Re: Summer of Code ; pgAdmin III

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgadmin-hackers-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
> [mailto:pgadmin-hackers-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of
> Chilot Damien
> Sent: 03 May 2006 12:38
> To: pgadmin-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org
> Subject: [pgadmin-hackers] Summer of Code ; pgAdmin III
>
> Hello,

Hello

> I am totally new to this list and would like to ask your
> opinion about the development of a graphical interface to
> build queries in pgAdmin III (for a google summer of code).
> The idea seems interesting and I would appreciate if you
> could tell me if you are interested in it too and if you
> already have some ideas you would like to discuss.

We're certainly interested - in fact it was me that proposed the
project.

> I am
> currently learning computer science (fourth year of a diploma
> equivalent to a master's degree) and wish to code during this
> summer. I am quite used to cvs and open source development
> (OpenOffice-like development with the URE). I have already
> used basic wxWidget features in a project and know SQL. I'll
> spend some time of the weeks with an internship but I would
> still be able to develop the interface during the week-ends
> and evenings.

OK, sounds good.

> If you think I can be of some use to the project, I plan in a
> first time to get to compile PostgreAdmin III, add basic

Hehe - first time I've heard it called that!! It's definitely pgAdmin
though :-)

> controls in the interface while looking how the code works.
> Then, for the development in itself, it could depend on what
> you (and probably the users) are interested in, that is to
> say if the interface has to look like those in OpenOffice and
> Access or something different. Building simple queries would
> be the next step using wxWidgets and finally I hope that more
> complex queries could be implemented within the time allowed.

One of the reasons I proposed this particular project for SoC is that it
is fairly standalone. pgAdmin's internals are sufficiently complex to
discourage many potential developers but this project should be possible
with minimum interaction with the main browser code.

Essentially, what I think I'd like to see is a new tabset on the Query
Tool window. It would hold the existing SQL textbox on the first (SQL)
tab, and the query builder on a second (Builder) tab. The existing
output grid/textboxes on the bottom of the screen would remain as they
are now. The builder should then work in a similar way to Microsoft
Query (unless you can propose a better design), allowing the user to add
tables or views, create joins and select restrictions and choose output
columns when using the Builder tab. Once the query is built, the user
would then be able to run it as per any manually entered query, and view
it on the first tab.

One absolute requirement is that the query execution/data loading code
of the Query Tool remain untouched. I would envisage implemtation of the
builder itself in a custom control class, and minimal changes to
frmQuery to add the tabset, builder control and plumb them all together.

In the very early SVN code for pgAdmin (see
http://svn.pgadmin.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/branches/REL-1_0_0_PATCHES/pg
admin3/src/ui/frmQueryBuilder.cpp?rev=2641&view=markup for example),
there is an early version of a query builder that could be used as a
model - however that code is unsuitable for production as it relies on
MDI windows which do not exist on Mac, and wxWidgets 'features' that
didn't work correctly on GTK, and also is separate from the Query Tool.

There's a quick introduction anyway - if that hasn't scared you off I'd
love to see this project get underway!

Regards, Dave