Configure Project

Permanently deleted user

Created November 20, 2003 19:41

2 questions:

Can someone explain why the "Configure Project" menu item (and corresponding dialog) was separated from the Project Properties? Doesn't seem to make sense to me.

Before this separation took place I was able to control the order of my source folders? I have them ordered the way I want in the Configure Project window/Paths tab, but that is not the order they appear in the IDE after closing the Configure Project window. It appears that I can only order libraries, not source directories. Is that true and if so why?

4 comments

Permanently deleted user

Created November 21, 2003 10:54

Aidan Monroe wrote:

2 questions:

Can someone explain why the "Configure Project" menu item (and
corresponding dialog) was separated from the Project Properties? Doesn't
seem to make sense to me.

Just experimenting...
Apparently most people do not like that, and at the moment we are seeking
ways to reconcile them is such a way that the resulting dialog does not
look huge/ugly.

Before this separation took place I was able to control the order of my
source folders? I have them ordered the way I want in the Configure
Project window/Paths tab, but that is not the order they appear in the IDE
after closing the Configure Project window. It appears that I can only
order libraries, not source directories. Is that true and if so why?

Yes, that is true. Source folders for a given module take part in Order
as a whole. This is very reasonable IMO, since you cannot specify a
per-source-folder compiler output path.

Friendly,
Dmitry
--
Dmitry Lomov
IntelliJ Labs / JetBrains Inc.
http://www.intellij.com
"Develop with pleasure!"

Permanently deleted user

Created November 21, 2003 14:44

Aidan Monroe wrote:

2 questions:

Can someone explain why the "Configure Project"

menu item (and

corresponding dialog) was separated from the

Project Properties? Doesn't

seem to make sense to me.

Just experimenting...
Apparently most people do not like that, and at the
moment we are seeking
ways to reconcile them is such a way that the
resulting dialog does not
look huge/ugly.

I think the way it looks in Idea 3.0 is just fine.

Before this separation took place I was able to

control the order of my

source folders? I have them ordered the way I want

in the Configure

Project window/Paths tab, but that is not the order

they appear in the IDE

after closing the Configure Project window. It

appears that I can only

order libraries, not source directories. Is that

true and if so why?

Yes, that is true. Source folders for a given module
take part in Order
as a whole. This is very reasonable IMO, since you
cannot specify a
per-source-folder compiler output path.

Granted, all source folders compile to the same output directory as part of my classpath. The only reason to sort them is for convenience in the editor. I have many source directories in my module, some of which are open source that I use just for reference or to track down bugs with the open source code. I want those to be at the bottom of the list, out of the way since I don't refer to them very often. But the source folders seem to be appearing in a random order in the editor that I can't control. I have to scroll down (or collapse folders) to get to the important code -- the code I am developing.

IMO, there is no reason NOT to allow the user to control the order of the source folders. Especially since they used to be able to do it (Idea 3.0). It doesn't hurt anything to do order them. So why remove the functionality? I could understand removing it to achieve some goal, but there seems to be no point to it.

Friendly,
Dmitry
--
Dmitry Lomov
IntelliJ Labs / JetBrains Inc.
http://www.intellij.com
"Develop with pleasure!"

Permanently deleted user

Created November 21, 2003 14:44

Aidan Monroe wrote:

>> Aidan Monroe wrote:
>>
>> > 2 questions:
>> >
>> > Can someone explain why the "Configure Project"
>> menu item (and
>> > corresponding dialog) was separated from the
>> Project Properties? Doesn't
>> > seem to make sense to me.
>>
>> Just experimenting...
>> Apparently most people do not like that, and at the
>> moment we are seeking
>> ways to reconcile them is such a way that the
>> resulting dialog does not look huge/ugly.
>>

I think the way it looks in Idea 3.0 is just fine.

There were less functionality in IDEA 3.0, so the dialog was less complex
too.

Granted, all source folders compile to the same output directory as part
of my classpath. The only reason to sort them is for convenience in the
editor. I have many source directories in my module, some of which are
open source that I use just for reference or to track down bugs with the
open source code. I want those to be at the bottom of the list, out of the
way since I don't refer to them very often. But the source folders seem to
be appearing in a random order in the editor that I can't control. I have
to scroll down (or collapse folders) to get to the important code -- the
code I am developing.

IMO, there is no reason NOT to allow the user to control the order of the
source folders. Especially since they used to be able to do it (Idea 3.0).
It doesn't hurt anything to do order them. So why remove the
functionality? I could understand removing it to achieve some goal, but
there seems to be no point to it.

In fact, order of source folders (aka source paths) in 3.0 was significant:
classes were resolved in editor according to it (this was indeed less than
intuitive). It is not anymore, so why should we have it.

If, as you put it, there is a lot of code you do not touch in your module,
this is an excellent time to put other code into a different new module.

Friendly,
Dmitry
--
Dmitry Lomov
IntelliJ Labs / JetBrains Inc.
http://www.intellij.com
"Develop with pleasure!"

Permanently deleted user

Created November 21, 2003 16:48

Aidan Monroe wrote:

>> Aidan Monroe wrote:
>>
>> > 2 questions:
>> >
>> > Can someone explain why the "Configure Project"
>> menu item (and
>> > corresponding dialog) was separated from the
>> Project Properties? Doesn't
>> > seem to make sense to me.
>>
>> Just experimenting...
>> Apparently most people do not like that, and at
the
>> moment we are seeking
>> ways to reconcile them is such a way that the
>> resulting dialog does not look huge/ugly.
>>

I think the way it looks in Idea 3.0 is just fine.

There were less functionality in IDEA 3.0, so the
dialog was less complex
too.

Granted, all source folders compile to the same

output directory as part

of my classpath. The only reason to sort them is

for convenience in the

editor. I have many source directories in my

module, some of which are

open source that I use just for reference or to

track down bugs with the

open source code. I want those to be at the bottom

of the list, out of the

way since I don't refer to them very often. But the

source folders seem to

be appearing in a random order in the editor that I

can't control. I have

to scroll down (or collapse folders) to get to the

important code -- the

code I am developing.

IMO, there is no reason NOT to allow the user to

control the order of the

source folders. Especially since they used to be

able to do it (Idea 3.0).

It doesn't hurt anything to do order them. So why

remove the

functionality? I could understand removing it to

achieve some goal, but

there seems to be no point to it.

In fact, order of source folders (aka source paths)
in 3.0 was significant:
classes were resolved in editor according to it (this
was indeed less than
intuitive). It is not anymore, so why should we have
it.

If, as you put it, there is a lot of code you do not
touch in your module,
this is an excellent time to put other code into a
different new module.

OK, maybe that is my answer. I'm still a bit confused by the new modules having just downloaded 977 the other day (I hadn't downloaded an EAP version for a couple of months) -- so maybe implementing your suggestion will unconfuse me.

Friendly,
Dmitry
--
Dmitry Lomov
IntelliJ Labs / JetBrains Inc.
http://www.intellij.com
"Develop with pleasure!"

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