apps-gorm/Documentation/news.texi

@c -*-texinfo-*-

@ifset TEXT-ONLY
@include version.texi
@end ifset

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.8.0}

PLEASE NOTE: It is important for this release that you upgrade to Gorm 0.8.0 when using Gorm with the new GNUstep libraries (base-1.10.0 and gui-0.9.4).  This version of Gorm contains some features which are reliant on changes made in those versions of the libraries.  It is stated in Gorm's documentation (the Gorm.texi file) that this is required, but I felt it important enough to also mention it here so that it is known beyond a reasonable doubt.

@itemize @bullet
@item New gorm file version.
@item Full custom palette support
@item Palette preferences panel to allow the user to configure palettes to load
@item Experimental: Standalone views.  This feature is to allow the use of a view without the need of a containing window.   This allows developers to treat these views as they would any other top level object in the .gorm file.  This is experimental functionality.
@item Improved NSTableColumn inspector.  The new inspector allows the user to change the data cell used for a given column.   This allows the user to select from a list of cell subclasses and set the appropriate custom or non-custom one they want to appear in that column of the table.
@item Improved layout of some of the inspectors. 
@item Removed old class parser.  The parser was somewhat buggy and was actually causing some issues.  A new parser will be available in the next version of Gorm.  For now users will need to use the class inspector or the outline view to enter classes into Gorm.
@item Experimental: ``File'' section.  This is essentially a per-file preference which allows the user to control which version of GNUstep a given file will be compatible with.  It also lists the potential compatibility issues with the selected version.
@item Improved controls palette.  New items for some of the standard font replace the old ``Title'' widget which was a System-14 font.  The new widgets use a selection of the standard System font to allow the user to easily build a gui using these and reducing the amount of time the user needs to spend fiddling with the font panel.
@end itemize

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@ifclear ANNOUNCE-ONLY

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.7.7}

@itemize @bullet
@item Important bugfixes in editor classes.
@item Rearranged some of the editor classes to be in the palettes which contain the classes they are responsible for editing (GormButtonEditor & GormTabViewEditor). 
@item Image and Sound editors will now display system default images or sounds if they are available.
@item Document window now uses an NSToolbar (experimental).
@item Improved the layout of some of the inspectors.
@item Corrected some minor issues in the inspectors
@item Added code to allow NSTableView and NSOutlineView to show some data during testing
@item Gorm will now show an alert panel when a model fails to load or test properly.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.7.6}

This release is mainly a bugfix release for 0.7.5.

@itemize @bullet
@item Improved .gmodel support
@item Corrections to previous repair feature.
@item Important bugfixes for Menu editing.
@item Important bugfixes for class inspector.
@end itemize
@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.7.5}

@itemize @bullet
@item The 'reparent' feature in the class inspector.  This allows the user to change the class hierarchy from within Gorm.
@item Some important bugfixes
@item a property 'GormRepairFileOnLoad' (untested) which  should repaire old .gorm files... It is HIGHLY recommended that Gorm not be run with this on constantly and that you back up any files which you want to repair before opening them with this option turned on.
@item A shelf inspector in prefs that lets you expand the size of the names in the object view..
@item Support for NSFontManager
@item A way to restore a complete NSMenu if it's deleted (a new palette entry for NSMenu, not just an item)
@end itemize
@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.6.0}

@itemize @bullet
@item Several major bugs corrected.
@item Clarified some of the inspectors
@item Menu items are now properly enabled/disabled when appropriate
@item More descriptive title displayed when a class is being edited.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.5.0}

@itemize @bullet
@item Enabled defer in NSWindow inspector.
@item Added code to the connection inspector to prevent erroneous connections.
@item Added support for upgrading of old .gorm files using the older template mechanism
@item Grouping with an NSSplitView now operates using the relative positions of the views in the window.
@item Custom Class inspector now shows all subclasses, not just direct custom subclasses.
@item Bug fixes, eliminated memory leak, code cleanup, etc.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.4.0}

@itemize @bullet
@item New Menu and Menu Item inspectors. 
@item User can now specify the Services and Windows menus in the menu inspector.
@item User can specify a non-custom subclass as well as a custom one to replace the class when the .gorm is unarchived.  This can be used to turn a NSTextField into NSSecureTextField and etc.
@item New set name panel.
@item New switch control on the font panel to allow the user to specify if a font is encoded with its default size or not.
@item Added NSStepper and NSStepperCell to the class list to allow creation of custom subclasses.
@item Windows and Services menus now function correctly.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.3.1}

@itemize @bullet
@item New custom class system.
@item Images now persist correctly when added to a button or view.
@item Fixed DND
@item Various bugfixes
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.3.0}

@itemize @bullet
@item Preferences added.
@item User can now enable and disable guidlines for easier editing.
@item Refactored code into GormLib which is a clone of the InterfaceBuilder framework.  This facilitates creating palettes and inspectors outside of Gorm.
@item Added class inspector for easier editing of classes.  This gives the user the option to use either the outline view or the inspector to edit new classes.
@item Added inspectors for the following: NSScrollView, NSProgressIndicator, NSColorWell, GormImageInspector (for images added to .gorm files).
@item Improved look of NSTabView inspector.
@item Removed all warnings from the code.
@item various bug fixes.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.2.5}.

