% jfig/doc/how-to-participate.txt (16.07.2001)


How to participate to improve jfig:


Currently, jfig is not an open-source project. It started as a
simple exercise to learn Java and object-oriented programming.
Therefore, much of the code is less elegant than it should be.
Parts of the code are quite complex and largely undocumented, 
especially the redrawing and rubberbanding algorithms.

However, if you are willing to implement some new functions, to
improve jfig performance, FIG compatibiliy, or just to fix bugs, 
you may get access to the code.  Please send a short summary of 
what you plan to do to "hendrich@informatik.uni-hamburg.de".

Also, note that you can always use jfig as a class library for
building your own classes without source cde. Just download and
study the class documentation.


Here is my current wishlist:

o  better applet compatibility (this probably means to drop
   Netscape 4.x as a target, because the Netscape VM is broken).

o  SVG (W3C scalable vector graphics) import and export.

o  Working WMF (windows metafiles) import and export. 
   Import would allow to use clipart collections for jfig.

o  Better support for mathematics.

   It would be great if jfig could implement a TeX-like rendering
   mechanism for formulae. I would like to support things like
   h_i = 1/\sqrt{2\pi} \sum J_{ij} h_{j}
   in text objects...
   
o  An AWT based dialog to select user colors.
   Or should the Swing version be used?

o  A Swing based GUI for jfig. 

   This would also make a good exercise to learn Swing :-)

   However, this is not so easy as it seems, because the Swing 
   redraw strategy prohibits efficient rubberbanding. Our prototype 
   Swing based editor simply "feels" too slow to be useable.

   On the other hand, conversion of the menu, buttons, and dialogs 
   is simple, and much of the code is already there. 


o  a "plugin" architecture, to allow custom edit commands.

o  bug fixes, e.g. fully xfig-compatible arc objects.

o  your suggestions here!


Contact:
"hendrich@informatik.uni-hamburg.de"

