Subject: Re: embedded objects
From: Martin Sevior (msevior@mccubbin.ph.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Tue Jan 08 2002 - 07:49:19 CST
On Mon, 7 Jan 2002, Rui Miguel Seabra wrote:
> On Mon, 2002-01-07 at 09:42, Hubert Figuiere wrote:
> > > But that's like saying "We guarantee to support PNG and SVG and therefore
> > > shall embed only these." If that's your attitude then there's no point
> > > even talking about embedded objects - we just keep on doing what we're
> > > doing...
> > I did not say that. Just that embedding an object means providing an
> > understandable representation of its last content. Otherwise, time to throw
> > away cross-platform and independence.
>
I've always thought that abiword should make an SVG representation of the
embedded object, which is carried around with the object itself. If we
have SVG support in place in abiword, we make abiword's XP graphics class
draw an embedded object into an SVG "file" which is included in the
document structure along with the object itself. Then the object is drawn
as an SVG object in abiword as needed. This should be much faster than
firing up an out-of-process component to draw an object.
If we can support in place editting of embedded objects, we can switch
to the original representation of the object upon starting to edit the
embedded object.
This way we get the speed of native representation. Perfect scalability at
all resolutions (especially printing) plus the (eventual) ability to edit
in place.
I know Dom has compound document framework worked out already. I hope it
inlcudes something like this.
We really need SVG support of course.
> I know. But this embedded objects have to be supported if it is doable.
> For instance with bonobo and gnumeric, it may be possible to xp support
> an embedded excel sheet.
>
> Some objects may need bonobo components (or plugins if one so desires or
> finds easier/more xp to do) to be interpreted.
If we draw an SVG repesentation of bonobo objects in abiword they can
displayed on other platfroms and in the Gtk-only abiword.
Cheers
Martin
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