fltk/README.123

  R E A D M E . 1 2 3
 =====================

This file listst the differences between FLTK 1 and FLTK 2 with annotations
for a possible implementation of FLTK 3. The all new and improved FLTK 3
needs to be compatible with 1 and 2. It must have a modern API, a complete set of
widgets, lots of options, customization at run-time, but still be easily 
portable, fast, and, of course, light.

FLTK 1 has evolved to be a great starting point for the first steps in GUI 
programming. It runs on all major platform (and on many minor ones
as well), is small, compact, and easy to use. FLTK 2 was the 
attempt to continue the success of FLTK 1 with a clearer and more modern API
and many important details improved. Unfortunately many users never 
made the jump to FLTK 2 and so it not only ended in a crawling slow
branch, it also became instable and at last unmaintainable.

FLTK 3 sets out to surprise FLTK 1 users and satisfy FLTK 2 junkies.
It will basically be the improved FLTK 2 API combined with the proven and
stable innards of FLTK 1. As an extra bonus, FLTK 3 will be compatible
to 1 and 2. Just prepend your code with the "coding_style" instruction
and FLTK 3 will do the rest. It is even possible to intermix F1 and 
F2 coding styles at any place.

Nice challange, eh? So let's get going:


 The Big Differences
---------------------

FLTK 2 is based on FLTK 1 in many ways, and while the FLTK 1 API was based
on the Forms Library, FLTK 2 is Bill's take on how FLTK 1 should have been.
This chapter outlines the biggest differences between version.

(1) Coordinate System: FLTK 1 child coordinates are always relative to the 
window, not as most would expect to the parent group. FLTK 2 does the logical 
thing and uses group-relative origins. This is somewhat difficult to port
if we want to stay downward compatible. Fl_Widget will need an additional
flag indicating absolute or relative coordinates.

(2) Pulldown Menus: The developers of the Forms Library did not implement
the idea of hierarchies all the way through. Pulldown menus, which are 
hierarchical by nature, were instead implemented as a list with lots of
tricks and kludges to make them usable. FLTK 2 went half way by using the
existing Windget/Group relation to create menus, however, menu items are 
still specialized widgets. For FLTK 3, I would like to allow any widget
inside a pulldown menu, using the hierarchical nature of the FLTK base class Fl_Widget. 

(3) Browsers and Tree Views: Browsers in FLTK1 are implemented even worse
than Pulldown Menus. FLTK 2 solved the issues in a similar way, and here
again, I prefer the FLTK 2 way very mch, but also would like to extend 
functionality to allow arbitrary widgets as list items. A Tree-like 
widget comes free with the FLTK 2 concept. FLTK 1 has no such thing and
even Fluid had to hack the library badly to generate a tree view.
FLTK 1.3 now comes with Greg's Fl_Tree widget.

(4) Namespaces: this is a minr issue that I include for completeness. FLTK 2
introduces the fltk namespace, renaming all widgets. FLTK 3 will use the 
FLTK 2 naming scheme and map FLTK 1 class names using typedefs. This is, as
most things in programming are, a compromise. The "coding_style" function 
must be used to switch between FLTK 1 and FLTK 2 code. No worries though,
it's easy and straight forward.

(5) Layout: FLTK 1 uses a top-down approach for widget layout in which the
parent widget decides about the child's size "resize(x, y, w, h)". In FLTK 2
any widget can call "layout()" which will query children for their preferred
size and propagate the information up. This is a great concept that FLTK 3
should adapt, plus it is compatible.

(6) Rectangle: FLTK uses discrete coordinates and sizes. FLTK 2's base class is fltk::Rectangle. This is nice and
easy to implement. The API is pretty much the same in both versions.

(7) Styles: FLTK 2 uses a minimal number of styles to define the basic 
(and often repeated) parameters of every widget. API's are similar though,
so this is luckily another pretty straight-forward upgrade.


 Comparison Chart by Class
---------------------------

This chart contains a list of all classes in FLTK 1 and 2, how they 
correspond, and how they could be implemented in FLTK 3.

