<?xml version="1.0"?>
<document url="./todo-1.1.xml">

  <properties>
    <author>Craig R. McClanahan</author>
    <title>Features We'd Like To See - The Struts Project Wish List</title>
  </properties>

  <body>


  <section name="Introduction" href="Intro">

  <p>Application frameworks, like the applications we build with them,
  never seem to be completed.  The following major areas of improvement
  are being considered for implementation in a future version 
  of Struts. </p>

  <p>Which features are implemented first depends greatly on 
  individual developers becoming involved in the process. Many key 
  features in Struts grew out of code first distributed on the mailing 
  list. If there is a feature here that you need, or already have, please 
  start a thread and show us the code!</p>

  <p class="center"><a href="../faqs/helping.html#release"><strong>So, when is the next release coming out?</strong></a></p>

  <p>An external development that is likely to affect the development of
  Struts 1.1 will be the emerging Standard Tag Library, being produced under
  the <a href="http://www.jcp.org/jsr/detail/52.jsp">Java Community Process</a>. 
  A very early release is now available at 
  <a href="http://jakarta.apache.org/taglibs/doc/jsptl-doc/intro.html">Jakarta 
  Taglibs</a>.</p>

  <p>The existing Struts tags were used as input to the standardization process,
  but in the case where standard tags with similar functionality are adopted,
  we should migrate Struts tags to maintain maximum compatibility with the
  new standard library.</p>

  </section>

  <section name="Pending Tasks"  href="pending">
  
  <ul>
  <li><a href="workflow.html">Workflow</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://husted.com/struts/resources/logic-niallp.htm">If/Else/Switch tags</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://husted.com/struts/resources/codemaker.htm">Code generator</a></li>
  </ul>
 
  <p>See also the Service Manager packages in the contrib folder.</p>

  <p>The wish list tasks are divided into functional areas that correspond
  to the major components of the Struts Framework. References in square
  brackets are the Java package containing the corresponding source code. 
  Listing a task here is not a guarantee that it will be present in the 
  next release. Again, whether a wish becomes a feature depends on whether 
  there are volunteers who choose to work on the task. </p>

  </section>

  <task-list name="Struts Documentation" href="Docs">

    <info>
      <p>Omnibus task list for items related to the Struts Documentation,
      which do not have direct relationships with code bases.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="Taglib Chapters for User Guide">
    <info>
     Incorporate the Taglib documentation and Developer Guides into the User Guide, 
     by including the source of these from their present locations.
    </info>   
    </task>

    <task name="TODO stylesheet">
    <info>
     Revise TODO stylesheet to add Status and Source elements, and to support mailto 
     links for volunteers in Assigned element. All elements should support hypertext 
     links. 
     </info>   
    </task>

    <task name="Taglib stylesheet">
    <info>
     Add support for "since" element for tracking changes to tags between versions.
    </info>   
    </task>

    <task name="Contribution Reviews">
    <info>
     Area to post articles about contributions from Struts developers.
    </info>   
    </task>

    <task name="Expanded FAQ">
    <info>
     Area to post a "choice" FAQ of truly common questions.
    </info>   
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="Struts Example Application" href="Example">

    <info>
      <p>An example web application utilizing the Struts framework and
      custom tag library.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="Better Database Support">
      <info>
        <p>Use a "real" database of some sort (while still making Struts
        easy to install.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:husted@apache.org">Ted Husted</a>
      </assigned>

    </task>

    <task name="Locale Switching">
      <info>
        <p>Add support for switching Locales on the fly to the Struts
        example application.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:husted@apache.org">Ted Husted</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="MVC Framework [org.apache.struts.action]" href="MVC">

    <info>
      <p>This is the core controller servlet, with support for the developer's
      action and form bean classes, plus the supporting data structures.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="Workflow Processing">
      <info>
        <p>Create a mechanism by which business logic (now encoded in
        <code>Action</code> classes) can be subdivided into individual work
        <code>Tasks</code> that are combined according to configuration
        information (including flow control and iteration support) in the
        <code>struts-config.xml</code> file.  Support for workflow processing
        would be provided by a set of standard <code>Actions</code>, and
        will offer an alternative mechanism (not a replacement of Actions)
        to organizing your business logic.</p>
        <p><a href="proposal-workflow.html"><strong>A Workflow Proposal is pending.</strong></a></p>    
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:craiger@tataryn.net">Craig Tataryn</a>,
        <a href="mailto:nic.hobbs@uk.pwcglobal.com">Nic Hobbs</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="PropertyEditor Support">
      <info>
        <p>Add support for JavaBeans that include a <code>PropertyEditor</code>
        class for conversion to and from the string representation used in an
        HTML input field.  This support should operate in a manner consistent
        with the way that standard JSP tags do in JSP 1.2.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Event and Listener Model">
      <info>
        <p>Retrofit the Struts controller framework with supports for event
        generation (and the corresponding registration of listeners) for all
        interesting events created by the framework.  The list of interesting
        events will undoubtedly be influenced by changes related to other
        work items on this list (such as workflow processing and standard
        validations), so work on this should be coordinated with those
        changes.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Robert Leland, 10/10/2000]
        [STRUTS-DEV, David Geary, 12/20/2000]
        [STRUTS-USER, Ted Husted, 12/23/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="EJB Design Patterns">
      <info>
        <p>Begin adding design patterns and support for easy integration with
        Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) for encapsulation of business logic and
        application data.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:mschachter@hp.com">Mike Schachter</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="HTML No-Cache Support">
      <info>
        <p>Improve the current Struts support for generating no-cache headers
        to provide finer-grained, configurable control on a per-page basis.
        </p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Hou Yunfeng, 10/07/2000]
        [STRUTS-DEV, Matthias Kerkhoff, 11/18/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

