New Tool: Catalog Browser in Pharo 5.0

> On 11 Jun 2015, at 08:55, Torsten Bergmann <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> maybe you already noticed. The latest update for Pharo 5 which is 50103 (see [1]).
> includes a new tool called "Catalog Browser".
>
> Where to go
> ===========
>
> You will find it under "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser" and it will display the
> configs together with the catalog metadata like project description.

>
> The code is managed with a configuration similar to what we have for
> a few other packages/projects. The tool was written by Esteban Lorenzano with small
> improvements like spotter integration from my side. Feel free to contribute more features.
>
> The repository can be found on SmalltalkHub [2].
>
> This new tool basically gives you access to all available configurations
> aggregated at [3]. You can use a small UI to search and load the configs
> (see world menu -> "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser".
>
> But you can also use Spotter to load a config.
>
> Example on how to load ScriptManager config:
> ============================================
> - open Spotter (SHIFT + ENTER on Windows, ...)
> - type in "Script" and you will find a spotter category "Catalog Projects" with "ScriptManager" in it
> - just hit enter and the config is loaded
>
> Same for all others, so try with "Seaside", "MongoTalk", ...
>
> In the short/mid-term this new tool should replace the existing config browser as it
> gives more informations about the projects.  
>
> What to do next:
> ================
> - give feedback
> - we should update all our configs with catalog descriptions

> Hi,
>
> maybe you already noticed. The latest update for Pharo 5 which is 50103 (see [1]).
> includes a new tool called "Catalog Browser".
>
> Where to go
> ===========
>
> You will find it under "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser" and it will display the
> configs together with the catalog metadata like project description.
>
> The code is managed with a configuration similar to what we have for
> a few other packages/projects. The tool was written by Esteban Lorenzano with small
> improvements like spotter integration from my side. Feel free to contribute more features.
>
> The repository can be found on SmalltalkHub [2].
>
> This new tool basically gives you access to all available configurations
> aggregated at [3]. You can use a small UI to search and load the configs
> (see world menu -> "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser".
>
> But you can also use Spotter to load a config.
>
> Example on how to load ScriptManager config:
> ============================================
>  - open Spotter (SHIFT + ENTER on Windows, ...)
>  - type in "Script" and you will find a spotter category "Catalog Projects" with "ScriptManager" in it
>  - just hit enter and the config is loaded

>
> What to do next:
> ================
> - give feedback
> - we should update all our configs with catalog descriptions
> - it would be nice if the spotter integration would include also a preview of the project
>   description
> - ...
>
> If you want to contribute just tell Esteban so he can add you to the project.
>
> Thanks
> Esteban & Torsten
>
> [1] http://lists.pharo.org/pipermail/pharo-dev_lists.pharo.org/2015-June/110964.html
> [2] http://www.smalltalkhub.com/#!/~estebanlm/CatalogBrowser
> [3] http://catalog.pharo.org/catalog/json

>
> On 11 Jun 2015, at 16:42, Ben Coman <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 2:55 PM, Torsten Bergmann <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> maybe you already noticed. The latest update for Pharo 5 which is 50103 (see
> [1]).
> includes a new tool called "Catalog Browser".
>
> Where to go
> ===========
>
> You will find it under "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser" and it will display the
> configs together with the catalog metadata like project description.
>
> The code is managed with a configuration similar to what we have for
> a few other packages/projects. The tool was written by Esteban Lorenzano
> with small
> improvements like spotter integration from my side. Feel free to contribute
> more features.
>
> The repository can be found on SmalltalkHub [2].
>
> This new tool basically gives you access to all available configurations
> aggregated at [3]. You can use a small UI to search and load the configs
> (see world menu -> "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser".
>
> But you can also use Spotter to load a config.
>
> Example on how to load ScriptManager config:
> ============================================
> - open Spotter (SHIFT + ENTER on Windows, ...)
> - type in "Script" and you will find a spotter category "Catalog Projects"
> with "ScriptManager" in it
> - just hit enter and the config is loaded
>
>
> Just had a quick try.  Its nice to get descriptions, like for
> "TaskIT".  However I think there should be a confirmation dialog
> before actually loading a Configuration, which is a potentially
> destructive/undoable action.  Its too easy that habits pressing
> <enter> for other functions assert themselves and load a configuration
> accidentally.   Perhaps an alternative is to open a window with more
> information from the other fields of the catalog that has a button to
> load the Configuration.
>
>
>
> Same for all others, so try with "Seaside", "MongoTalk", ...
>
> In the short/mid-term this new tool should replace the existing config
> browser as it
> gives more informations about the projects.
>
>
> I don't think its a total replacement for the Configuration Browser.
> The new function suits the case of searching for a configuration you
> already know about, bu tmany times I like catalog browsers when I'm
> not searching for something. That is, when I don't know what is there
> and I'm  *browsing*.  Indeed, if you are searching for a particular
> configuration then you probably already know what it is and the
> additional info is then not needed.
>
>
> But is a superset.
> We do not want to keep two tools with same functionality (we already did
> this a lot in the past, but we are like alcoholics in recovery now… :P)
>
> Esteban
>
> ps: when you already know what you want, most probably you just load through
> a command line (or a script)… at least that’s what I do :)
>

> Hi,
>
> maybe you already noticed. The latest update for Pharo 5 which is 50103 (see [1]).
> includes a new tool called "Catalog Browser".
>
> Where to go
> ===========
>
> You will find it under "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser" and it will display the
> configs together with the catalog metadata like project description.
>
> The code is managed with a configuration similar to what we have for
> a few other packages/projects. The tool was written by Esteban Lorenzano with small
> improvements like spotter integration from my side. Feel free to contribute more features.
>
> The repository can be found on SmalltalkHub [2].
>
> This new tool basically gives you access to all available configurations
> aggregated at [3]. You can use a small UI to search and load the configs
> (see world menu -> "Tools" -> "Catalog Browser".
>
> But you can also use Spotter to load a config.
>
> Example on how to load ScriptManager config:
> ============================================
>   - open Spotter (SHIFT + ENTER on Windows, ...)
>   - type in "Script" and you will find a spotter category "Catalog Projects" with "ScriptManager" in it
>   - just hit enter and the config is loaded
>
> Same for all others, so try with "Seaside", "MongoTalk", ...
>
> In the short/mid-term this new tool should replace the existing config browser as it
> gives more informations about the projects.
>
> What to do next:
> ================
> - give feedback
> - we should update all our configs with catalog descriptions
> - it would be nice if the spotter integration would include also a preview of the project
>    description
> - ...
>
> If you want to contribute just tell Esteban so he can add you to the project.
>
> Thanks
> Esteban & Torsten
>
> [1] http://lists.pharo.org/pipermail/pharo-dev_lists.pharo.org/2015-June/110964.html
> [2] http://www.smalltalkhub.com/#!/~estebanlm/CatalogBrowser
> [3] http://catalog.pharo.org/catalog/json