Re: Modeler thoughts ...

From: Michael Gentry (mgentr..asslight.net)
Date: Thu Aug 20 2009 - 15:56:18 EDT

  • Next message: John Armstrong: "Re: Modeler thoughts ..."

    Just to add some context, I'll use this legend:

    M = Me
    E = EOF guys
    H = Hibernate/Spring guys

    Meh. Something like that.

    [1] E/H - Found creating a new model confusing. Especially since they
    weren't familiar with the concepts of DataDomain, etc. Basically,
    they get a blank window and have no idea where to start, even though
    they are familiar with ORM modeling techniques. "I hate to be the
    typical Windows user, but some kind of wizard would be nice." (Said by
    a guy developing on OS X.) Even I recall being a little confused by
    what domains, maps, and nodes were when I first started coming from
    EOF.

    [2] E - Wanted the OS X concept of a wrapper/bundle for the model
    files. Essentially, he wanted to be able to name his model file
    (something other than cayenne.xml), but as we talked more he wanted a
    bundle that he can name ("MyProject" -> MyProject.cayenne directory)
    and then the cayenne.xml, etc files would be under there.

    [3] H - One guy used Cayenne quite a bit, but eventually ditched the
    modeler and edited the XML by hand. "It's not intuitive. I was
    confused. I remember having so many problems setting up the correct
    path so when files were generated they had the right path and package
    names." I'm not sure which version of the modeler he was using, but
    probably 2.x.

    [4] M/E/H - Allow multiple projects to be open at the same time. The
    EOF guy considered this a bug.

    [5] H - More useful validation. "When it is validating the mapping
    file, I dont find its output useful at all. Since the mapping works
    despite the warnings raised in the modeler, I question the value of
    those warnings." I think he was probably using 2.x then.

    [6] E - After generating DB schema, menu bar gets blitzed. I told him
    this was due to a recent OS X update and hopefully Apple will fix it
    soon.

    [7] M - If you rename a DB attribute, it doesn't change the name in
    the ObjEntity even if you remember to sync the class.

    [8] E - "I can't figure out how to flatten a relationship." I had to
    fess up and tell him that I didn't know, either.

    [9] M - Recent projects list. When launching CM, I see a nice list
    with "/Volumes/Macintosh_HD/Users/mgentry/Projects/Eclipse/Works..."
    This fills up my recent projects list and I can't tell what is what.

    [10] M - If you select an ObjEntity and look at the attributes, then
    resize a column (say, Java Type) so you can read everything in the
    column, then select something else, then come back to that same
    ObjEntity, the column doesn't retain the size you had set. I suspect
    this applies to more than just the attributes tab (too lazy to go try
    the others right now).

    [11] M - Generate Classes should probably show the entities first,
    then the code generator. Perhaps put both in the same window so it is
    obvious what is being done. The text "One entity selected" is a
    little too easy to ignore at the bottom of the window.

    [12] M - Generate Database Schema has similar problems to the Generate
    Classes, but is also inconsistent. In GC, if you select the Map it
    will generate all classes by default, but if you select an ObjEntity
    it'll just generate that one class. In GDS it doesn't matter which
    you select, it will do ALL tables. Of course, you might easily miss
    this as the tables tab isn't the first thing selected and the GDS
    window doesn't tell you how many are selected (unlike GC). Or you
    might get conditioned by the GC dialog and when doing a GDS assume it
    works the same way and end up dropping all of your tables (that
    happened to me the other day). Also, the Uncheck All Tables toggle
    doesn't work right.

    OK, a dozen is a good number for now. I've asked the others to pass
    on any other things if they think of it, but I wanted to try to
    kickstart a discussion about the future of CM.

    Thanks!

    mrg



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