[mcclim-devel] Feasibility Question

[Craig Lanning]

On Sat, 2010-11-20 at 20:41 +0000, k2msmith at gmail.com wrote:
> Thanks for the interesting thread. I was considering using clim for an
> experimental openGL application I'm writing, but I didn't get too far
> with it (on Darwin platform). So, I'm using OpenGL and GLU only for
> now. See link below for more details. Since I'm at a point where I
> need some high-level UI gadgets like pop-menus and things, it would be
> nice to fit what I have into a lisp framework, since the toplevel of
> what I have is written in lisp (image proceessing stuff is in C++).
> 
> http://kevinmichaelsmith.posterous.com/

Interesting project.

> I'm interesting in learning more about the benefits of clim and if
> that could work with an openGL canvas using mac backend for UI look
> and feel.

I don't know of any real reason that it can't.

McCLIM has the beginnings of an OpenGL backend, but I don't know how far
along it is.  The trick is to get the OpenGL backend to the point where
it supports the current 2D CLIM capabilities.  Then start extending CLIM
into 3D.

Using something like CLIM helps relieve you of having to implement all
of the common functionality like menus, panes, layout, etc.  You could
spend your time on getting the backend code to work and then you get the
other stuff for free.

Maybe CLIM needs to be extended to simultaneously support multiple
backends within the same UI.  That way the 2D windows, menus, etc are
done in a conventional backend and the specialized panes could use a
more specialized backend like OpenGL to do 3D.

Craig