Designing a Dreamweaver type "Properties Window"

[larm]

I'm looking for some info on how to design/handle a properties editor similar to Dreamweaver's properties window.

My current attempt works well enough, but I have a feeling it isn't optimal. Before I do the x:th rewrite I would like to do some research on how others have solved this.

Any source code, design patterns, information, suggestions are welcome

Cheers

 

[stefanwagner]

Why isn't it optimal?

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[BobRodes]

You might want to describe what you're doing in your "current attempt".

Bob

 

[larm]

Currently it's a multi-window interface (pretty similar to MDI ). In each window there are several different objects visible. If you activate / click on an object the properties window updates (buttons, lists etc. are replaced) and the selected object's properties are displayed.

Most of the edit commands (that actually change the objects properties) reside in a command class, so that I can undo/redo changes easily (and sometime support macros).

My current problem is more of an ownership issue (who should control the buttons, the input sanity etc.) and that some updates does not get reflected in the property window.

I also had some major lock-up problems when changing the GUI of another window in an "onEnter" event of another window. This forced me to move lots of update code to another class which was not part of the initial plan...

So if you know of any applications that has a properties window that works like Dreamweaver's I would love to take a look on their approach.

Hope it clarifies

 

[dragonwell]

So, for each object type to be edited, create a modular, object-editor control/widget. Make the Properties window a simple shell that that can host any type of object-editor control. Make sure you have a controller class to orchestrate the communication between the window that host the object lists, and the properties window. That's what you are doing?

I would think a lot of open source IDE's and use this same format (Inspector/Properties window). Maybe have a look at the SharpDevelop code, or even a photo-editing program like Gimp?

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[larm]

Thank you for your reply

I shall check out the GIMP code.