JK wrote:
If you need to generate code, the INPUT to the code-generation
process is the source code. And the source code is what humans
should deal with and keep under version control. Any modification
of the generated code is going to lead to headaches, because it
breaks the relationship between the high-level source and the
generated product.
> The problem with most GUI builders is that the input to the code
> generation process is human activity -- drag-and-drop, point-and-click
> -- that *can't* be placed under version control, or even stored in
> any meaningful way at all. So that's my principled objection to
> GUI generator tools.
I really can't follow that argument.
If you use a GUI builder you do certain drop and drag
and store the resulting files in source control. You
do not store the drop and drags.
If you don't use a GUI builder you type code and
store the resulting files in source control. You do
not store the typing.
Especially with todays IDE's that generate constructors,
getters/setters, interface implementation method stubs
etc. then I can't see a big difference.
The .java source file is the portable artifact, the .form file is not. Store
the .java in version control. That way people who do not have an IDE that