Burning Chrome: Stand-alone editing vs repository editing, part 2

September 8, 2005

Stand-alone editing vs repository editing, part 2

In a repository mode of editing (where you can edit several documents at once, some dependent on others in the same set), one could easily edit a complete XUL application. (I intend to create a demo of this as well.) Part of that could include transactions that affect more than one document at once. Here's a sample XUL document I cooked up for adding a XUL menuitem, with support for localization and creating key and command elements related for this menuitem if the user desires. This user-interface would edit the master XUL document, a localization DTD, and possibly an overlay for menus.

Improvements are welcome! There's certainly room for it. Send me an e-mail with your changes to this code; if it makes sense, I'll add it. (Don't worry about where the menuitem gets placed; I'll be working on that.) Bear in mind this UI must fit into either a sidebar or a bottom bar (I haven't decided which yet).

If you're reading this via planet.mozilla.org or feedhouse.mozillazine.org, you'll have to visit this article directly for the demo to actually work.

menuitemTransaction.xul

<?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" href="chrome://global/skin/"?>
<window
  xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
  xmlns:xul="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul"
  xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul">
  <vbox style="overflow: -moz-scrollbars-vertical;">
    <description>Menuitem</description>
    <hbox>
      <groupbox>
        <caption label="Label"/>
        <grid>
          <columns>
            <column/>
            <column/>
          </columns>
          <rows>
            <row>
              <textbox localid="label:entityname"/>
              <label>Value / Entity Name</label>
            </row>
            <row>
              <textbox localid="label:entityname:en-US"/>
              <label>en-US Localization</label>
            </row>
          </rows>
        </grid>
      </groupbox>
    </hbox>

    <hbox>
      <groupbox>
        <caption label="Command"/>
        <grid>
          <columns>
            <column/>
            <column/>
          </columns>
          <rows>
            <row>
              <textbox localid="commmand:id"/>
              <label>ID (recommended)</label>
            </row>
            <row>
              <textbox localid="command:oncommand"/>
              <label>oncommand</label>
            </row>
          </rows>
        </grid>
      </groupbox>
    </hbox>

    <hbox>
      <groupbox>
        <caption label="Key"/>
        <description>This group requires a command element with ID.</description>
        <grid>
          <columns>
            <column/>
            <column/>
          </columns>
          <rows>
            <row>
              <textbox localid="key:id" disabled="true"/>
              <label>ID</label>
            </row>
            <row>
              <textbox localid="key:key" disabled="true"/>
              <label>Key</label>
            </row>
          </rows>
        </grid>
        <checkbox localid="key:shift" label="Shift Key Required"
                  disabled="true"/>
        <checkbox localid="key:control" label="Control Key Required"
                  disabled="true"/>
        <checkbox localid="key:alt" label="Alt Key Required"
                  disabled="true"/>
        <checkbox localid="key:meta" label="Meta Key Required"
                  disabled="true"/>
      </groupbox>
    </hbox>
  </vbox>
</window>

Posted by WeirdAl at September 8, 2005 9:47 AM