[sword-devel] UI for Windows Question...

[N. Trevor Brierly]

Interesting you should post this.  I need to introduce myself as well, since
I'm also interested in working on a Windows interface.   I'll do that in a
separate post.

We really need a fully-featured Windows interface that we can then make
available to the increasing number of folks who would like a Windows
research tool that can handle OSIS documents.  The SWORD API already
implements most (all?) of OSIS, so it makes sense to start with the SWORD
Windows software.

My original plan had been to essentially take the Windows interface which
currently exists, which is in C++ and modify it into "full-featuredness",
whatever that ends up meaning.  However, I really don't know C++ at all,most
of my experience is in Java and Visual Basic/ASP.  So I'm contemplating
whether I should just buckle down and learn C++ and work with what is there
already.  The concern here is the delay as I crawl up the learning curve.
Or I could build something new in Java. Java has its own problems with
installation and VM conflicts, etc.  Or build something new in Visual Basic.
VB is well-suited for rapid development of interfaces.  Many controls
already exist that can be used in VB, and controls could also be written.
If in VB, then I would probably do it in VB6 instead of fooling with this
new-fangled .Net stuff.  Your intel that .Net doesn't talk to native C++
libraries further confirms me in that.

My feeling is that re-implementing the SWORD API or a part thereof might not
be a good idea.  It's already written in something which can be used by a
wide variety of dev. tools (except of course .Net.... :-( ).  My grim
suggestion is that one or both of us probably ought to just buckle down and
work with the Windows software what we already have in C++, or start fresh
with Java or VB or something else like that.

I haven't taken much of a look at Diatheke, but I don't think it is going to
be sophisticated enough to be behind a "fully featured" Windows interface.
Someone who knows more about Diatheke *please* correct me if I'm wrong.  One
question worth asking is: is Diatheke sophisticated enough that the Linux
interface could do everything it does through Diatheke?  I suspect the
answer to that question will tell us alot about whether the Windows
interface could do the equivalent through Diatheke.

grace and peace,
ntb

"...the chief purpose of life, for any one of us, is to increase according
to our capacity our knowledge of God by all the means we have, and to be
moved by it to praise and thanks. To do as we say in the Gloria in Excelsis:
...We praise you, we call you holy, we worship you, we proclaim your glory,
we thank you for the greatness of your splendour."           J.R.R. Tolkien


-----Original Message-----
From: sword-devel-admin@crosswire.org
[mailto:sword-devel-admin@crosswire.org]On Behalf Of Jason Turner
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 12:14 PM
To: sword-devel@crosswire.org
Subject: Re: [sword-devel] UI for Windows Question...


On this note, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Jason Turner.
I've
been following the Sword project off and on for a while now and just thought
I would make the move to get involved. I have recently read "Revolution in
World Missions" by K.P. Yohannan (Pres of Gospel For Asia) and have been
looking into the work that Voice of the Martyrs and Wycliffe Bible
Translators have been accomplishing. These things have moved me to want to
help with God's work. So, I started looking at what I could do.

I think that the work that you guys have done is awesome. The library of
books
available is incredable. However, it seems that the windows userinterface is
a little dated. I personally prefer Linux and despise Microsoft and
everything that they stand for, however, most people in the world run
windows
and the Sword project could have it's biggest potential impact in the
Windows
world.

So, to get to my point, I was considering writing a new UI in .NET. However,
.NET cannot utilize native C++ libraries. It can use Managed C++, C#,
ActiveX
DLL's and native C libraries. Since I cannot use the Sword API as it stands,
I was considering reimplementing a subset of it in .NET, and then building
the UI on top of that. Of course releasing the whole thing under the GPL.

So, I'm looking for comments. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Is
there
anything that I have missed? Should I take a closer look at Diatheke or
ActiveDiatheke? Is someone else already working on a new Windows client?

Thanks.

Jason Turner

On Monday 10 March 2003 09:27 pm, David Trotz wrote:
> No the windows version does not allow this. Certain versions of the bible
> will automatically break the paragraph into seperate lines per verse, but
> other than that the answer is no. Sorry. It may be added someday. David
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Christopher Frazier
>   To: sword-devel@crosswire.org
>   Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 1:52 PM
>   Subject: [sword-devel] UI for Windows Question...
>
>
>   I've been looking everywhere for this, and since I haven't found the
>   archive to the lists, I guess I have to ask it here:
>
>   How do you view the Bible text one verse per line in Sword for
>   Windows?!?  BibleTime does this in an obvious way, but I cannot figure
>   this out at all in Windows.  Does the program do this at all?
>
>   TIA!
>
>   Chris
>
>   _______________________________________________
>   sword-devel mailing list
>   sword-devel@crosswire.org
>   http://www.crosswire.org/mailman/listinfo/sword-devel

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