Bug 691

Summary: [Chameleon] JavaScript loading architecture
Product: Chameleon Reporter: Paul Spencer <pspencer@dmsolutions.ca>
Component: CoreAssignee: chameleon-dev <chameleon-dev@lists.maptools.org>
Status: NEW    
Severity: normal    
Priority: P1    
Version: 1.99   
Target Milestone: FUTURE   
Hardware: PC   
OS: All   
Whiteboard:

Description From 2004-10-07 09:15:14
The way we use javascript in chameleon, especially the way that files are
included, is quite naive and does not accomodate the possibility of asynchronous
loading of these files.  The end result is the occasional javascript error
relating to functions or variables not being defined ... this should really be
'not defined YET' since inspecting the source of the page reveals that the code
really is getting included.

The architecture should include a notion of knowing when files have been
included and not accessing functions/variables until such time as they are
available.  There are numerous examples of much more sophisticated ways of
loading external js files that should be researched during this redesign.

Note that while this is listed as part of the CORE, it will really affect all
widgets and probably the widget developers documentation and the application
developer documentation.