in theory even have a plugin that supported
such application neutral plugins so AbiWord wouldn't need any changes.
The question I have is what other applications would we want to share
such plugins with? then it would be a matter of designing an appropriate
API so the plugins could transfer the text/changes/... in a supported
manner and of course write the (or change existing) plugins taking
advantage of the API. :-)
>
>Comments?
Interesting idea, and I will definitely do my best (within my tiny time limits) to help.
>
>Sincerely
>Alan Horkan
>
>On Tue, 16 Jul 2002, Kenneth J.Davis wrote:
>
..
Jeremy Davis
jeremyd@computer.org
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