wanted feature : code preview

[emaayan]

i've been using wb for some time now, and althogh i have some annoying glitches (like java editor bouncing back and forth), needing to code java in certian way so that designer won't crash, and creating another class just to launch the form in see it.

one of the things that most bugs me, is that i don't get any code previews (or at least the option to turn them on), the most troubling spot is the data binding which i'm trying to struggle, it's rather complex as it is, and as i try to find out documentation, on to bind combo viewer for example, i would like to see the code being produced before i change it.

[Eric Clayberg]

i have some annoying glitches (like java editor bouncing back and forth)

I have no idea what you mean by this.

needing to code java in certian way so that designer won't crash

Don't confuse Designer telling you it can't parse something (showing you an error in the design view) with an actual crash (the editor closing or Eclipse shutting down). The former is fully expected and presented in a controlled manner...especially if you are dealing with hand-written or hand-modified code. The tool should work with 100% of generated code (from itself or any other GUI tool), but is only expected to handle 80-90% of hand-written code.

and creating another class just to launch the form in see it

If all you want to do is see it, the Test/Preview button should be sufficient. If you actually want to run the code in context, then you should, of course, expect to provide that context.

one of the things that most bugs me, is that i don't get any code previews

Code previews don't make sense for a tool like WindowBuilder as there is no explicit code generation step. Code is generated instantly so that the source and design view are always in sync. That is a major feature that makes the tool so powerful. If you want to see a "preview", just look at the generate source. If you don't like the results of the last operation, just hit undo to take you back a step.

the most troubling spot is the data binding which i'm trying to struggle, it's rather complex as it is

I will certainly agree with that. The Data Binding framework itself is quite complex.

[emaayan]

can the designer handle fiuent API's?
for example instead of creating a lable as in
l=new Lable()
l.setBounds...
l.setText..

i would create a ControlWapper that would createLable().bounds(...).text...()... etc..

[Eric Clayberg]

can the designer handle fiuent API's?

As-is? No. What you describe is, in effect, your own one-off custom API. It really isn't just SWT or Swing at that point.

WindowBuilder could be adapted to handle any API, but you would need to add that support yourself.