Web Tools for GemStone/S

WebTools for GemStone/S
ESUG 2011, Friday, 11:00 – 11:45 am
James Foster, Sr. Member Technical Staff

© 2010 VMware Inc. All rights reserved

Abstract

 GemStone/S 64 Bit includes a new goodie, WebTools, with which
you can quickly and easily interact with a running GemStone
system through a web browser. With WebTools you can browse
code, view version information, view statistics, and analyze
statmonitor files.

2

Presenter

 Software Background
• As a junior-high student in 1971, I discovered the local university‟s computer
center and a life-long obsession with computers began.
• I was introduced to Smalltalk/V for the Mac in the mid-90s, and became a
Smalltalk bigot.
• I am on the Smalltalk Engineering team at VMware, and am a passionate
advocate for GemStone and Seaside.
 Past Careers
• Commercial Pilot
• Lawyer
 Other interests
• Economics
• Politics
• Religion

3

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Demo: WebTools in Action
 Design
 Demo: Adding a new tool
 JavaScript lessons
 Future

4

Agenda

 Existing tools
• Topaz
• Visual Statistics Display (VSD)
• GemBuilder for Smalltalk (GBS)
• GemTools
• Jade

5

Topaz

 Primary GemStone/S user interface
• Used internally to create distribution image
• Used internally for testing and debugging
• Recommended for batch and maintenance jobs (backups, etc.)
• Preferred for reproducible bug reports
 Command-line driven
• Analogous to command shell (bash): Enter command and get response
• Run, DoIt, & PrintIt to execute Smalltalk code
 Debugger
• View stack frames and variables
 Applicability
• Low-level work by those comfortable with vi, emacs, and Unix
• Less comfortable for typical Smalltalker

6

Visual Statistics Display (VSD) - 1

 Statmonitor
• The product distribution includes statmonitor, an executable that captures
hundreds of statistics about a running GemStone/S system
• Statmonitor produces a text file of data (optionally compressed)
• Recommendation that all production systems capture this data constantly
• Allows analysis in event of crash
• Allows comparisons over time (how does this year compare to last year?)
 VSD
• View statistics in graphics format
• Separate application (not part of product distribution)
• Cross-platform
• Templates for common issues
• Ability to zoom, combine, etc.

7

Visual Statistics Display (VSD) - 2

 Issues
• TCL-based application
• Building third-party libraries on several platforms
• Cannot run if there is a space in the executable path
• Doesn‟t run on Windows 7
• Actually, it just requires “XP Compatibility Mode”
• File size limits (sometimes there is a lot of data!)
• Font size

8

GemBuilder for Smalltalk (GBS)

 The traditional GUI-based tools
 Add-on library for client-based Smalltalk
• Cincom Smalltalk
• VA Smalltalk
 Various GemStone/S tools
• Code browser
• Debugger
• UserProfile editor
 Limitations
• Not free (GBS is not available for the „no-cost‟ license)
• Requires installation and use of yet another product
• Most updating focuses on host Smalltalk changes

9

GemTools

 Pharo-based tools for ‘GLASS’
 Various GemStone/S tools
• Code browser
• Debugger
• Monticello browser
• Metacello browser (new!)
 Limitations
• Requires specific server-side code
• Requires installation and use of yet another product
• Many network round-trips to server
• Impractical for remote (e.g., hosted) server
• GUI is based on OB

10

Jade

 Microsoft Windows application
• Created in Dolphin
• Small footprint (EXE is 1.3 MB; takes ~8 MB of RAM)
 Various GUI-based tools
• Monticello browser
• Code browser
• Debugger
 Avoids ‘two-object-space’ problem
• Built with Dolphin, but not (necessary to) run in Dolphin
 Disadvantages
• Windows-only
• Yet another application to download and install
• Unofficial „goodie‟

11

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Design
 Future

12

Motivation

 GUI
 Light-weight
• Simple to install and use
• Minimal network and CPU usage
 Cross-platform
• Preferable with minimal effort
 Extensible
• Allow users to enhance
 Experiment with new technology
• Because it is fun!

13

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Design
 Future

14

WebTools

 Open web browser on http://vienna:8080/
 Explore tools

15

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Design
 Future

16

Design: Code in GemStone

 Web Server
• One class, couple dozen methods
• Not a generalized web server
 Serves files in $GEMSTONE/examples/www
 Returns Json for recognized methods
• Search path for class and method to handle request
 Each ‘tool’ represented on server by subclass of Tool
• Required class-side methods: #’displayName’ and #’description’
• Optional class-side methods: #’fileName’ and #’sortOrder’
• Required instance-side method: #’json’
• Optional instance-side methods: any needed by client

17

Design: Files in the File System

 Place files in $GEMSTONE/examples/www
 Convention
• HTML in /
• Simple JavaScript libraries in /scripts
• Shared style in /css
• Complex JavaScript frameworks in /
 Each tool identifies an html file in Tool class>>#’fileName’
• By default, use class name , „.html‟
 HTML for tool is obtained using Ajax call and then added to the
existing document
• Use embedded (or linked) JavaScript to add behavior
• Use embedded (or linked) CSS to add style
 Okay to have HTML, JavaScript, and CSS in one file?

18

Why not Seaside?

 Preference for a light-weight solution
• Development is in GemStone/S 64 Bit 3.0
• But should be easy to port to earlier versions, including older 32-bit product
• Seaside requires later 64-bit version
 Expect heavy use of JavaScript
• Somewhat rigid to have server send HTML data
• Added #’printJsonOn:’ to a handful of classes
 Fair question!
• Desire to explore something else?
• Show some objectivity in advocacy by occasionally choosing something else!

19

Avi Bryant on Seaside

 Smalltalk Solutions 2011
• March 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
 Web Architecture Changes
• Old: Get/Post returning fat HTML file
• Seaside offers saving state on server
• New: Async background requests for Json
• Stateless interaction reduces value of saving state on server
 What will Next Generation Web Framework Look Like?
• No components, no continuations, and no canvas
• Json builder with callbacks

20

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Demo: WebTools in action
 Design
 Future

21

Adding a Configuration Report Tool

 Add ConfigurationReport class
• Copy and edit three class-side methods from VersionReport
• Copy and edit one instance-side method
 Add ConfigurationReport.html file
• Copy VersionReport.html
• Edit JavaScript
• Edit CSS
• Edit HTML

22

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Design
 Future

23

JavaScript Lessons for a Smalltalker

 Editing in a text file vs. in an image
 Assignments & comparisons
• = vs. :=
• == and ===
 Closures
• $.each(list, function(index, each) { newList.add(this * 2); });
• list do: [:each | newList add: each].
 Scope
• Block (curly braces) does not provide a scope
• Scope is limited by function
 Fifty-nine (59) reserved words
• Cannot use for temporary variables and difficult to use for instance variables
 Not tiny: Chrome has 4 processes at 20 to 150 MB each

24

Agenda

 Existing tools
 Motivation
 Design
 Future

25

Future

 Current Tools
• Code Browser: view/set breakpoints, class hierarchy, more context menus
• Statistics: zoom, multiple per chart, AI analysis
• Debugger: step, edit & continue
 New Tools
• Inspector
• Monticello
• Metacello
 Or nothing!
• Not an officially supported product
• Shipping in $GEMSTONE/examples/www
• Feedback welcome

26

Questions?

 James Foster
• jfoster@vmware.com
• http://programminggems.wordpress.com/

27

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