IdeaJam(tm) feed for Axel Janssen

Domino Designer / : Create a mock framework for Domino Java API

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:45:11 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Tags: java
Idea:

Hi,

I am a big friend of developing java agents or java Script-libraries with Eclipse. Following sound design principles as low coupling, high cohesion, the code which actually accesses the Java Api for Domino is well encapsulated in a few classes or methods. All the rest is junit-Testable. The part uses the Java Api for Domino is not. For testing my usage of the Java Domino API, I have to access a real Notes instance. Mock classes would provide a implementation of the API, which does not need a Notes instance.

A mock framework at least for the most important Notes Domino Java classes would make it possible to write proper unit tests and fasten the development process. Developers would not even have to start Domino to use those mock objects. I've started to write one for myself and it appears to work quite well for the classes Database, View, ViewColumn, Document, Item, DocumentCollection. Those are covering 98% of the use cases when I do write something for Domino in Java as for this code the point is the opportunities Java overs and not fancy code in Domino (I do that in formula language, Lotus Script).
If I put my mock implementation open source, I drop a comment here.

Expeditor / : More samples, tutorials for Composite Apps

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:02:28 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Tags: eclipse notes8
Idea:

... especially integrating other eclipse plug-ins or subprojects.

The tutorial posted in Notes.Net few days ago was a good start. But more would be usefull. Maybe tutorials targeted at different user audiences (those who allready have some experience with Eclipse-plug-in, those who have not, etc., those who are also Lotus Websphere Portal developers, those who are not).

Developers need those sample apps/tutorials, because else they forget all this archtitectural information, even if they read the corresponding articles and redbooks.

Domino Designer / : Implement an XPath based selection API for LotusScript like in JDom

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:24:26 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Tags: lotusscript xml
Idea:

In the openSource Java JDom API we can select XML-Nodes based in XPath expressions. As of Java6 there is also a jdk-api, which provides the same thing (to tired to look up for the name now). This can be VERY usefull, if you want to parse a fixed set of data out of a xml document. Actually I am going to use JDom in some Java for Domino7 code and this xPath thing fits very nicely in the general Domino programming model. For example you can define the actual XPath expression in a config doc (declarative programming).

Websphere Portal / : License Process with the Installation Manager should be simplified

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:38:26 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Tags: webspherePortal
Idea:

Many moons ago I've installed a trial version of RAD. As a employee for a business partner I can use the full version for testing & learning. When I install the full version over the trial version, I get a message, that I can't create a Portlet project, because of lacking a proper license key. In the error message there is no hint. I get that from google. I have to go to IBM Installation manager, update the installation manager, find RADLic.jar on my harddrive, bind RADLic.jar into the installation manager and then I can happily upgrade to the full version.

Better hints in the Error messages really would prevent from running into those gotchas.

re: Create a mock framework for Domino Java API

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:25:50 +0000

Author: Mika Heinonen
Comment: C++ is faster than Java, LotusScript is faster to develop than Java. Java is useless.

re: Create a mock framework for Domino Java API

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:12:59 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Comment: Maybe useless for you, for me its certainly usefull.
With such strong opinion, its certainly easy to find people to battle with.
I am tired of that.

peace
Axel

re: Create a mock framework for Domino Java API

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:21:38 +0000

Author: Matt White
Comment: @1 - Got to disagree Mika, I use Java well over 50% of the time and find it great, easier to write complex code than LS and very flexible.

@2 - This would make a great OpenNTF project if you ever finish writing your Unit Test classes.

re: More samples, tutorials for Composite Apps

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:15:15 +0000

Author: Bob Balfe
Comment: This is a must have.

re: A pattern wiki

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:04:37 +0000

Author: Harkpabst Meliantrop
Comment: Sounds like a good idea to me, but I can already see Willy Lorenzo and myself battling, if all Dim statements have to go to the top of the code in LotusScript or not (not, of course ;-) ).
Dealing with different versions (and especially keeping old patterns up to date) might be another challenge.

re: A pattern wiki

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:09:08 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Comment: A separate "fight club" section for those who never surrender may be needed.

