[gradebook2-dev] gb2 and dynamic localization

[Thomas Amsler]

Good find. GWT is pretty amazing. I am looking forward to seeing your solution.
-- Thomas

On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 11:53 PM, John Bush <john.bush at rsmart.com> wrote:
> ok, this is getting more interesting, apparently GWT deferfed binding
> has a way to plug a java code generator into the framework.  If I'm
> understanding this correctly, that means the calls to
> GWT.create(I18nConstants.class) I could catch and generate the Impl
> using the GeneratorContext, which appears to be a reflection
> implementation of sorts.  Ok, GWT is freakin cool.
>
> I think this might actually work.  So basically I catch these create()
> calls with one of these generators, and then generate a impl that
> makes calls the dictionary which avoid having to maintain anything
> other than the interface.  Then I just make a server side component
> that builds up the javascript to populate the Dictionary.  Very cool,
> I think this might work, will try it out tomorrow.
>
> see http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/doc/latest/DevGuideCodingBasicsDeferred.html
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 11:09 PM, John Bush <john.bush at rsmart.com> wrote:
>> Ok, missed this email, but just confirmed the bytecode manipulation
>> and reflection are not part of the GWT client side support. So that
>> rules out any fancy stuff and confirms my dislike for javascript, but
>> I digress...
>>
>> I tried implementing the I18nConstants interface to delegate to the
>> Dictionary and confirmed this works:
>>
>> public class I18nConstantsImpl implements I18nConstants {
>>    Dictionary i18n;
>>    public I18nConstantsImpl(){
>>         i18n = Dictionary.getDictionary("I18nConstants");
>>
>>
>>    }
>>    public String actionActor() {
>>        return i18n.get("actionActor");
>>    }
>>
>>    public String actionDateFieldLabel() {
>>        return i18n.get("actionActor");
>>    }
>>
>> Then in the host html file, which is GradebookApplication.html you
>> need to define the Dictionary like this:
>>
>>        <script>var I18nConstants = {
>>     actionActor: "gwt rocks",
>>         actionDateFieldLabel: "gwt rocks",
>>         actionDescriptionFieldLabel:"gwt rocks",
>>         actionDetails: "gwt rocks",
>>         actionEntityFieldLabel: "gwt rocks"
>>
>> That's the bit I would replace with a call back to the server.  The
>> issue is without bytecode or reflection dynamically implementing the
>> I18nConstants interface is not going to be possible which would
>> require devs to maintain the interface and impl, which I don't like.
>> Need to think about this a little more, unless others have any idea. I
>> really would like to avoid a giant refactor that doesn't  seem
>> friendly, and would lead me to just push back on the requirements that
>> are causing me to evaluate this in the first place.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 7:29 PM, Thomas Amsler <tpamsler at ucdavis.edu> wrote:
>>> See inline comments bellow:
>>>
>>> On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 5:27 PM, John Bush <john.bush at rsmart.com> wrote:
>>>> I've been looking into a way to make gb2 integrate with the new
>>>> dynamic loading of bundle data available in 2.8.  See
>>>> https://jira.sakaiproject.org/browse/SAK-18678.
>>>>
>>>> I see GWT has another method other than the I18nConstants approach
>>>> that allows for server side localization:
>>>> http://google-web-toolkit.googlecode.com/svn/javadoc/latest/com/google/gwt/i18n/client/Dictionary.html
>>>
>>> Do you just want to use this approach on the server side? You mention
>>> above " ...allows for server side localization".
>>>
>>>>
>>>> >From looking at the code switching this out touch almost everything.
>>>
>>> We could try a refactor and see how bad it is.
>>>
>>>> So here's my crazy idea.
>>>>
>>>> Use javassist or some other byte code library to get around the fact
>>>> that this call can't really be extended:
>>>> (I18nMessages) GWT.create(I18nMessages.class);
>>>>
>>> Whatever tool/library you use, it would have to be able to build
>>> within the GWT JRE emulation subset:
>>>
>>> http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/doc/latest/RefJreEmulation.html
>>>
>>>
>>>> So basically I'd augment the class that GWT is generating and throw
>>>> away what it does and instead delegate all the calls to the
>>>> Dictionary, which can then look them up from the server.
>>>>
>>>> Crazy or possible, what do you think?  Going to play around with it a
>>>> little tomorrow.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> John Bush
>>>> 602-490-0470
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> gradebook2-dev mailing list
>>>> gradebook2-dev at collab.sakaiproject.org
>>>> http://collab.sakaiproject.org/mailman/listinfo/gradebook2-dev
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> John Bush
>> 602-490-0470
>>
>
>
>
> --
> John Bush
> 602-490-0470
>