DiscreetFX is evaluating toolkits for Aladdin 4D OS 4.0 version.

We just got the source code to A4D a few days ago and are in the middle of a code review. So far code looks very manageable and portable. For the OS 4.0 version we are evaluating toolkits to use for the GUI, MUI vs ReAction and wanted to get some feedback opinions from the community on the pros/cons of each.

@DiscreetFX

It is only a personl preference but I much prefer MUI.

The user gets to snapshot window positions without any effort from the coder. That is the one weakness of Reaction I find as a user.

MUI seems to be able to lay things out better too and seems more configurable. It is only opinion but I find Reaction looks more "clunky" than MUI.

On the coding front, I have never really used Reaction so cannot realy say much about that side of it. I do find MUI fairly easy to use once you get into the hang of it.


Bill

@DiscreetFX

Hemm maybe in few months time you can port it to native OS4 version of GTK, if manage to write a new GDK for OS4

I will try anyway.

Reaction is a nice toolkit anyway, try it.

I've never tried mui,but i find reaction fairly easy to set up and customize to my needs.

Hi DiscreetFX,


I'm excited that you were daring enough to buy the Aladdin 4D source code.

Well, I prefer that you go system friendly with reaction.... MUI seems to add ALOT of overhead to AOS in general.

But then truly, I'm not sure what advantages MUI does bring to AOS anyway.



P.S. Did you see my PM?

@DiscreetFX

I prefere a ReAction gui, but if you want to make if multiplatform there is really only MUI.

RWO

@DiscreetFX

Quote:MUI is no option, at least not as long as it's not sure if there ever will be an AmigaOS4 version of MUI4. If it has to be something similar to MUI get someone to port the AROS Zune to AmigaOS4 instead. Zune doesn't have advantages over MUI, AFAIK it clones everything of MUI including it's design flaws, but unlike for MUI you can at least make sure that the GUI system can be improved and bugs get fixed.

@Atheist

Quote:
Do even know what "system friendly" means?

I've never noticed my MUI apps running slower than my Reaction apps, except for IBrowse because its 68k and complex.

MUI is better than Reaction for built in configurability. You simply open the prefs window (one line of code to do this), and then MUI handles everything else transparently. Under Reaction you have to have code for everything, including iconifying, snapshotting (as another said already), configuring fonts, etc.

Reaction currently looks better than MUI 3.9 (under OS4) because only the Classic OS4 version of MUI has vertical gradients for its gadgets right now.

P.S. Reaction and MUI are both "system friendly" *rolls eyes* and PPC native on OS4.

Hi jahc,


Okay, I may have been mistaken.

It's just that one time when I did a list all on DH0: to a file then perused it, it seemed as though there were hundreds and hundreds of MUI system files. I just did a list all on MUI and there's only 4.029 Megs and that includes 534 K of documentaion and 240 K of demos.... And then there's the fact that PPC can increase code size by 50 to 300%+....

So I guess it's not as horrendous as I thought. My mistake.


edit
Actually, it's really, really small, but then again, why am I surprised?, it's "AMIGA"!!
edit

@DiscreetFX

As a personal preference, I prefer ReAction, but I don't mind MUI either.

@DiscreetFX

I'll second for MUI, though I currently use ReAction for programming. If you plan to build versions for other systems this is the best choice, and besides that it has more high level features and classes than ReAction.
Current OS4 version of MUI is way outdated and a bit buggy (vertical gradients, etc...), but I'm still hoping for a MUI4 port that would change the deal

@centaurz

Yes, we are leaning toward MUI, not because we don't like ReAction. But because Aladdin 4D is a multi platform product. Another thing that is being explored is something Miami used to do. The Amiga TCP/IP stack Miami allowed the user top pick their favorite GUI as an option. This would be more work but we might set that as the ultimate long term goal.

@DiscreetFX


I would prefer a GUI, not limited to OS4.


Are you going to do an updated 68K version ?

@benny

We would like too since it supports the Amiga Video Toaster/Flyer.

@DiscreetFX

I would like it to be reaction since it's the "default" tool kit of OS4, but as you plan aladdin to be more portable there seems to be no option..
what about feelin? is there anyone using it at all or is it a "oh no more toolkits"no-no-thing?

@Amigo1

IMHO, Feelin is very promising and offers new interesting features, the problem is that the API is still changing (faster than the builtin classes...) and the developer archive contains a significative amount of things "under construction".
It has several advantages over MUI/ReAction (no BOOPSI, XML stuff, ...) but ATM I'm not sure you have the minimum required for the typical GUI (e.g. : no menus).
Otherwise, it would be also a good candidate

Using MUI (3.x) will make it easier to compile on OS3.x, OS4, MOS and even AROS (through ZUNE).

I personally prefer Reaction under OS3.9/4.0 though.

MUI ofcourse. Easier to port to other amigasystems also.

@centaurz

OT:

the screenshots look very nice indeed, when is it supposed to be in a useable status like the aladin project?

@Amigo1

Thats a great question for the new Aladdin 4D forums website.

www.aladdin4d.com


:)