QML Roadmap

[ufechner7]

Now that QML is transferred to Julia Graphics we can start to think about how to proceed.

• Fix README.md
• Close obsolete issues
• Add labels to the remaining issues to make it easier to decide which of them should be fixed first
• Fix the failing unit tests makedocs fails QML.jl#176
• Fix open bugs https://github.com/JuliaGraphics/QML.jl/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22bug%22
• Improve the documentation https://github.com/JuliaGraphics/QML.jl/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Adocumentation
• Make sure creating stand alone apps with PackageCompiler works https://github.com/JuliaGraphics/QML.jl/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22package+compiler%22
• Improve the examples
• Build a package to create a JuliaItemModel for DataFrames
• Make the package compatible with the latest Makie.jl version Support latest Makie / GLMakie QML.jl#173
• Move Makie support into a separate package
• Move GR support into a separate package

Related packages:

• https://github.com/JuliaGraphics/QML.jl
• https://github.com/barche/QmlJuliaExamples
• https://github.com/JuliaGraphics/jlqml
• https://github.com/JuliaBinaryWrappers/Qt6Wayland_jll.jl
• https://github.com/JuliaInterop/CxxWrap.jl

[barche]

Here are 3 ideas:

1. Move Makie functionality into a separate package
2. Clean up GR integration and make it a separate package
3. Build a package to create a JuliaItemModel for DataFrames

[ufechner7]

Wouldn't it make more sense to use https://pkgdocs.julialang.org/v1/creating-packages/#Conditional-loading-of-code-in-packages-(Extensions) instead of a package for Makie integration?

[barche]

I think a separate package offers more flexibility here, it also allows to split off tests and examples that pull in a lot of extra dependencies. It's actually @SimonDanisch 's idea to make the QML Makie functionality a separate package, so I think he's still on the same page too.

[ufechner7]

allows to split off tests and examples that pull in a lot of extra dependencies.

Well, the examples are in a separate repository anyways. Test can always have their own test dependencies. And version limits you can also define for package extensions.

If you make a separate MakieQml package, could you still use QML together with both Makie and GR? I like Makie for 3D and GR for 2D...
I assume the idea of having a separate MakieQML package was born before package extensions where available. Perhaps worth to re-consider?

[barche]

Yes, you can still use both Makie and GR together with QML if we split off the functionality, just use all packages as required, e.g.

using QML
using QMLMakie
using QMLGR

I know package extensions exist, but:

• They require Julia 1.9
• Current Makie (and GR) functionality is very basic, I expect this to grow a lot and it may become bigger than the basic QML package itself
• Tests have their own dependencies, but they will take a lot longer to run
• Most of what needs to be changed in the Makie-QML interface is related to Makie, so the core QML would not need as many releases to keep up.

So to me, it just feels a lot more flexible to have separate packages, even in the presence of the very nice package extension system.