Update a view plugin from an action in text editor plugin - build

I have two eclipse plugins(custom text editor plugin and a view plugin as two different projects). There is an action in the text editor that builds index of 'functions' of all dependent source files. At the end of this action I would like to show index(list of 'functions') in a tableviewer of the view plugin. What would you say the best way to achieve this? The view does not have to listen to the editor. It should be updated only when an action from editor plugin fires.
I exported a package from the editor plugin and exported another package from the view plug because text editor plugin needs to reference view type to populate tableViewer in the view plugin, and the view plugin needs to reference editor type in tableviewer's contentProvider. But I am getting an build path error:
A cycle was detected in the build path of project
How can I resolve this? Or If this is a bad approach, do I have a better way?
Thanks.
tk.

First of all, circular references between plug-ins are not allowed. So when you need to share information bidirectional between plug-ins, you often have to refactor the problem, to have a listener pattern for one of the directions.
In this case, I would use the same structure for your view as used for the existing Outline view. So your view should sub-class the PageBookView which have a rather simple protocol for how a participating editor can provide data to the view.
Basically I would do the same as done for the Outline view, and let the editor itself provide the content of the view via adaption. The Outline view does this by tracking the current editor, and whenever a new editor is "seen", the Outline view attempts to adapt the IEditorPart to IContentOutlinePage. The editor is responsible for the SWT widgets and listeners, etc that will be needed in the view page for this particular editor... Have a close look at the JavaDoc for ContentOutline - this is a rather good description of the protocols involved.
If you have multiple "open" editors, then the new view will automatically show the relevant information for the active editor and not "just" the editor that was active the last time you executed your action.
With this scheme, your action will simply
Show (and activate) the new view. This can be done via IWorkbenchPage.showView(...).
Request the provide page to update its view...

Related

How to make a statically binded rendering editable via Experience Editor (Sitecore MVC)

So I have a layout view within Sitecore Mvc, this view contained a Controller Rendering that pulls in a header and footer navigation. Example:
#Html.Sitecore().Rendering("/sitecore/layout/renderings/some_rendering")
This specifies a Controller Rendering I've defined in Sitecore. This works great, except when I'm in the experience editor. It doesn't give me the ability to select this rendering. If I create a Placeholder and then define these navigation elements to this placeholder dynamically via Sitecore, then I can, but these navigational elements exist on every page of this layout, so I would like them statically placed instead of using a Placeholder, but I would still like the user to be able to select the navigation element in the experience editor (so I can create custom command to interact with this navigation, such as creating new links, etc).
Does anyone have an idea that will help me achieve this?
Use Edit Frame for that and create Custom Edit Frame Button for operations like adding new element to the navigation.
And remember to pass Datarsource ID or Path as a second parameter to the Html.Sitecore().Rendering() method:
#Html.Sitecore().Rendering("/sitecore/layout/renderings/some_rendering", new { DataSource = "{some-id-or-path}" })
Here is set of blog posts which can help you to understand how Edit Frames work and how to add them in Sitecore MVC solution:
https://visionsincode.wordpress.com/2015/01/08/how-to-use-editframe-in-sitecore-mvc/
https://www.cmsbestpractices.com/how-to-properly-use-sitecore-edit-frames/
https://briancaos.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/using-sitecore-editframe-in-pageedit/
You won't be able to remove the component or move it around the page (yeah, it's statically bound to one place on your layout), but you will be able to edit it's properties and datasource.
You can try to use GlassMapper views and statically inherit the view from the GlassView.
Then you'll be able to use Editable method to render the field.
But the consideration you need to take is that you'll not be able to set a datasource to the component from the page editor or content editor.
Instead of injecting the rendering through the Rendering method you should be able to use standart MVC RenderPartial.
I've used this approach on one of the projects I've been on and it worked.

Sitecore Glass Mapper - Using Item Renderings

I'm setting up a carousel in Sitecore using Glass Mapper. In the foreach loop to generate each carousel item, I can get the items out easily enough and make them editable with the #Editable command. What this doesn't give, however, is finer control over the edit process. For example, I want to edit the background image using a custom button in the Experience Editor, but I need to set that up in a rendering.
If I was using straight Sitecore, it looks like I'd use Html.Sitecore().ItemRendering and pass in the carousel item as a regular Sitecore item. In this case, I have my strongly-type class from Glass Mapper, which can't be passed in that way.
Is there a comparable method in Glass Mapper for setting up an item rendering? Or is there another way to affect the Experience Editor buttons for the carousel items? I've also experimented with setting up a separate edit mode, which would work fine, but I wanted to put together a cleaner editing experience with a more WYSIWYG approach to the item.
You'll have to use Custom User Experience Buttons which will allow you to edit in Page Editor Mode.
I just googled and found couple of good article which might help you.
http://www.nishtechinc.com/Blog/2015/March/A%20Better%20Approach%20at%20Carousel%20Management
http://www.awareweb.com/awareblog/11-25-14-custombuttonspageeditor
Try Html.Glass().BeginEditFrame() functionality built into Glass Mapper, wrapped in a #using block.
It allows you to specify the fields you wish to edit directly as params. Or if you're feeling adventurous, it can point to a full edit frame configuration in the core DB.