Example:
Me: blablablabla java blablablabla
Mikka Heinonen: Java? Its useless. For clueless from clueless. C/C++ is faster. LotusScript is easier.
Me: It is usefull.
Mikka: It is not.
Me: It is.
Mikka: It is not.
Me: It is.

15 years later.

Me: It was indeed usefull.
Mikka: It was never.
Me: It was.
Mikka: Was not.
Me: Was.
Mikka: Was not.

have a nice day
Axel

Domino Designer / : internationalization tables as new design element

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:59:59 +0000

Author: Axel Janssen
Tags: i18n
Idea:

The Global workbench is a bit dated. And in Europe internationalization is a real important issue. Lots of mergers over language borders and even inside companies its quite usual that some folks doesn't speak the language of the country they are working very good.

Ulrich Krause has a propal, which I will link. Mine is more radical.

What about a new design element called "Internationalization table"?

A simple table with a key as first column and one column for each language.

New @functions, Lotus-Script functions and java-methods needed to call the new Designelment.

So in column headers, labels, error-messages, etc. the proper key can be easily accessed and the proper entry for the language returned.

This table would be easily exportable as xml (or optionally csv for those folks who do not like xml). A client for editing this table outside Notes is a snap, so that even traduction experts without Notes client can easily work the stuff.

Internationalization is used in a lot of places spread around the code (some jergon aficionados might call it cross functional concern, but thats not the point here). The functionality is actually simple. So Lotus could create a design element with opportunities for performance enhancements deep in the system. Developers would use a simple, streamlined approach and not everyone had to invent his own code to support internationalization.

re: internationalization tables as new design element

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:04:46 +0000

Author: Kerr Rainey
Comment: Yeah, this is more the thing I was talking about in Ulrich's idea: { Link }

re: A pattern wiki

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:06:20 +0000

Author: Ben Langhinrichs
Comment: Axel - For what it is worth, I didn't promote your "pattern wiki" and did promote the educational wiki { Link } because your proposal was fairly incomprehensible to me due to the use of jargon. I have been a programmer and developer for 25+ years, and while I have heard of patterns and anti-patterns, they don't mean much to me, whereas this Idea was expressed in terms that are far more clear. Additionally, the idea of a strongly moderated wiki is generally unsuccessful, in my experience, because if the experts who could moderate it have that much time, they can write it themselves, but if they don't, the moderation becomes an obstacle. Finally, a wiki that is too general is unlikely to succeed with the size of active community we have, whereas the educational wiki seems a bit more focused and therefore useful. I'll post a version of this comment on that other post as well, since I couldn't figure out where to put it. - Ben

re: A pattern wiki

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:15:01 +0000

Author: Charles Robinson
Comment: I'm conflicted because I'm really tired of the continual pointless change for the sake of change. As your tags point out, patterns are little more than best practices. So why not call it a "best practices wiki"? However, I'm all for any improvement in documentation, so no matter what it's called it can't hurt.

re: concurrent version system for c/java parts and code-bin

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:48:56 +0000

Author: Bruce Elgort
Comment: It would be nice if Vince started to get involved on Idea Jam with OpenNTF related ideas. Vince got your ears on?

re: A pattern wiki

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:42:45 +0000

Author: Tom Oneil
Comment: It's worth a promotion for comment #2.

re: A pattern wiki

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:22:31 +0000

Author: Melissa Anez
Comment: @3 I agree completely, this is a good idea but the other seems much more accessible I've voted the same.

re: A pattern wiki

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:23:32 +0000

Author: Ben Poole
Comment: Your "Mika vs Axel" comments made me laugh out loud Axel (in a good way) :)

re: concurrent version system for c/java parts and code-bin

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:02:22 +0000

Author: Vince Schuurman
Comment: I think we could use a volunteer to code this, any takers? :-)

re: internationalization tables as new design element

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 07:56:38 +0000

Author: Ulrich Krause
Comment: Axel, this is a great idea ...