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Status Under Consideration
Workspace Domino Designer
Categories LotusScript
Created by Guest
Created on May 27, 2022

Make Domino Designer a modern IDE

Compared to other modern IDEs, Domino Designer is outdated.

Missing keyboard shortcuts, autocomplete, intellisense. All those useful features that modern IDEs have. Just honestly use VSCode for a week and compare it to the Domino Designer to feel the difference.
The inline help is difficult to use and not really helpful.

In LotusScript variable types are often lost, thus no available properties and methods are shown.
Even with Option Declare some variables are validated on save even if not declared, causing error at runtime.
Sometimes the cursor is moved back 1 character while typing.
Working with classes is still quite tricky. Not only, Erl() always gives the wrong.

LotusScript language is so outdated. Many modern development patterns are missing, it still takes time and time to do simple tasks. Why no "LotusScript.NET" is in plans? Or, without reinventing the wheel, why not using JavaScript?

Some times Java Agents can't be saved, the Designer keep asking to save when closing the window and confirming it nothing happen, forcing to copy the source code, re-open the agent/library/webservice to paste it and finally save it.

The Eclipse Properties panel often loose focus, forcing to click outside, inside, minimizing, closing and re-opening and fighting with it in general to reach that panel.

View list often now showing view aliases. The application must be closed and re-open to hope everything will be shown.
Sorting Views by Alias and typing I'm expecting to search in view aliases, instead it is still searching in view names.

Legacy Domino properties window is outdated, too small. It would be nice if every element's properties would be displayed in the Eclipse properties panel.

Saving Forms after editing events and code still have the same issues of the R6, jumping around events, not validating code correctly with libraries. Hotspot code focus get lost when clicking on another tab or opening another design element.

The JavaScript validator must be updated, it is not ECMA6 compliant.

Missing dark mode.

In conclusion: the job of the IDE is helping the developer. The Domino Designer is not doing this job, forcing the developer to remember too much things making it longer to write code and maintain it. Not only, the application itself is tricky to use. Many workarounds are needed, most of them coming from the legacy Designer (R7) with (many) other new tricks introduced with the Eclipse version.

No significant improvements were made in years, why should a developer still work with e product that looks like it was left as it is?

  • Attach files
  • Admin
    Thomas Hampel
    Reply
    |
    Aug 12, 2022

    Your submission is containing a number of different ideas/suggestions which should be posted as individual ideas. Some already exist and you can vote for them:
    e.g.
    Updating the JavaScript Engine/Editor
    https://domino-ideas.hcltechsw.com/ideas/DDXP-I-961

    Dark Mode for DominoDesigner
    https://domino-ideas.hcltechsw.com/ideas/DDXP-I-715

    Since your idea is a duplicate of the two above, I cant merge your idea in both of the ideas, so we have to close it as "no plans to implement", but please be reassured that we want to modernize the designer experience.

    Please continue for the two ideas mentioned here.

    If there is any other idea, please post them as individual new ideas.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 7, 2022

    Get rid of Eclipse completely. It has caused so many problems for Designer and it's impact on Notes client performance triggered the decline of Notes.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    May 27, 2022

    It would also be great if the new Designer could have the features mentioned in these items:

    https://domino-ideas.hcltechsw.com/ideas/IDEA-I-87

    https://domino-ideas.hcltechsw.com/ideas/IDEAAD-I-84

    https://domino-ideas.hcltechsw.com/ideas/DOMINO-I-1242

    https://domino-ideas.hcltechsw.com/ideas/DDXP-I-232