  </task-list>

  <task-list name="Bean Tag Library [org.apache.struts.taglib.bean]"
             href="BEAN">

    <info>
      <p>This tag library contains basic tags useful in manipulating JavaBeans
      and their properties.  It includes support for getting and setting bean
      properties using simple, nested, and subscripted accessor expressions.
      </p>
    </info>

    <task name="XPath Support">
      <info>
        <p>Update all of the relevant tags to include property accessor support
        using the syntax specified by the XPath standard (www.w3c.org).</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:javabettin@yahoo.com">Dave Bettin</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="XML DOM Support">
      <info>
        <p>Update all of the relevant tags to get and set attributes from a
        Java object that implements the XML Document Object Model, as well as
        from the current tree of JavaBean objects.  How the underlying data
        object is stored should be transparent to page writers using these
        tags.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:javabettin@yahoo.com">Dave Bettin</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="XML DOM / JDBC RowSet Support">
      <info>
        <p>Update all of the relevant tags to get and set attributes from a
        JDBC RowSet (or ResultSet) object, as well as from XML DOM objects and
        the current tree of JavaBean objects.  How the underlying data object
        is stored should be transparent to page writers using these tags.
        </p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:javabettin@yahoo.com">Dave Bettin</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="Formatting Support">
      <info>
        <p>Add the ability to use formatting patterns (suitably localized) for
        presenting numbers, dates, times, timestamps, and so on via formatted
        patterns.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Oleg Alexeev, 10/27/2000]
        [STRUTS-USER, Ned Seagoon, 12/11/2000]
        [STRUTS-DEV, Ned Seagoon, 12/13/2000]
        [STRUTS-USER, Ned Seagoon, 01/04/2001]
        </p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:javabettin@yahoo.com">Dave Bettin</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="HTML Tag Library [org.apache.struts.taglib.html]"
             href="HTML">

    <info>
    <p>This tag library contains tags useful in preparing web applications that
    use HTML forms as their primary mechanism for user data entry, as well as
    support for internationalized and localized applications.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="Radio Button Groups">
      <info>
        <p>Add a new tag that supports generation of groups of radio buttons.
        </p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Wellington Silva, 08/28/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Improve Options Tag">
      <info>
        <p>Improve the mechanism by which you define values and corresponding
        labels for <code>&lt;html:options&gt;</code>.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, David Winterfeldt, 07/27/2000]
        [STRUTS-DEV, David Winterfeldt, 08/02/2000]
        [STRUTS-DEV, Andy Boyko, 11/15/2000]
        [STRUTS-DEV, Andy Boyko, 12/07/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Additional Attributes">
      <info>
        <p>Support additional HTML 4.0.1 attributes (such as "disabled",
        "readonly", "wrap" on textarea)
        where appropriate.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-USER, , 08/23/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Improved Iteration Support">
      <info>
        <p>Improve the ability to use the <code>&lt;logic:iterate&gt;</code>
        tag over a collection, and generate a set of input fields for each
        member of the collection (perhaps auto-generating a subscript?).
        A significant use case is master-detail relationships (say, a
        customer and their current orders) where you allow editing of any
        and all fields.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-USER, Lars, 12/06/2000]
        [STRUTS-USER, Chandan Kulkarni, 12/26/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Multi-Page Form Support">
      <info>
        <p>Create design patterns and improved internal support for forms that
        span multiple pages.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:nic.hobbs@uk.pwcglobal.com">Nic Hobbs</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

  </task-list>

  <task-list name="Logic Tag Library [org.apache.struts.taglib.logic]"
             href="Logic">

    <info>
      <p>This tag library provides mechanisms to conditionally process
      nested body content based on a variety of logical conditions.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="'Else' and 'Else If' Capability and Other Conditional Structures">
      <info>
        <p>Add "else" and "else if" constructs to the existing conditional
        tags, in some reasonable format.</p>
        <p>Add conditional tags that emulate the "case" or "switch"
        capability of many programming languages.</p>
        <p>NOTE: Pending the outcome of the JSPTL, this functionality will 
        <strong>not</strong> be added to the Struts-Logic tags. However, a 
        <a href="http://husted.com/struts/resources/logic-niallp.htm"><strong>contributor 
         taglib</strong></a> is available.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:niall.pemberton@btInternet.com">Niall Pemberton</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="Iterating Parallel Collections">
      <info>
        <p>Enhance <code>&lt;logic:iterate&gt;</code>, or provide a new
        tag, to iterate over multiple collections in parallel.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Jeff R., 08/03/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="WML Tag Library [org.apache.struts.taglib.wml]"
             href="WML">

