Re: [AD] new_api_branch news

[Peter Wang <tjaden@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris wrote:

> Daniel Schlyder wrote:
>
> > I'm really tempted to switch my current project to the new branch. Is
> > this advisable?
Sorry, no.  The relevant changes made to the Windows keyboard driver 
wouldn't be hard to backport though.

Though, it would be nice if you could try out the new branch with your 
project and see what kinks remain in the keyboard driver.  I just can't 
recommend you use it for "real" work.

> AFAIK, the new_api_branch will slowly be integrated into Allegro after 
> 4.2 (in 4.3). It's probably best to wait 'til then.


It will become 4.3 once 4.2 is out.  Meanwhile, changes in the 4.1.x 
tree will be merged into the new_api_branch.  I thought 4.2 would be out 
relatively soon, but that's up to Elias, Evert, yourself and Eric.

> I've honestly not really paid attention to the new_api_branch because 
> I've been slightly unsure of what it was, though I have a good idea 
> now, and I'm worrying more about the problems plaguing 4.1. I wouldn't 
> doubt if some others have done the same. So now, when we start on 4.3, 
> I'll be lost on some of these things and may end up agreeing to things 
> I don't fully understand, or get confused because I haven't (been able 
> to) pay attention earlier/now.


I understand your concern, but I happen to have more free time than 
usual this semester and wanted to get the input & event designs into the 
CVS tree ASAP.  Next year, I probably won't have the time.  And as we've 
already seen, code that doesn't go into the official CVS tree isn't 
considered "working code".[1]

As far as the design of the input APIs go, a lot of time was already 
spent on them on the bigfive list.  It's too late for big redesigns.  
Frankly, I don't think a big redesign could result in significant 
improvements anyway.  There are really only two major ways to present 
input device data to the user: (i) state-based, like Allegro 4, and (ii) 
event-based; and the designs in the new_api_branch support both.  
Smaller changes are okay though, and will be okay until we decide it's 
time to stop :-)

Peter

[1] For this reason, Evert, feel free to commit your gfx API work into 
the new_api_branch whenever you want.