[Qt-creator] Some thoughts about 2.5

[eike.ziller at nokia.com]

On 27 May 2012, at 06:14, ext Geronimo Ma. Hernandez wrote:

Collecting from different mails:

> I gave QtCreator another try and found out, that the behaviour is different for
> changing the prototype of a function and adding a function.

Usually adding the definition of a function would be meaningless without putting something into the function body. Both after adding a function declaration and definition, one usually will want to change the exact location of that code too. So "usually" jumping to the corresponding source/header is the better thing to do.

> - support for different window (number, size, position) for debug session and
> editing session and each session should save column size for lists too.

If you mean changing the layout of the debugging mode (I'm not sure what you mean): Turn Window > Views > Locked off (also available through the context menu on the debugger tool bar).

> - support templates for file, class and method creation (file-templates distinct
> for each extension), with placeholder for date, username, classname, ...

That could certainly be extended / be made more GUI friendly. For what you can do right now: http://doc.qt.nokia.com/qtcreator-extending/index.html (Generating Domain Specific Code and Templates)

> - files created by "new C++-class" should automatically become part of the
> (active) project, or add a context menu entry for project tree-nodes

As stated already, doesn't work with CMake build system support in Qt Creator.
Qt Creator will not relieve you from the task of learning the build system (also with qmake one comes only a partial way without).

> - follow symbol under cursor should keep track of open editors and if more
> than one editor is open (splitted), the current active editor should not
> change.

If the "target" file is currently visible in another split that probably would be better. Otherwise, if the editor is only split in two, it might be better to open in the non-active split, I'm not sure about that though. If it is split further, what would the heuristics be for choosing where to open the file?

> - mark all occurrences of symbol under cursor (variable, function, class, what
> ever) in the current file (or better in all visible files) so usages can be
> visualized very fast

Qt Creator marks occurrences inline since a while (also in 2.5).
[cid:f982770b-b545-4251-924d-a7b8152bffcd at mgd.nokia.com]


> I'm quite sure, that I'm not the only user of debian stable, who likes to use
> a sophisticated ide.

I'm not sure of that ;)

>>   UNSUPPORTED GDB VERSION GNU gdb (GDB) 7.0.1-debian
> Why not pop a messagebox, with a (localized - is QtCreator localized?)
> message, telling that the gdb is not supported.

That would certainly be better, at least for really-too-old-or-otherwise-known-not-to-work-gdbs. (With the usual never tell me again (about this specific gdb version?) option.)


>> Sorry to be blunt, but if you move outside the area (and era) of what
>> your distribution offers you, _you_ are responsible for making sure
>> all dependencies are met.
>
> I partially agree. If I'd build QtCreator from sources, I'd fully agree.
>
> But using a binary installer, that ships all but one requirements?

Well, we also don't ship a compiler tool chain, nor 'make', nor 'qmake' or cmake or any other actual build tool, that you need to actually create something from your code. Also not quite a few other dependencies that one needs to run Qt Creator itself, actually we only ship the necessary Qt libraries...
Your best shot if you really want dependency checking for installing a package would probably be to try to install the Qt Creator 2.5.0 debian package from debian unstable... :D

Br, Eike

--
Eike Ziller
Principal Software Engineer

Nokia, Qt Development Frameworks

Nokia gate5 GmbH
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