[Bf-taskforce25] 2.5 progress, planning

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi,

Time for next steps!

First a quick summary of open issues from the previous todo list;

- Docs:
    - Finished docs move to "approved" now!
    - UI paradigms: still open todo

- blenloader:
     - still some cleanup needed  (brecht)

- blenkernel:
    - still some cleanup needed  (brecht)
    - verse can be removed (brecht)

- bmfont/ftfont && translations/gettext:
    - Diego is working on it, Kent offered help with i8n

- python: (py team, campbell coordinates)
    - rna-python auto API design
    - operator-python auto API design
    - WM-level python API (like add handler, spacetype)

- window/area/region manager
    - notifiers need to mature still (ton)

------ NEW TODOs -----

We can now make the first steps to port editors back. I suggest we do 
this as follows:

Define a 'maintainer', who will do the first work and then coordinate 
with volunteers the bulk of the work. Such a maintainer should be 
someone who's very familiar with this code. Self-appointed maintainers 
now are:

- Node Editor: Nathan L
- File Browser (combined with Image Selector): Andrea
- Ipo/Action Editors: Joshua
- 3D View: Ton

More volunteers welcome :)

I will coordinate with the maintainers the steps to take, and I'm 
available for online tutorials and Q&A for the best ways how to 
structure it all. A simple mental model that might help:

- Context = "the user"
- Operator = "the tool"
- Notifier = "what happened"

The trick is to design Operators in such a way that with various 
contextes (based on user input) the Operator remains useful. Put 
operator 'states' in RNA properties. Make sure operators can be 
re-done, especially in different context (or custom python context).

Also be very aware that every operator becomes part of the exposed API 
(saved in files as macros and keymaps, but also for python). So make 
first operators for what you know is future proof. If in doubt, skip it 
and add on a todo list.

And a last advise: unless it's a waste of time, just try to port over 
the existing features and editors. It's very tempting to recode 
everything, but we better keep this project feasible a bit. :)
For those parts we'll do refactors or new designs, this list will be 
consulted, of course.

-Ton-

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Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation   ton at blender.org    www.blender.org
Blender Institute BV  Entrepotdok 57A  1018AD Amsterdam The Netherlands