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Status Planned for future release
Categories EGL Language
Created by Guest
Created on Oct 19, 2011

Allow build descriptors to be specified as annotations

When working with Rich UI applications in the RBD tooling today it is often necessary to set properties at a package or part level indicating whether to use a Java or a JavaScript build descriptor during generation.

For example, Rich UI handlers need to compile as JavaScript (typically the default setting for a Rich UI project) while services and some libraries need to compile as Java. The Java-targeted parts have to be manually configured in properties to use a Java build descriptor.

Instead of this behind-the-scenes property approach to build descriptors it would be highly desirable to specify a generation language target at a part level using annotations.

The approach I have in mind is one in which the tooling continues to establish Java and JavaScript build descriptors when creating a project and to continue setting these as project-level defaults. A developer with special needs can still create additional build descriptors and associate them with a part, package or project or use build descriptors from another project.

However, at the individual part level, using annotations, I should be able to -- in source code instead of in project properties -- specify that a part should use the Java or JavaScript build descriptor in play for that part, package, or project.

See attached annotationexample.txt for my ideas on how the annotation might look in practice.

Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Sep 17, 2021

    The feature that is described in this request is a candidate for a future release.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Sep 14, 2015

    Due to processing by IBM, this request was reassigned to have the following updated attributes:
    Brand - Servers and Systems Software
    Product family - Programming Languages
    Product - Business Developer

    For recording keeping, the previous attributes were:
    Brand - Rational
    Product family - Design & development
    Product - Business Developer

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Nov 21, 2011

    We wish you would give annotations more consideration in the near term because the suggested multiple-project approach is unworkable in an environment like ours with a large number of EGL Rich UI application solutions undergoing development and in production. You have to think not just about editing source code but also source control (we use RTC) and deployment. Increasing the total number of projects in play as suggested would be a nightmare!

    Worse yet, your suggestion doesn't address the core of our stated business need, which is to reduce the learning curve for new developers by simplifying the way in which targets are specified.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Nov 17, 2011

    Thank you for this suggestion. We agree that this would be a more flexible implementation, and we will consider it in our future planning.

    However, we do not expect an implementation in the near term. In the meantime, you might consider this workaround: use projects to separate the parts. The typical application would have three projects:

    * One for parts targeted for javascript (handlers)
    * One for parts targeted for java (services)
    * One for components shared in both places (records, libraries)

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Oct 19, 2011

    Attachment (Description): Examples of how I imagined the annotation might be used.