The summary discusses the evolution of the Eclipse Graphical Editing Framework (GEF) from version 3 to the current version 4. Key points include: - GEF started in 2002 and was based on SWT, with contributions from IBM and Chisel Group. It is now in maintenance mode. - GEF 4 was released with Eclipse Neon in 2017 and is based on JavaFX. It provides tools for graphical rich client applications both within Eclipse and standalone. - GEF consists of 9 loosely coupled components including Common, Geometry, FX, MVC, Graph, Layout, Zest, DOT and Cloudio that provide framework and end-user features.

1. Alexander Nyßen, itemis AG
Project Lead
Image courtesy of Stefan Rimaila/ flickr
The next generation Eclipse
Graphical Editing Framework

2. GEF 3.x
• Provides framework components for Eclipse-integrated
graphical editors and views
• Based on SWT as underlying rendering technology
• Initial contribution by IBM in 2002 and Chisel Group in 2007
• In pure maintenance mode, but remains on the ‚train‘
Image courtesy of Hamad Aziz/ flickr

3. Draw2d

4. Draw2d & GEF (MVC)

5. Zest

6. GEF4
• Provides end-user tools and framework components for
graphical rich-client Java applications, Eclipse-
integrated and standalone
• Based on JavaFX as underlying rendering technology
• Graduation release (1.0.0) with Neon
• Bugfix release (1.1.0) with Neon.1
Image courtesy of NASA

7. The next generation has (finally) taken over…
GEF „Generations“
GEF4
GEF
GEF-Legacy
GEF
0.1.0/0.2.0 1.0.0/1.1.0
5.0.03.10.0/3.10.1 3.11.0
3.10.0/3.10.1
(Mars)
4.0.0/4.1.0
(Neon)
5.0.0
(Oxygen)
?
[Draw2d, GEF (MVC), Zest]
[Common, Geometry, FX, MVC,
Graph, Layout, Zest, DOT, Cloudio]
Project Releases
Image courtesy of zeitfaenger.at / flickr

8. https://github.com/eclipse/gef
https://github.com/eclipse/gef-legacy
GEF@GitHub
GEF-Legacy@GitHub
GEF „Generations“

9. Cloudio
GEF Components
Image courtesy of Michael Stern / flickr
DOT
Common Geometry FX MVC
Graph Layout Zest
• GEF provides nine loosely coupled components.
• Cloudio and DOT provide end-user features
• The other components form two basic framework stacks:
• Common Geometry FX MVC
• Graph Layout Zest

10. Cloudio -TagCloudView

11. DOT - Editor & GraphView
AbstractBehavior

12. Neon
• Disclosure of preliminary API
• Validation for style, splineType, point, arrowType, shape
• Rendering of decorations, splines, and labels
• Native layout integration
DOTCloudio
Oxygen
• Further editing and rendering capabilities ✓
• Support for HTML-like labels and subgraphs ✓
• Bundling of Graphviz executable (CQ 11140) ✗

13. Undeployed Examples

14. GEF - Components
UI ≃ Eclipse UI
FX ≃ JavaFX
Geometry
FX.JFace
Layout
MVC.FX.UI Zest.FX
MVC.FX
FX
Graph
Zest.FX.UI
DOT
Common
Cloudio.UI
FX.SWT
Zest.FX.JFace
DOT.UI
Geometry.Convert.FX Geometry.Convert.SWT

15. DEMO - MVC Logo Example

16. NeonOxygen
• Connection Decoration Clipping
• Orthogonal Router & Orthogonal Bending
• Palette Support
Common Geometry FX MVC
• Major API revision (MVC & MVC.FX) ✓
• Viewport actions (scroll/zoom) ✓
• Snap-To-Geometry Support ✓

17. GEF - Components
UI ≃ Eclipse UI
FX ≃ JavaFX
Geometry
FX.JFace
Layout
MVC.FX.UI Zest.FX
MVC.FX
FX
Graph
Zest.FX.UI
DOT
Common
Cloudio.UI
FX.SWT
Zest.FX.JFace
DOT.UI
Geometry.Convert.FX Geometry.Convert.SWT

18. DEMO - Zest Graph Example

19. NeonOxygen
• Enhanced builder API
• Layout now Graph-based (I/O model)
• JFace-API cleanups
Graph Layout Zest
• API-Cleanup ✓
• Live vs. Background Layout ✗

20. • FXCanvasEx provides workarounds for the following issues:
• JDK-8143596: Forward touch gestures to FXCanvas embedded scene.
• JDK-8161282: FXCanvas does not forward horizontal mouse scroll events to the embedded
scene.
• JDK-8088147: Image cursors not supported.
• JDK-8159227: KeyEvent.doit should be forwarded to KeyEvent.consumed().
• JDK-8161587: FXCanvas does not update SWT display.
• JDK-8088862: Provide possibility to traverse focus out of FX scene.
• Fixes for those requiring access to JDK-internals have been
contributed to OpenJFX 9 directly.
• FXCanvasEx can now transparently be used for Java 8 and 9.
readiness

21. https://info.itemis.com/en/gef/tutorials/

22. Evaluate the Sessions
Sign in and vote at eclipseconverge.org
+1-1 0