Reece Dunn wrote: [...]
What I meant by "Java style GUI" is not in terms of L&F, but in terms of programming the framework. I understand how important having a native L&F is to the particular OS you are using (implemented using OS components for native feel): this is one of the goals I am aiming for.
Thus, in Java Swing-style C++, you can do something like:
boost::gui::frame * main = new boost::gui::frame( "My GUI App" ); frame -> set_pane( new boost::gui::button( "PUSH" )); frame -> set_size( 500, 400 ); frame -> show();
boost::gui::message_loop msg; return msg.execute();
And this will work, creating a window with a button in it's "client" area. That is, allow the user to: [1] create components/widgets using constructors instead of Create functions (like MFC);
[2] allow "native" components (buttons, etc.) and windowless components (for performance);
[3] provide a set of "layout managers" that are windowless components allowing you to specify scrolling panes, splitter panes, grid layouts, flow layouts, fixed/stretchy layouts and so on -- I personally find using layout managers easy to produce interfaces rapidly;
[4] avoid message maps if possible -- I personally don't like message maps and feel there is a better way to implement event handling. From the discussions here boost::signal seems to be the way to go, but some effort needs to be taken to produce a flexible, portable way of handling messages that can both write generic handlers and OS-specific handlers;
All what you say here already exists in C++. For instance, you can have a look at QT. It does not use boost::signal (for portability reasons in the beginning, I suppose, and because boost::signal did not exist at that time), but also works with a mechanism of signals and slots that requires some small preprocessing of files.. -- Loïc