[Gambas-user] A few things about linked source files

[Bruce]

I have not raised these as bugs because I don't believe anyone else
would be mad enough to use linked source files as much as I have in the
prototype I built recently to "win" our new project. I also believe
there are more important things for the core developer(s) to concentrate
on. So it's just a heads up list of "quirks" for later on when linked
sources become more important.

(For the sake of brevity, project A has the real file (say a form) and
project B has the link.)

1) When the linked form is opened in B the form designer shows a short
form of its toolbar, OK but the "locked" button state is false. This has
effects lower down this list. It should be true. This also means there
an inconsistent metaphor on the tabs for the form and the class. With
the class the [read-only] "tag" is visible, with the class it isn't. But
see 4) below.

2) (Trivial) If you inadvertently make the form the start-up class for B
(Alt+s or a nervous twitch on the mouse) then B correctly starts the
form on an F5. OK. But after getting over the initial heart attack it is
very difficult to see the triangular start-up indicator in the project
browser panel as it is almost totally obscured by the linked file
adornment on the form icon.

3) The form designer reload button is hidden. It would be handy to have
this button available as, if I have both projects open and change
something on the form in project A and save it, there is no way short of
closing B completely and re-opening it in a new IDE instance to see the
changes.

4) (I lied! There is a way to do 3), but it has side effects.) If, on
the form designer, I click on the Lock Form button the following occurs:
a) the tab now correctly shows the [read-only] tag. But
b) the link adornment in the project browser panel has disappeared.
(and, what is weird is, it appears to be gone forever! Closing the IDE
and starting a new instance doesn't even bring it back.) Oh. I just had
a look at the .src directory. The link to the .form file has been
snapped! This is probably a very bad thing.

There are a few more but I am really tired tonight. I probably should
raise a bug report on that last one - maybe tomorrow.

regards
Bruce