Many fixes and improvements to make the app work better.

@itemize @bullet
@item Better parsing of headers
@item Interface code redone as gorm files.
@item Re-add multiple selection via mouse drag.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.2.0} snapshot.

Gobs of improvements, mostly due to the hard work of
Gregory John Casamento and Pierre-Yves Rivaille. Thanks guys!

@itemize @bullet
@item Custom class support/translations implemented.
@item Added NSScrollView, NSPopupButton, NSOutlineView, NSTableView editing.
@item Improved test mode support.
@item Improved drag n' drop support on many items.
@item Intelligent placement hints.
@item Read gmodel files.
@item More inspectors.
@item Sound and Image support.
@item gorm files were changed to directory wrappers for more flexibility.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.1.0}

@itemize @bullet
@item load/parses class files for entry into class list.
@item Pallete/inspectors for date and number formatters
@item Pallete/Inspectors for browsers and tableViews
@item NSStepper, NSForm, NSPopupButton  pallete item and inspector
@item Most inspectors greatly improved and fleshed out.
@item Custom views added.
@item Ability to edit cells in a matrix.
@item Ability to change the font of some objects.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.0.3}

@itemize @bullet
@item Create stub .m and .h files from new classes
@item Works better with ProjectCenter.
@item Handle Ctrl-Drag and Alt-Drag of objects - automatic conversion to
matrices and/or increase decrease rows and cols.
@item Edit NSForms titles in place.
@item Edit NSBoxes and add subviews.
@item Support for custom objects.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.0.2}

@itemize @bullet
@item Add popup and pulldown menu controls
@item Menu support
@item More inspectors
@item Some support for connections
@item Much more fleshed out - too numerous to mention.
@end itemize

@section Noteworthy changes in version @samp{0.0.1}

@itemize @bullet

@item 8th December 1999

@itemize @bullet
@item Save/Load 'nib' documents (binary archived data)

This works so far as it can be tested - but that's just archives containing
windows or panels so far.

@item Load palettes

Loading of palettes works.  You can load palettes from the
'Tools' menu.  Gorm automatically loads all the palettes from its Resources
directory.

@item Basic framework

So far, the app provides a basic framework that needs fleshing out.
@itemize @bullet
@item
It has a palettes manager object that allows you to select a palette and
drag items from the palette into your document.

@item
It has a special per-document editor object, which keeps track of a matrix
of icons representing the top-level objects in the document.

@item
It has an inspector manager class, which updates the inspector panel
when the selected object is changed by an editor.

@item
It has special inspectors for handling an empty selection or a multiple
selection.
@end itemize

@item Palettes
 
Four palettes (three of which are empty at present) are built and installed
in the apps Resources directory.

The Window palette is more fully fleshed out than the other palettes.
It permits windows and panels to be created in Gorm.
If provides the start of a window attributes inspector.

@end itemize

@item 18 December 1999

@itemize @bullet
@item
You can drag views from a palette into a window or panel.
@item
You can select views in a window by clicking on them, shift-clicking
(for multiple selection), or click-drag on the window background to select
views in a box.
@item
You can delete/cut/copy/paste views betwen windows.
@item
You can move views in a window by clicking on them and dragging.
@item
You can resize views by clicking on their knobs and dragging.
@item
You can control-drag to mark source and destination views for a connection.

@item Next task - inspectors.

The connection inspector needs to be implemented to complete the process of
establishing connections.
The size inspector needs to be implemented to set autosizing parameters for
a view.

Once these are done, the object editor needs to be made to support connections
so that we can connect between objects other than views, then we need to write
a menu editor.

@end itemize

@item 22 December 1999

@itemize @bullet

@item
Connections inspector is now working - but it needs some effort to tidy it up.
@item
Class info (outlets and actions) is specified in 'ClassInformation.plist'
and needs to be present so that the app knows what outlets/actions an object
has (and therefore what connections can be made).

@item
The view size inspector is working - allowing you to set the size of the
subviews within a window.

@item
The attributes inspector for 'FilesOwner' is working, so you can define the
class of the files owner (it defaults to NSApplication).

@item
There is a crude panel for setting the name of the selected object.

@item
I've created a couple of new images and got rid of the two NeXT images that
were lurking in there.

@item
There is a Testing directory, with a GormTest application that lets you load
a nib for testing - it assumes that the nib will set its FilesOwners delegate
to point to a window, and makes that window the key window ...
@end itemize

@item 23 December 1999

Last work before christmas ...

Various bits of tidying up plus -

Added an evil hack of a generic attributes inspector ...  This looks through
all the methods of the selected object to find those taking a single argument
and beginning with 'set'.  It makes all these setting methods (whose argument
is a simple scalar type or an object) available for you to invoke from the
inspector panel.

This makes it possible to set pretty much any attribute of any object, but
you do need to have the GNUstep header files to hand, so you can tell what
numeric values to enter to achieve a desired result.


@end itemize

@end ifclear