Re: Looking for suggestions/help on a multi-file data model
Re: Looking for suggestions/help on a multi-file data model
- Subject: Re: Looking for suggestions/help on a multi-file data model
- From: Andy Akins <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2011 04:51:46 -0600
Thank you very much for your comments.
On Feb 12, 2011, at 3:34 AM, Quincey Morris wrote:
> So you still at the stage where you need to think about design not implementation -- don't make the mistake of designing for a pre-chosen implementation strategy. First, start by designing your user workflow, which will tell you where you need your information, and when, and how it's going to get edited. Second, examine the workflow to see if the NSDocument metaphor (new, open, save, save as, revert, dirty, undo) applies. If not, don't proceed with NSDocument.
Agreed - insofar that I have already done the rough design, so it is time for me to consider implementation. What the end user is going to be working on absolutely fits the NSDocument metaphor that you describe - you're right, perhaps orders/catalogs are a poor metaphor, since it is unlikely that you would save orders individually. Suffice to say, the application is intended for a user to work with Document A - editings, saving,printing, revert, dirty, etc. If that was all that was involved, NSDocument and/or Core Data would fit like a glove.
The catch (or maybe its not a catch), is the end user _also_ has to have open another data file, which will contain information that the end user will use/apply in the primary document.
I'm trying to think of another example (since the product is very specific - I'm not sure I could explain it directly). The best I can think of would maybe be some sort of art program (although this is not one). You're working on your primary document - but you might open other things as well: clip art, pallettes, color tables, etc. Its' not a 100% match - in my case, both the primary document and the "supplement" are holding not art, but more traditional data. The point is, the user when creating a new file - not only has have the blank new file, but they have to open one (and only one) other file which has the information used to create your new document.
I'm beginning to think that the "prime" document would follow normal NSDocument/CoreData - but the template file(s) wouldn't - they would be loaded in a more traditional way.
In any case, thank you very much for your insight, you've given me some things to think about. I welcome any more ideas and/or comments...
-- Andy
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