What Can We Do and Not Do?

[sensiblepc]

Here is what I am after. There is a good set of features in DW, and yet for
application development DW currently only expresses itself as an intuitive
after thought. (The negitive)

I would like to take a shot at building some tools that do things like create
an ORM (Object Relational Management - Database CFCs), create instant Forms
based on these ORMs, and even look at if there is a way to create skin'd custom
tags for display handling the content during run time, and template pages. (I
have been using template pages since Fusebox 2 days... and enhanced what I was
doing. It seemed to me that MS either borrowed my concepts or someone else
thought of the same idea for 2.0 dotNet pages.) It would also be good if
something like unit testing could be integrated. (I know currently integrating
debugging isn't going to happen. There is no mechanism to stop through running
code from DW's interface, and the variable debugging doesn't return deep
structure... so you cannot watch variables effectively.) I also want to be able
to create macros to set up additional features for a project that are not in
the standard project configuration file. (Wish we could add our own pages to
that editor, but that is fine if I can just create one on the side.) Would love
to figure out how to create a full package that worked with SVN, comparing
code, managed what directories and file types would upload, and even hooked
external directories so you could "associate projects". Oh, let's not forget
built in integration of Unit Testing! Also... I am not looking for this to be
portable to the other languages. It could be reproduced for them, but not
seeking portability. I am seeking to capitalize on the best features of CF.
Create a project management tool that focuses on the strengths of CF.

Here is what I am after... I would like some discussion on what can be done
and what cannot be done. I have expressed my disappointment for features
multiple times and for multiple versions. (Which only makes me a voice in a
croud!) Then one of my thoughts was something Hal Helms said, your customer
doesn't know what he wants unitl he sees it. Based on that, my vision will not
make sense to many until they see it. So please let's not get into a debate. I
am glad to answer clarification questions, but if you don't agree... just let
me try because there is always the odd chance I see something you may not
because of my unique perspective.

(Here is a basic thought so you can see my perspective... DW lets you create
menus and nav bars. Yet, the content of these bars isn't dynamic at run time.
DW is currently configured as primarily a design time tool with some run time
application extentions. It has come a long way... but it hasn't arrived. I love
programming with ColdFusion. Building extentions for Eclipse requires JAVA vs
Javascript. And I believe that DW is better documented for this task. So if
someone at MM ... ah, Adobe can chip in info that would be great also.)

[Randy Edmunds]

You touched on many topics. Here are a few comments:

> ... comparing code ...

DW8 added file diff support.

> ... managed what directories and file types would upload ...

you can cloak be folder

> DW lets you create menus and nav bars.
> Yet, the content of these bars isn't dynamic at run time.

If you look at the mechnism in the _mmServerScripts folder, you can see
how DW accesses database info during design time. You can do the same
from JavaScript dialogs. Is that what you're looking for?

> DW is currently configured as primarily a design time tool with some run time
> application extentions.

All of the Application code is extensible, so you can update it for your
tastes. Just ask the guys from Interakt ([url]http://www.interaktonline.com[/url]).

Hope this helps,
Randy