SeasideXUL = Seaside + XUL

A Brief talk and links about Seaside XUL = a remotely served rich client powered by Firefox XUL and Seaside

• What is Seaside?
  
  
  
  • Most Smalltalk developers are familiar with Seaside: "Seaside provides a layered set of abstractions over HTTP and HTML that let us build highly interactive web applications quickly, reusably and maintainably. "
  • Main link: http://seaside.st/
    
  • Succesfully deployed applications
    
  • Seaside tutorial http://www.swa.hpi.uni-potsdam.de/seaside/tutorial
    
  • Seaside links on Delicious http://delicious.com/mzimmerm/seaside
    
  
  
• Firefox
  
  • No introduction required
    
  
  
• What is Gecko?
  
  • Part of Firefox. Firefox rendering Engine, which renders XUL into a User Interface.
    

• What is XUL?
  
  • XUL (XML User Interface Language) is Mozilla's XML-based language that lets you build feature-rich cross platform applications that can run connected or disconnected from the Internet. These applications are easily customized with alternative text, graphics and layout so they can be readily branded or localized for various markets. See XUL Periodic Table in Firefox or another Gecko-based browser to see some XUL demos.
    
  • Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XUL
    
  • To Run XUL, Firefox or at least Gecko must be installed locally.
    
  • XUL allows to write a web application that also run as "local native applications" - but there are some limitations such as opening local resources.
    
  • XUL Applications use"Firefox native widgets" that is, they look on every platform as Firefox, but can be skinned as any web applicatiuon can.
    
  • Main Link: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL
    
  • XUL Tutorial: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL_Tutorial
    
  • my XUL links on http://delicious.com/mzimmerm/xul
    
    
• How does XUL code Look? (abbreviated)
  

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<?xml-stylesheet href="chrome://global/skin" type="text/css"?>

<window title="XUL Nested Trees"
      xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
      xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul">

<description><html:h1>XUL Nested Trees</html:h1></description>
<hbox flex="1">
<groupbox flex="2">
  <tree id="tree1" flex="1" >
    <treecols>
      <treecol id="sex1"   flex="1" label="Name" primary="true" />
      <treecol id="color1" flex="1" label="Color" />
      <treecol id="attr1"  flex="1" label="Attribute" />
    </treecols>
    <treechildren>
      <treeitem  container="true" open="true">
        <treerow>
          <treecell label="Female" />
        </treerow>
        <treechildren>
          <treeitem>
            <treerow>
              <treecell label="Pearl" />
              <treecell label="Gray" />
              <treecell label="Frumpy" />
            </treerow>
          </treeitem>
  ....
        </treechildren>
  ....
  </tree>
</groupbox>

 .......
</hbox>
</window>

• How
  does the result of above XUL code look?
  

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• What is SeasideXUL?
  
  • SeasideXUL is a web framework that enables to create thin-client desktop applications with standard look&feel based on remote XUL in Smalltalk. It is an additional layer on top of Seaside web framework. (from http://code.google.com/p/seasidexul/wiki/SeasideXUL?tm=6)
    
  • Author: Pavel Krivanek.
    
  • PavelKrivanek's original announcement (April 2008):
    http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lang.smalltalk.squeak.seaside/15269
    
  • XULSeaside Home on Google code:http://code.google.com/p/seasidexul/
    
  • XULSeaside packages: http://www.squeaksource.com/@9coDcgoU1Gaeu7is/CORBMYCV
    
    
    
    • To use XULSeaside, download and install to Squeak:
      
      • Seaside
        
      • SeasideXUL-pk.79.mcz
        from http://www.squeaksource.com
        (containsSeaside XUL core. A must to run SeasideXUL)
        
      • OB-SeasideXUL-pk.20.mcz
        and OB-Standard-pk.337.mcz
        from http://www.squeaksource.com(Contains ability run Omnibrowser completely remotely via SeasideXUL. Can serve as a source of good examples!)
        
    • When SeasideXUL is installed in Squeak, it runs a Sample Seaside XUL application which duplicates the XUL Periodic table.
      
    • When OB-SeasideXUL is installed, it duplicates OB run remotely
      
  • Another SeasideXUL introduction: http://vst.ensm-douai.fr/Esug2008Media/uploads/1/seasidexul-EsugAwards2008.pdf
    
  • My Seaside XUL links: http://delicious.com/mzimmerm/seaside_xul
    
  
  
• A brief demo of a SeasideXUL application (visual presentation - not in this document)