Sitecore 8 implement tooltip on RTE authored content

We have a requirement to implement tooltips for words that are authored in Sitecore RTE.
The idea behind is that user should be able to hover over the word and see it's description/meaning.
Is this possible to achieve in sitecore? Did a quick search on marketplace but could not find any modules.
Below are some options to consider for achieving what you described.
Inject Tooltip HTML in a renderField pipeline
In this option, you would extend the renderField pipeline. First, you will need to ensure that you are dealing with a rich-text field, and if so, locate terms and replace them with the necessary markup that is required for the tooltip. This could be as simple as wrapping the word in an <abbr> or perhaps a <span> element with a CSS class. The list of terms and tooltip content could be sourced from items in Sitecore or a custom Sitecore Dictionary. Caching the terms would be essential as this pipeline processor is invoked frequently every time a field is rendereded.
Progressive enhancement with JavaScript
This approach is almost entirely based on the client-side. Terms could be located and replaced fairly easily with the help of JQuery. If the list of terms is of a reasonable size, they could be bootstrapped into a JavaScript variable. Once terms are located and enhanced, a separate, asynchronous call to a REST endpoint could be made when hovering or clicking the term. The API would accept a term and respond with the term's definition.
HTML Snippet in RTE Editor
Sitecore RTE editor can be extended with additional buttons. One of these options allows you to insert predefined snippets of HTML. The RTE editor also has a setting to specify a CSS file to style the content within the field (<setting name="WebStylesheet" value="/css/yourstylesheet.css" />). Styling would be necessary in order to target the description markup and make it visible to be edited, whereas, on the public site, the description markup would normally be hidden by default until the term is clicked on or hovered over.
Dynamic Link Replacement
http://www.layerworks.com/blog/sitecore-token-replacement

Customize Sitecore Content Editor Language Selector

I have already customize the Page Editor Language Selector by overriding the webedit command, but I can't figure out how to customize the Content Editor Language Selector:
I am trying to replicate the functionality I added for the Page Editor Language Selector, which sorts the languages by region and then language name, and also adjusts the name to not display the ": language (region)" part.
I have already tried overriding the Sitecore.Shell.Applications.Globalization.SelectLanguage.SelectLanguagePage on the SelectLanguage.xaml.xml shell file, but that is for the More Langauges dialog and not for the initial view of the languages. I have also tried overriding the ribbon:languages command, but that is for the click event on each language for actually selecting it.
Any suggestions where else I should look for this functionality?
That menu is generated by \sitecore\shell\Applications\Content Manager\Galleries\Languages\Gallery Languages.xml and the associated CodeBeside in Sitecore.Shell.Applications.ContentManager.Galleries.Languages.GalleryLanguagesForm, Sitecore.Client
The rendering of each option is control by \sitecore\shell\Applications\Content Manager\Galleries\Languages\Gallery Languages.Option.xml although the values are set from the CodeBeside.
BTW, I just used the Chrome Dev Tools to figure out what was going on. From the Network Panel there is an XHTTP call to default.aspx?xmlcontrol=Gallery.Languages. Useful debugging steps.

How can I visually design a component in C++ Builder?

I have been away from C++ for a couple of years now doing AS3/Flex work. I have gotten used to being able to create a component and place it in design mode with very little fuss and I am struggling to get my head around the C++ Builder way of doing the same thing.
I have written many components for C++ Builder in the past, but none of them have been visual. What I would like to do now is create a component for customer search and another for order processing because I want to be able to create a new instance of these on the fly. What I don't want to do is have to place each of the components like the dbgrid and search fields manually in code. I would like to do this (as well as set their properties) in design mode.
How do I go about this? I have browsed the source for other Delphi components and I notice they have dfm files which seems to be what I need. How do I do this in C++ Builder? The only option I see is to add a new form if I want a dfm, but this isn't what I want as my components will be based on TPanel.
Is there a way to do this or do I have to resort to doing it all in code with no visual reference?
Pursuing the DFM idea I did a test this morning where I created a component based on TPanel and added a new form to it which I create and parent in the constructor of the component. In design mode I set the form border to none and placed a grid on it. This all looks OK until I place the component in my application, at that point it looks like a panel with a standard looking form in it and the grid is missing. If I run the app the panel shows as expected, borderless and with a grid. The DFM appears to be ignored in design mode for some reason.
If you know a better way to do this than using components then please give me some pointers.
Any help and advice will be appreciated beyond words
You might want to have a look at frames (look for "Frame objects"). They are "subforms" you can design visually and then place on forms.
Just as an FYI item, you can also drop the panel on a form, put any other controls on it, position them, set captions, etc..
Now, click the panel to select it, and use Component->Create Component Template from the IDE's main menu. This creates a unit you can install as a component which will add the panel and it's sub-controls (as a single component) to the IDE's component palette.
Of course, you can then modify the source for that new component like any other component source.