[gradebook2-dev] gb2 and dynamic localization

[Thomas Amsler]

This looks good. Great Job! In order for us to merge your work into
trunk, we need a patch. So it's up to you if you want to create a
branch or work on a trunk copy. So please create a GRBK tickeet and
provide as much information as possible. Also please document the
architecture changes. Once the JIRA and the patch is ready, we can
perform a code review.

Thank you.

-- Thomas

On Mon, Apr 18, 2011 at 9:52 AM, John Bush <john.bush at rsmart.com> wrote:
> Ok I have everything working now.  See my little demo here:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUVDDGYTdk
>
> It will show you how it works and briefly go over the design.
> Hopefully, this is of general interest to gb2 users.  What would the
> next steps be towards integrating this work into gb2 core.  Perhaps, a
> JIRA and branch where I can submit the changes for a code review ?
>
> On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 3:53 PM, Thomas Amsler <tpamsler at ucdavis.edu> wrote:
>> 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
>>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> John Bush
> 602-490-0470
>