1: class Fl
2: namespace fltk
*: this is a pretty straight-forward mapping of functions. The actual work
   lies in finding and listing all global functions and adapting those.

1: class Fl_Adjuster
2: class Adjuster
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class AlignGroup
*: undocumented in FLTK 2. Minimal code. Can be transfered easily.

1: 
2: class AnsiWidget
*: There is no equvalet in FLTK 1, but the widget may be easily ported.

1: 
2: class AssociationFunctor
*: Associations are a new and rarly used concept in FLTK 2. We need to 
   decide if these should be moved into FLTK 3

1: 
2: class AssociationType
*: Associations are a new and rarly used concept in FLTK 2. We need to 
   decide if these should be moved into FLTK 3

1: 
2: class BarGroup
*: undocumented in FLTK 2. Minimal code. Can be transfered easily.

1: class Fl_BMP_Image
2: class bmpImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Bitmap
2:

1: class Fl_Box
2: class Widget
*: This actually maps pretty much exactly to fltk::Widget. FLTK 2 provides
   a bunch of other box-like classes which have some predefined properties,
   however this is the best match for FLTK 1. fltk::InvisibleBox can be used
   as well.

1: class Fl_Browser
2: class Browser

1: class Fl_Browser_
2:

1: class Fl_Button
2: class Button
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Cairo_State
2:

1: class Fl_Cairo_Window
2:

1: class Fl_Chart
2:

1: class Fl_Check_Browser
2:

1: class Fl_Check_Button
2: class CheckButton
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Choice
2: class Choice
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Clock
2: class Clock
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Clock_Output
2: class ClockOutput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Color_Chooser
2: class ColorChooser
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class ComboBrowser

1: 
2: class ComboWindow

1: 
2: class CycleButton

1: class Fl_Counter
2:

1: class Fl_Dial
2: class Dial
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Box 
2: class Divider
*: 

1: class Fl_Double_Window
2: class DoubleBufferWindow
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_End
2:

1: Fl_Box 
2: class EngravedLabel

1: class Fl_File_Browser
2: class FileBrowser
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_File_Chooser
2: class FileChooser
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_File_Icon
2: class FileIcon
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_File_Input
2: class FileInput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Fill_Dial
2: class FillDial
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Fill_Slider
2: class FillSlider
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class FlatBox

1: class Fl_Float_Input
2: class FloatInput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_FormsBitmap
2:

1: class Fl_FormsPixmap
2:

1: class Fl_FormsText
2: class Fl_FormsText
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class FrameBox

1: class Fl_Free
2:

1: class Fl_GIF_Image
2: class gifImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Gl_Choice
2: class GlChoice
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Gl_Window
2: class GlWindow
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class GlOverlay

1: class Fl_Glut_Window
2: class GlutWindow

1: class Fl_Group
2: class Group
*: should map easily, must manage coordinate systems

1: 
2: class GSave

1: 
2: class Guard

1: class Fl_Help_Dialog
2: class HelpDialog
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Help_View
2: class HelpView
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class HighlightBox

1: 
2: class HighlightButton

1: class Fl_Hold_Browser
2:

1: class Fl_Hor_Fill_Slider
2:

1: class Fl_Hor_Nice_Slider
2:

1: class Fl_Hor_Slider
2:

1: class Fl_Hor_Value_Slider
2:

1: class Fl_Image
2: class Image
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Input
2: class Input
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Input_
2:

1: 
2: class InputBrowser

1: class Fl_Input_Choice
2: class ComboBox
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Int_Input
2: class IntInput
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class InvisibleBox

1: struct Fl_Menu_Item 
2: class Item
*: this will be hard to emulate!

