Diagram Editors: The FXed Generation
1Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/schwurbel/eclipse-diagram-editors-the-f-xed-generation
Eclipse offers a variety of frameworks to build diagram editors. They compete for developers by offering different programming models and a plethora of features out-of-the-box. But they all inherit a big bunch of functionality from base frameworks like GEF3 which is getting a bit long in the tooth.
In this talk, I am going to demonstrate how diagram editors look like if we clear our minds and start from scratch. What if we put the end user first and focus on usability and user-experience? Instead of implementing all kinds of features restrict ourselves to the few essential ones and get them right? Implement a small generic platform with a programming model that is easily extensible with just a few lines of code instead of building the all integrating meta-framework?
Be prepared for a demo of a diagram editor based on JavaFX and Xtend with multi-touch support, a smooth and appealing user experience, metaphors that are easy to understand, nice auto-layout, animated undo/redo, etc. and a couple of interesting applications such as graphical views for Ecore, Xtext DSLs or an StarTrek browser.