[scribus] Spellchecker

[John Beardmore]

On 04/04/2012 14:56, ale rimoldi wrote:

> hi john
>
>>>> Inasmuch as I cut my teeth on PageMaker, then Quark and
>>   >>InDesign, I was used to opening the program and while typing
>>   >>the copy beginning to envision the layout in my mind. So for
>>   >>me, the copy came first and I didn't need to employ another
>>   >>program to get the flyer, poster, newsletter, etc. into
>>   >>production. This was and is very common workflow in a print
>>   >>shop.  So let me add my voice to those who would like to see
>>   >>an operating spellchecker in Scribus!
>>>
>>> That would be our aim.. but someone needs to write the new
>>   >spellchecker plugin.. we would like someone to do this.
>>   >Anyone?
>>
>> I probably shouldn't ask this because it's 8 years since I wrote any
>> serious code, but what's involved in the spell checker plugin ?
>>
>> If hunspell solves the windows problem, that might motivate me, but
>> my coding skills are very rusty and fairly limited.
>
> team members may correct me if i'm wrong, but i think that the spelling
> plugin should be something that somebody with medium programming
> knowledges could implement.
>
> without having had a look at the current plugin, you will need:
>
> - know how to read existing code  (most of the time you can
>    copy paste existing code to get things done)

:)  Encouraging !


> - know what a pointer is and how to manage it (most of the time you can
>    get hints on how to use them by looking at existing code).

Used to write a lot of C and some ++ so I think I can manage that after 
expression compilers and stack machines.


> - know how higher level languages (java, python, php,...) work in
>    order to grasp how to use the feature offered by Qt (vectors,
>    lists, ...)

Had brief flirtation with Java. Wrote a cute virtual instrument by 
cutting and pasting, but never really got into the profundities. Never 
touched python, but got frustrated by multiple versions trying to share 
a Linux box. Not written more than a few lines of PHP.


> - dedication and time.

I'm reasonably determined, but time is in very short supply !


> i'm writing right now my first plugin and i can help you getting
> started with it... it's not that hard...

That would be very helpful.

Can the plugins work with a hitherto compiled binary, or do they need to 
be integrated into the scribus build process ?

I assume this would go into the current development build
(1.5.x ?) rather than 1.4.x ?  Could a plugin work with 1.4.x and 1.5.x 
builds ?

I've heard that compiling scribus under windows is more difficult than 
compiling under linux. Does this mean that plugins are better developed 
under Linux too ?

If you are compiling and debugging rather than just building the latest 
version, is there any particular IDE / set of development tools that's 
required / preferred ?

How much Qt do you need to know ?  (Don't know any at the moment ! 
Hoping that hunspell will provide most of the low level user interface, 
and that Scribus already has the UI to invoke a spelling check.)

Did somebody say that someone had started but not finished a new 
spellchecker plugin ?  If so, would it make more sense to work with 
them, or take theirs over if they've made a useful start but don't have 
time to finish it ?

(Don't take this as a commitment by the way, but let's sort out what's 
involved, then I'll find out if I've got an appropriate machine to build 
it on, and decide if I've got time to do it. No point in rushing in 
headlong... That wouldn't help any of us.)


Cheers, J/.
-- 
John Beardmore,MSc EDM (Open),B.A. Chem (Oxon),CMIOSH,CEnv,MIEMA,MEI
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