1: 
2: class ItemGroup

1: class Fl_JPEG_Image
2: class jpegImage
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class LabelType

1: class Fl_Light_Button
2: class LightButton
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Line_Dial
2: class LineDial
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class List

1: class Fl_Menu_
2: class Menu

1: class Fl_Menu_Bar
2: class MenuBar

1: class Fl_Menu_Button
2: class PopupMenu

1: 
2: class MenuSection

1: class Fl_Menu_Window
2: class MenuWindow

1: class Fl_Screen? 
2: class Monitor

1: class Fl_Multi_Browser
2: class MultiBrowser

1: 
2: class MultiImage

1: class Fl_Multiline_Input
2: class MultiLineInput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Multiline_Output
2: class MultiLineOutput
*: should map easily

1: Fl::lock() 
2: class Mutex

1: class Fl_Nice_Slider
2:

1: 
2: class NumericInput

1: class Fl_Output
2: class Output
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Overlay_Window
2:

1: class Fl_PNG_Image
2: class pngImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_PNM_Image
2: class pnmImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Pack
2: class PackedGroup
*: should map easily, FLTK 2 has some additional functionaity

1: class Fl_Pixmap
2:

1: class Fl_Positioner
2:

1: class Fl_Preferences 
2: class Preferences
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Progress
2: class ProgressBar
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_RGB_Image
2: class rgbImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Radio_Button
2: class RadioButton
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class RadioItem

1: class Fl_Radio_Light_Button
2: class RadioLightButton
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Radio_Round_Button
2:

1: 
2: class Rectangle

1: 
2: class RecursiveMutex

1: class Fl_Repeat_Button
2: class RepeatButton
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Return_Button
2: class ReturnButton
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Roller
2: class ThumbWheel
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Round_Button
2:

1: class Fl_Round_Clock
2:

1: class Fl_Scroll
2: class ScrollGroup
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Scrollbar
2: class Scrollbar
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Secret_Input
2: class SecretInput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Select_Browser
2:

1: 
2: class ShapedWindow

1: class Fl_Shared_Image
2: class SharedImage
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class ShortcutFunctor

1: class Fl_Simple_Counter
2:

1: class Fl_Single_Window
2:

1: 
2: class SignalMutex

1: class Fl_Slider
2: class Slider
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Spinner
2:

1: 
2: class StatusBarGroup

1: 
2: class StringArray

1: 
2: class StringHierarchy

1: 
2: class StringList

1: 
2: class Style

1: 
2: class StyleSet

1: 
2: class Symbol

1: class Fl_Sys_Menu_Bar
2: class SystemMenuBar
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Tabs
2: class TabGroup
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class TabGroupPager

1: class Fl_Text_Buffer
2: class TextBuffer
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Text_Display
2: class TextDisplay
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Text_Editor
2: class TextEditor
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Text_Selection
2: class TextSelection
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Tile
2: class TiledGroup
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Tiled_Image
2: class TiledImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Timer
2:

1: class Fl_Toggle_Button
2: class ToggleButton
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class ToggleItem

1: class Fl_Tooltip
2: class Tooltip
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class WordwrapInput

1: 
2: class WordwrapOutput

1: class Fl_Valuator
2: class Valuator
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Value_Input
2: class ValueInput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Value_Output
2: class ValueOutput
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Value_Slider
2: class ValueSlider
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Widget
2: class Widget
*: should map easily for the most part

1: class Fl_Widget_Tracker
2:

1: class Fl_Window
2: class Window
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_Wizard
2: class WizardGroup
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_X 
2: class CreatedWindow
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_XBM_Image
2: class xbmImage
*: should map easily

1: class Fl_XPM_Image
2: class xpmImage
*: should map easily

1: 
2: class xpmFileImage

1: 
2: struct Cursor

1: 
2: struct Font

1: struct Fl_Glut_Bitmap_Font
2:

1: struct Fl_Glut_StrokeChar
2:

1: struct Fl_Glut_StrokeFont
2:

1: struct Fl_Glut_StrokeStrip
2:

1: struct Fl_Glut_StrokeVertex
2:

1: struct Fl_Help_Block
2: struct HelpBlock
*: should map easily

1: struct Fl_Help_Font_Stack
2:

1: struct Fl_Help_Font_Style
2:

1: struct Fl_Help_Link
2: struct HelpLink
*: should map easily

1: struct Fl_Help_Target
2: struct HelpTarget
*: should map easily

1: 
2: struct ImageType

1: struct Fl_Label
2:

1: struct Fl_Menu_Item
2:

1: struct Fl_Multi_Label
2:

1: 
2: struct NamedStyle