Johannes Hubert wrote:

> Ph Gibone wrote in message <36ed4ab0.0@news.povray.org>...
> >
> >To make things clear, when I wrote about a scripting language for Moray I
> >thought that it would be very convenient to be able to write a plugin even
> >if you don't know C, C++, WIndows SDK,
> [snip]
>
> That is where the misunderstanding was, I think:
>
> Twyst was thinking of a plug-in that would offer a simply scripting-language
> to make part of the plug-in interface available to non (C/C++)-programmers,
> or at least available without the need of compiling and building DLLs.
>
> Your idea was to change/adapt the plugin interface of Moray so that it would
> facilitate writing plugins in Java instead of C/C++.
>
> Both are good ideas, but different ones, in my view.
>
> You idea may be possible to realize in two ways: First (of course) would be
> for Markus and Lutz to change the plugin-interface to allow interfacing to
> Java (frankly, I don't see this happening ;-)
> Or someone could write a Moray plugin in C++ that is actually only a wrapper
> for the plugin-interface, and that exposes all interface methods and members
> to a similar Java interface.
>
> But the main question is: Is this needed?
> Are there really people who are dying to write a Moray plugin and only don't
> do so because they would have to program in C/C++? And would the same people
> start programming like hell, if they could do so in Java instead?
> I don't think so, because even in Java it would still require some
> above-beginner-level programming skills, and people with such skills are
> usually not bothered by the fact of which language they would have to use
> for a certain task.
>

I think that such a plugin would, perhaps, be quite useful. I am a Moray user,
with a decent level of knowlege about C++(but only in DOS), and I want to write
plugins for Moray. Also, I don't have VC++ 5.0, so thats another thing that I
can't do with them.

I think that all you need for the given plugin is this:
The dialogue box.
The export of the dialogue box.
The wireframe of the object created by the dialogue box.

The first two ought to be pretty easy, even for non-programmers, as long as they
have at least a decent familiarity with POV-Code. The last section would be a
bit harder to write, but nonetheless, it would be easier than having to write a
windows program. By encapsulating this code, I think that you open up Moray to a
great amount of new plugins. Everyone who writes those little plugin requests
will be able to at least TRY to write new plugins, without having to buy a major
C++ compiler or something similar, as well as a few books on programming.

I think, though, that you may just want to create a bunch of .h files, or
libraries, or soemthing, so that you can compile the plugin before hand. But
that would require a commercial compiler, so strike that idea.

> Java has other disadvantages for a project like this: The number of
> different VM's that all behave slightly different would require quite some
> testing of such a plugin, to make sure that it runs everywhere. Or the
> author could require a certain VM (and a certain version of it) to be
> installed, adding more installation burdon to the end-user.
> Then there is the general sluggishness of Java (granted, it can be overcome
> by the right programming, but still...).
> Also the memory usage: Expect your VM (with a program loaded and running) to
> use up at least 5-10 Megs of RAM - memory that is no longer available for
> Moray (and more importantly POV-Ray) anymore.
> And last not least: The look and feel (even with Swing's Windows L&F) would
> be different between Moray and Java plugins, making them appear less
> "seamless".
>
> OK, just to clear that up (and because Philippe always stresses that he is
> *not* a "Java-fan" ;-) I want to stress that I am not a Java "basher":
> Actually, I earn my living by programming in Java and I like it (but it also
> makes me very aware of its many shortcomings).
>
> Greetings,
> Johannes.



--
Only I can prevent narcissism!

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