mmx beta MMX Beta 14.1 available

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

For the adventurous of you there is a new download for a MMX Beta version: MMX Beta Setup (current build is 2287)

 

You won't find many new features. The main work was removing unneeded stuff, making use of things not available in older Delphi versions and reorganizing the code. So be prepared to find areas where I accidentally broke something.

 

I would appreciate if you send bugs as email to support@mmx-delphi.de - that way they are automatically added to the bugtracker and are less likely to be forgotten. Feel free to also discuss them here, but even then send that email, so I don't have to duplicate it by hand.

 

Currently there is only one new feature: The MMX Project Options settings have a new check box "Auto Format". If this is checked MMX will execute a format uses clause command every time it adds a new unit to the uses clause. Obviously this only works when the Group and sort uses option is enabled in the Sorting section.

 

Unless something prohibits me to do so, I will announce new builds in this thread.

[PeterPanettone 157]

May I ask where I can see the INSTALLED MMX version number? On my MMX About page I cannot see a version number:

 

[limelect 48]

This is mine D10.2.3

[PeterPanettone 157]

Now I have looked closer and I have discovered an almost completely invisible version number.

 

This is in Delphi 10.3 Rio:

 

 

Is this due to a bug in the Delphi 10.3 Rio IDE or is this a bug in MMX?

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

Let me guess: Your DPI settings are at 125%?

 

The version label is positioned on top of the image. The scaling moves the label, but leaves the image as is.

[PeterPanettone 157]

5 minutes ago, Uwe Raabe said:

Let me guess: Your DPI settings are at 125%?

 

The version label is positioned on top of the image. The scaling moves the label, but leaves the image as is.

Your guess is correct.

 

I will send a bug report.

 

If you want I can write a CLI for your Final Build process for you which flattens the version number into the image.

[PeterPanettone 157]

I have discovered another bug:

 

On the About page, when clicking on the mailto-label, no email is being created:



Obviously,  a wrong method is used: With a simple Winapi ShellExec it should work.

 

I have sent a bug report.

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

It is not the wrong method:

    ShellExecute(0,'open',PChar(Link + S),nil,nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

but rather a missing registry entry:

    if reg.OpenKeyReadOnly('HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command') then begin
      Result := (reg.ReadString('') > '');
      reg.CloseKey;
    end;

 

[PeterPanettone 157]

1 hour ago, Uwe Raabe said:

It is not the wrong method:

    ShellExecute(0,'open',PChar(Link + S),nil,nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

but rather a missing registry entry:

    if reg.OpenKeyReadOnly('HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command') then begin
      Result := (reg.ReadString('') > '');
      reg.CloseKey;
    end;

 

For what do you need the registry entry?

 

That's how I do it in my programs:

JclShell.ShellExecEx('mailto:support@mmx-delphi.de');

There is no need for a registry entry.

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

18 minutes ago, PeterPanettone said:

For what do you need the registry entry?

Seems like this is a relic of former Windows versions. I will skip that check.

[FPiette 383]

This version crashes with Delphi 10.3.1 Version 26.0.33219.4899.

See attached file.

Mail sent to support@mmx-delphi.de

 

Regards,

François Piette

Embarcadero MVP

www.overbyte.be

 

MMX Code Explorer 14.1 Crash with Rio 10.3.1 Version 26.0.33219.4899.txt

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

Build 2289 available:

• fix: missing images in Entity Insight toolbar
• fix: scaling problem in About screen
• fix: problem sending email from support link

[AlekXL 8]

Is there roadmap for the product?

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

I guess that is not feasible. I cannot foresee when I will have time to work on MMX and what I am going to target when I have.

[AlekXL 8]

1 minute ago, Uwe Raabe said:

I guess that is not feasible. I cannot foresee when I will have time to work on MMX and what I am going to target when I have. 

Understood.

Well, I'd love to see more reasonable interface though. Not new icons, mind you. But rather MMX-implemented Structure View -- it lacks "Incremental Filter", and therefore barely usable.

I opine :simply by adding such (dockable) window , would make all the difference. Currently MMX Windows is bloated, counter-intuitive and too complex to grasp.. Icons too -- I have no time memorize their meaning.

I'd rather use simple popup menu with "check-items"

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

14 minutes ago, AlekXL said:

I'd love to see more reasonable interface though. Not new icons, mind you. But rather MMX-implemented Structure View

That is why I am trying to outsource the icons work. There is enough other stuff to do, that can only be done by myself.

19 minutes ago, AlekXL said:

But rather MMX-implemented Structure View -- it lacks "Incremental Filter", and therefore barely usable.

