User Interface Specification:
Shortcut for implementing/overriding methods

Author: Dusan Pavlica
Last Updated: November 24, 2003
Version: 3

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• System-Wide UI Impact
• Detailed Spec
• Open Issues

Introduction

This feature invokes short list of all the methods that are candidates for implementation or overriding in edited class. Existing dialog from java module will be reused, however it should be redesigned.
User needs to invoke list of Implement / Override method easily and be focused still in source code.
The action will be available for Java type of file viewed in the editor.

System-Wide UI Impact

The implementing/overriding methods feature adds a menu item to the Tools menu (Override and Implement Methods menu item following Generate R/W property menu item) temporarily, but new Code main menu item will be better place in the future (we have to define it).

Main shortcut for invocation of dialog: CTRL + I

Detailed Spec

We have Override Methods dialog yet in the IDE, but it's ugly and should be redesigned to be more simple and straightforward.
When the user selects 'Override Methods' from the Tools (Code) menu, then following dialog will appear:

Properties of the Dialog:

1. Show Superclasses and Interfaces: Default: unchecked. Shows methods with their classes and interfaces. When user checks this checkbox, then tree will be expanded by default.
2. Show Abstract Methods Only: Default: unchecked. Shows only methods that are explicitly declared abstract.
3. Generate Super Calls: Default: checked. When it's checked, then super calls are generated too.
4. Copy Javadoc: Default: unchecked. When it's checked, then Javadocs is copied too.
5. Available Superclass / Interface Methods: Different icons for classes and interfaces.

Open Issues

• Design of Code main menu item and its position in Context menu in Source Editor
• Should all checkboxies be persistent in this dialog ? I suppose that yes, but we should discuss it.