Support for VSCode

[ekrich]

Is there a plan to eventually support VSCode?

[mcurland]

We are working on web-based viewing and editing technologies for ORM models. The first step is to update the ORM web viewer tools (see https://ormsolutions.com/tools/orm.aspx and https://ormsolutions.com/tools/ormPrint.aspx) to show more of the model and do native verbalization on the browser.

This is actually built on an extensive editing framework that has a much more capable rules engine and editing framework than DSL tools (the Visual Studio framework this is based on), I just don't have the .orm editing pieces I have public as it isn't complete.

Obviously these are web-based frameworks, which will be able to run in any JavaScript based environment. The backend will also be much more flexible (very large models in databases instead of XML files, for example). VSCode isn't the top priority at this point, just getting the general web pieces running to enable easier model sharing, but VSCode will move onto the short list when the general web solution is complete.

There are a lot of teasers here obviously. These are parallel projects to Visual Studio NORMA and built on completely different fact-based technology stacks that are closely tied to ORM models. I can't say anything public is imminent, just that I'm on this full time for the first time in 6 years, so you'll see much more movement over the next couple of years.

[ekrich]

Thank you for the explanation and detailing how VSCode support potentially fits into future plans. VSCode is becoming very good and more popular so I feel that eventual support is a worthy goal.

[KongNan]

VSCode is even better now. Hope to be able to get support 👍

[mcurland]

Getting closer. 'Full time' was a bit much to claim in Mar 2021 with 2 toddlers full time: this is the first year I've had regular daylight working hours in 5 years, so I'm tackling harder problems https://ormsolutions.com/tools/verbalize has a verbalizer now (several months of code), and this summer I'm working on automatic rule generation (formal fact type and subtype derivation rules, constraints, dynamic rules) for the web targets as well as display mechanisms for the orm models. These are all JavaScript-targeted and will move into VSCode.

Basically, there are three major areas that need to move:

1. All of the validation rules for the ORM editing experience. The automatic rule generation is a big step because I'll be able to specify this all in ORM models. Note that part of the verbalization work was pulling the NORMA RolePath elements into the web models (editor is in the Pro version), which is obviously also a prerequisite.
2. Run the code generators in a web environment, including new ones to better target supporting web and JavaScript-runners (node, etc.)
3. Rebuild all of the support UI from NORMA (fact editor, model browser, toolbox integration, etc.). Some of these are heavily customized. For example, the tree controls provided by Visual Studio bog down performance wise at a few hundred items. The one I'm using has linear performance characters on the number of expansions, not items. I don't have anything like this on the web at this point.

The most likely scenario is that I'll be able to push out a preview with generators and model execution first, with model editing left in the VS environment while I get the system built up around the core (incremental reimport will be supported). To get the full tool running elsewhere I'm looking at around 80,000 lines of 'shell' code (the support windows) to port, with at least that much again in the Pro extensions, which is logistically a year of work (bare minimum). I just need more of me. Checking off the verbalizer though was a major step in the right direction.