Start typing in the Search field in the Member Search bar.

17 minutes ago, AlekXL said:

Currently MMX Windows is bloated, counter-intuitive and too complex to grasp.. Icons too -- I have no time memorize their meaning.

I'd rather use simple popup menu with "check-items"

Not sure what you mean. All buttons show have their counterpart in the context menu. You can even hide all toolbars and work with the context menu alone.

[Stefan Glienke 2002]

One of the reasons I never really got into MMX despite everyone telling me that it is a must have was its overloaded UI with all the toolbars and stuff after you installed it.

Yes, you can turn off most of it but it would really pleasant if there was a simple option to switch between something like a "light" and "full" version easily (or even more different presets) - possiibly selectable during setup.

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

10 minutes ago, Stefan Glienke said:

it would really pleasant if there was a simple option to switch between something like a "light" and "full" version easily (or even more different presets) - possiibly selectable during setup.

Noted!

[AlekXL 8]

55 minutes ago, Uwe Raabe said:

Start typing in the Search field in the Member Search bar. 

And it just don't work. Guess I am doing this all wrong.. But it doesn't matter, this tool is not that important or powerful to spend my time learning it. I want it work with zero-assumption.

  Look at Gexperts procedure list, or CnWizards couterpart -- they just work. Only problem they show routines only.

1. Look at the picture. Window 1 and 2 should be merged. Bloat-ware -- anything aside syntax entities -- removed!

2. Text edit number 3 -- don't know what it does, it doesnt even show a tooptip about -- and don't care. Send him to Mordred, too. There is no place for multi line editor in docked, space-limited environment

3. "Member search bar" should be "Entity search bar" -- filtering out both types and members, containing the typeword

4.  Window 5 /toolbar just wouldn't die, would it? I right-click, choose Hide, and guess what? Send it to already known address.

5. Get rid if smart-ass chevron logic --completely -- they are confusing and counter-intuitive.

5. Look at the IDE native structure window -- I want MMX to take no more space, than this

[Daniel 417]

Ah grumpy Alek - it's you again ... . I knew I remember that harsh sound from somewhere.

What is so hard about being constructive and positive?

[Uwe Raabe 2057]

18 minutes ago, Stefan Glienke said:

with all the toolbars and stuff after you installed it.

Funny thing is that those toolbars are originally meant for beginners. Long time users usually prefer working with keyboard shortcuts. Also f.i. filtering members by kind and visibility with the filter buttons is probably easier and faster than using the context menu. It may be pretty hard to find a balance between scaring some new user with too much possibilities and boring them with too little. I am not sure whether I prefer to answer the question "How can I hide that?" or perhaps never being asked "Can it do this or that?".

 

There are quite a number of people saying they cannot work without MMX (me included) after working with it for a while. I know there are others who never get beyond this point. They either will miss something or MMX is not the right tool for them. You cannot please everyone.

[AlekXL 8]

6 minutes ago, Daniel said:

Ah grumpy Alek - it's you again ... . I knew I remember that harsh sound from somewhere

Missed me already, did you?

3 minutes ago, Daniel said:

What is so hard about being constructive and positive? 

And where's the fun in this?

[AlekXL 8]

19 minutes ago, Uwe Raabe said:

Also f.i. filtering members by kind and visibility with the filter buttons is probably easier and faster than using the context menu

Faster how? You win maybe 1-2 seconds, on rarely needed task, but bloat the toolbar for good. Add one I tool-button to show  specific dedicated popup to filter based on visibilty. Another one, with specific dedicated popup for entity filter : All, types, routines, g_variables, storage members

Place entity search edit box, to right. Done. By default there should be no other controls on Structure view toolbar.

And don't forget to de-bloat the popup on entities. Popup menus are also called Context menus -- this is all about context, if some action is not applicable to the entity selected, Popup menu should not show it. 

19 minutes ago, Uwe Raabe said:

There are quite a number of people saying they cannot work without MMX (me included)

Ask them then! We need community wisdom, dont we?

19 minutes ago, Uwe Raabe said:

You cannot please everyone.

You can try. I opine that MMX windows should be separated to two or more dockable windows. If one need those allegedly useful other features, let him dock those windows together.

Edited April 21, 2019 by AlekXL

[timfrost 78]

Can I please say that I find the MMX user interface entirely satisfactory in daily use.  This thread has reminded my about some useful features which I had forgotten about, despite many years of using the product.  I would not want them removed, and since the icons take little space I would not want them hidden.  There are perhaps minor features that I would improve, but they do not cause me any trouble and I appreciate that supporting the product is done as Uwe finds time to allocate to it.