My most recent problem/breakthrough was around enums. The particular app in question uses GXT in the browser, a set of native client apps on the users PC and an XML-RPC layer that glues them all together (yes, I still love XML-RPC, give me type safety over syntactical sugar any day of the week. Plus, we have libraries that make syntax a non-issue. But I diverge..). The client is written in C++/C# and does a lot of state tracking using, of course, enumerations, with a mirrored set of enums on the server-side.

These enums are natively persisted into the database using Cayenne’s Extended Enumeration feature making the entire transaction fairly seamless, until I got to the browser level and realized that GXT likes to treat everything as a Store and, beyond that, sending a native Cayenne class to the browser as a module was not going to work well since the Javascript Compiler would probably flip over and croak. After searching for awhile I finally came across a mix of recipes that works for me and thought I would commit my knowledge to Google and hope that I help others in the future.

Step 1: Normalize your Enum into your GWT *.client.* package space.

Yes, you must duplicate your enum OR move it to this space and change all accessors. Its a bit more complicated if your using a non-native enum (like the above mentioned Extended Enumeration for Cayenne). I ended up just making a copy of my Extended Enumerations as POE (Plain Ole Enumerations). Duplicative code AND prone to error when we change states but it worked.

Mine looks like this:

public enum BudgetPeriod {
     DAILY("Daily"),WEEKLY("Weekly"),MONTHLY("Monthly"),QUARTERLY("Quarterly"),YEARLY("Yearly");
     private String value;
     BudgetPeriod(String value) {
		this.value = value;
     }
     public String toString() {
		return value;
     }
}

Step 2: Use the SimpleComboBox

The combobox insists on a Store. At this point you can either convert your enum to ModelData and call it a day (which is what most people do) or realize that, since your using Dozer (well, I am), that this blows up fantastically and requires all sorts of conversion routines to move back and forth between ModelData and enum if Dozer is going to do its job right.

This is where the SimpleComboBox comes in, it allows you to bind any class to the combobox and thus gives you seamless abilities that glue your Enum directly to the form (and back again). It looks like this in my case:

SimpleComboBox<MyEnumClass> theComboBox = new SimpleComboBox<MyEnumClass>();

Now my box can move my enums around nicely in this combox format.

Step 3: Populate the list

Even a SimpleComboBox needs standards and its standard is either a Store or a List. We choose list and convert our Enum to that list for adding it to the list.

java.util.List enumList = Arrays.asList(MyEnumClass.values());
theComboBox.add(enumList);

Step 4: Pre-select whats in the database

theComboBox.setSimpleValue(entity.getEnum());

theComboBox.setTriggerAction(TriggerAction.ALL);

myModel.setBudgetperiod(theComboBox.getSimpleValue());

public enum BudgetPeriod {
     DAILY("Daily"),WEEKLY("Weekly"),MONTHLY("Monthly"),QUARTERLY("Quarterly"),YEARLY("Yearly");
     private String value;
     BudgetPeriod(String value) {
		this.value = value;
     }
     public String toString() {
		return value;
     }
}

theComboBox = new SimpleComboBox<BudgetPeriod>();
java.util.List periodList = Arrays.asList(MyEnumClass.values()); 
theComboBox.add(periodList);
theComboBox.setLazyRender(false);
theComboBox.setForceSelection(true);
theComboBox.setTriggerAction(TriggerAction.ALL);
theComboBox.setSimpleValue(project.getBudgetperiod());

createButton.addListener(Events.Select, new Listener() {
     public void handleEvent(ButtonEvent e) {
         grid.mask("Saving..");
         myModel.setBudgetperiod(projectBudgetTimeSpan.getSimpleValue()); // THIS IS ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IN THIS CODE CHUNK
         MyRPC.Util.getInstance().createProject(project, ClientSession.getInstance().getSessionID(),
                                                new ProjectCreatedCallback(grid, index, myModelBean));
         }
});

Voila : 007

Shaken, not stirred.

For about 6 months I’ve had my eye on the RicaVision SideShow Remote but they were not available. Diligent monthly searches eventually turned up a purchase link for the Manufacturer Samples @ $249.99 and decided to go for it. My 2 year old really helped me out when he recently found a way to flip my Pronto into ‘Toddler‘ mode, meaning its bricked.

So 5 days later the RicaVision Remote has arrived and so far I am mostly impressed and very excited about the potential not just of this specific device but of SideShow in general. SideShow really is one under hyped platform that Vista enables and Microsoft is really not doing it justice.

Why this remote and why SideShow? Mostly because the default SideShow Gadget gives you full control of Windows Media player, that means headless song selection that is bi-directional! Cover Art on the remote, bluetooth control etc, you get the idea.

I am going to do a detailed review of it shortly but my initial impressions are :

Packaging : NICE, came in a nice faux leather box

Build Quality : Pretty good for a sample. The chrome is a bit chintzy and you can see waves in some of the plastic but really nothing that impacts usage or even is noticeable unless your looking for a problem

Software : Drivers took immediately although I did have to remove/insert the device post driver install to get it to appear in the SideShow Control Panel.

Configuration : None, it Just Works

BlueTooth : So-so, it seems to lose connection randomly but just hitting back and enter tends to get the job done. Slightly annoying but I imagine they are fixing this with the new version coming out later this year. I was able to change songs from 50 feet down the hall so that was cool. Additionally, sometimes you have to hold the button for a full second or so to get a response. A second doesn’t seem like a lot but try it, you’ll see.

IR : It includes an RC-6 Windows IR Receiver so its plug and play and works as expected

Ergonomics : Pretty weird actually. The remote has 3 distinct ‘areas’, a top black area that controls the SideShow app (QVGA screen + 5 way thumbstick + Back + Menu buttons), a middle area that has another 4 way button pad for Media Center and then the bottom area with the standard Play/Pause buttons. Instinct is to always use the 4 buttons, not the thumbstick. You get used to it but a single 4 way with a selection switch might be nicer.

Overall : I am impressed and excited. This remote will let me control the music in the backyard from the comfort of my lounge chair, no laptop required and no more NetRemote. It also controls Media Player in headless mode, this means you can use it on your primary PC and never see Media Player.

What is more exciting is how dead simple SideShow is to develop for. If you can output XML then you can start building basic SideShow apps. My current plan is to use SideShow to control my Matrix Switch and eventually my Sprinkler overrides. As I get those Gadgets rolling next week I will post about them.

So, more SideShow coming soon and a real review with photos this weekend.