RADiola, a GTK RAD tool

[Fabricio Rocha <rocha_fabricio yahoo com br>]

Folks,

	I hope this is not off-topic for the list, but I would like to know 
what do you think about this project of mine, as it is being itself 
developed in GTK and it is kind of a Rapid Application Development tool 
for delivering simple GTK apps. I have written a PDF User Guide, with 
some screenshots, and uploaded it here:

http://www.quickdump.com/files/56883457.html

	I would really like to have your opinions, suggestion, critics, etc. 
about the software, so it would be great if you could have a look at it. 
If QuickDump does not help, I can send the PDF through e-mail for those 
who want it. Here is an excerpt from the guide, about features:

	"RADiola is a very simple Rapid Application Development (RAD) tool, 
heavily inspired in known RAD tools like Visual Basic, Gambas, Delphi, 
but specially in PDAToolbox and some inspiration from the legendary 
Apple HyperCard when it comes to user-friendness. However, RADiola's 
main characteristics, which make it a different software, are:

        - It is absolutely free software.

	- It is focused in easiness of use, which of course means a sacrifice 
in flexibility and power, but makes it a useful tool for education and 
introduction to software development.

	- No knowledgement of a programming language is needed. Applications 
are completely created in a graphical manner. The AppDesigner module 
encomprises an interface designer with the most commonly used widgets 
found in graphical environments, such as labels, entry fields, 
radiobuttons, tables, etc. Plus, the application variables and composite 
types (like records in Pascal or structs in C) may be created and 
defined from GUI dialogs with the default types available, such as 
integers, strings, pointers and arrays, allowing the user to create 
(declare) very complex variables for global use in the application.

	- Responses to events happened in the applications are set with the use 
of very simple fluxograms (flowcharts) which compose subroutines, 
equivalents to the functions and procedures found in most programming 
languages. They can have local-scope variables (which are also created 
by the user in a very simple GUI interface) and very simple mathematical 
formulae as easy as those we all learnt in school. Simple geometric 
shapes play the role of the most basic programming elements (loop, 
if-then decision, return, value attribution, etc).

	- Ready for use is The RADiola Library, a bunch of pre-made subroutines 
for most common actions, like showing a message box, opening another 
program, close a window, greying out widgets, etc. The user can add to 
the library his own subroutines, or may easily modify some of the 
existing subroutines (they are just like flowcharts as well!) and 
distribute them to other users. “Wrapper” subroutines for some widely 
used GPL libraries are available and may be easily created by 
developers. The RADiola Library is very expansible and you can freely 
download new versions or single subroutines.

	- For those who want to use more advanced or specific libraries, 
RADiola permits placement of traditional function calls in the generated 
code. No need to be stuck to the standard library.

	- It is not an interpreter and it does not include a compiler – all the 
user-created applications are saved in XML and INI scripts which are 
converted to source-code by the Code Generator modules available. So, a 
more experienced programmer may improve the code with his own hands – of 
course, no computer can match what a capable mind can do.

	- Although the default Code Generator outputs code in C with GTK/GLib, 
other Code Generators may become available, such as C++ with Qt, Tcl/Tk, 
FreePascal, etc. With the use of different Code Generators, the user 
applications become highly portable among a lot of systems and graphical 
environments, with no (or very little) modifications in the source-codes."

Thank you very much!

Fabricio Rocha
Brasilia, Brasil

        

        
                
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