    <info>
    <p>This tag library will contain tags useful in preparing web applications
    similar to those supported by the HTML tag library, but render output that
    is well-formed XML in accordance with WML specifications.</p>
    </info>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="XFORMS Tag Library [org.apache.struts.taglib.xforms]"
             href="xforms">

    <info>
      <p>This potential new tag library provides access to facilities in the
      emerging XForms standards.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="Generalized Form Handling">
      <info>
        <p>Consider how to support more generalized definitions of forms and
        their fields, perhaps based on emerging XForms standards.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="XHTML Tag Library [org.apache.struts.taglib.xhtml]"
             href="XHTML">

    <info>
    <p>This tag library will contain tags useful in preparing web applications
    similar to those supported by the HTML tag library, but render output that
    is well-formed XML in accordance with the XHTML 1.0 specification.</p>
    </info>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="Tools Support [org.apache.struts.tools]"
             href="Tools">

    <info>
      <p>This package contains code generators and other tools that
      facilitate the creation of Struts-based applications.  Further
      subdivision into specialized packages should be performed as
      appropriate.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="XML --&gt; ActionForm Code Generator">
      <info>
        <p>Create a tool that takes an XML-based description of the
        properties of the form bean, and automatically generates
        the corresponding Java class.</p>
        <p><a href="http://husted.com/struts/resources/codemaker.htm"><strong>A 
        contributor extension is now available.</strong></a></p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Mark Wutka, 06/01/2000 and 06/16/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="ravi@sengen.com">Ravindran Ramaiah</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="Utility Classes [org.apache.struts.util]" href="Util">

    <info>
      <p>This package contains a variety of utility classes useful within
      Struts as well as in stand-alone applications.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="XmlMessageResources">
      <info>
        <p>Implementation of <code>MessageResources</code> and
        <code>MessageResourcesFactory</code> that loads message keys
        and strings from one or more XML resources or files.</p>
        <p>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Scott Sayles, 01/07/2000]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Enhanced Collections Support">
      <info>
        <p>Improve support in <code>BeanUtils</code>,
        <code>ConvertUtils</code>, and <code>PropertyUtils</code> for property
        values that implement <code>Collection</code>, <code>List</code>, or
        <code>Set</code>, treating them in a manner similar to the way that
        indexed or array-valued properties are handled.</p>
        <p>
        [Bugzilla #640]
        </p>
      </info>
    </task>
  </task-list>

  <task-list name="Unit Test Suites" href="UnitTests">

    <info>
      <p>Unit test components compatible with the JUnit and Cactus testing
      frameworks, to test and validate internal APIs of the Struts framework.
      Volunteers will typically agree to develop tests for an entire package
      within the Java source code of Struts.
      </p>
    </info>

    <task name="Action">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.action</code> package.</p>
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:struts-test@freetocreate.org">Rob Leland</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="Actions">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.actions</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Taglib.Bean">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.taglib.bean</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Taglib.Html">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.taglib.html</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Taglib.Logic">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.taglib.logic</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Taglib.Template">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.taglib.template</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Upload">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.taglib.upload</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Util">
      <info>
        <p>Unit tests for the <code>org.apache.struts.util</code> package.</p>
      </info>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="Additional Possibilities" href="Additional">

    <info>
      <p>This section is a catch-all for additional areas of functionality
      to be investigated for inclusion into Struts.</p>
    </info>

    <task name="Coarse Grain Components">
      <info>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Cedric Dumoulin, 10/03/2000]
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Multidimensional Properties">
      <info>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Eric, 11/07/2000]
      </info>
    </task>

    <task name="Portal Components">
      <info>
        [STRUTS-DEV, Phil Grimm, 11/22/2000]
      </info>
      <assigned>
        <a href="mailto:husted@apache.org">Ted Husted</a>
      </assigned>
    </task>

    <task name="Storefront Example App">
      <info>
        [STRUTS-DEV, David D'Orto, 12/11/2000]
      </info>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  <task-list name="Contributors Area" href="Contrib">

    <info>
      <p>A portion of the Struts web site, and file system, where individually
      contributed add-ons for Struts can be hosted and downloaded.</p>      
    </info>
    
    <task name="Proposal">
     <info>
       <p>Detailed proposal with implementation plan.</p>
       <p> [STRUTS-USER, Ned Seagoon, 12/22/2000]</p>
     </info>
     <assigned>
      <a href="mailto:husted@apache.org">Ted Husted</a>
     </assigned>
    </task>

  </task-list>


  </body>

</document>
