Thomas Ummels is a freelance Javascript developer who created the web based Gantt chart tool www.tomsplanner.com. A Gantt chart application to create and share project schedules, project plannings and project timlines. Easier than MS Project and faster than Excel. No more messy Excel spreadsheets with tom'splanner Gantt chart templates. The Gantt chart software is almost entirely written in Javascript using the latest Front End technolgies including Jquery and ecluding Ext-js. Tom'splanner enables you to share your Gantt charts and project schedules online.

Freelance Front-End/Javascript | Creator of Gantt Chart Software Tom'splanner

Friday, October 23, 2009

Ext-js good to knows

I have been working with the Ext-js framework for quite a while now and there are two things that seem counter intuitive (to me) but are good to be aware of:

1. if you add a component to a container you should call the doLayout method of the container and not the component itself if you want the component to be rendered correctly. If you know how the ext-js framework is set up this totally logically but if you are building an app. it seems really illogical.

2. If you apply the layout type 'fit' to a component it means the content of the component will fit the component not that the component will fit it's container.

And if you are just starting with Ext-js spend some time studying the difference between an Ext-js Element (encapsulated dom element) and an Ext-js Component (a purely js object). It will help you to find your way around in the API a lot easier.

And a last remark: don't be discouraged by the framework in the beginning. I have worked with a couple of different javascript frameworks now (jQuery, Mootools and YUI) and this is by far the one with the hardest learning curve and has the barest documentation. But when applied in the right context Ext-js can be really powerful and worth the effort.

4 Comments:

  • thanks for the tips. I have been working on it for over a month. Never even heard of these concepts before. The hardest thing to go through is the Javascript syntax madness.

    By Blogger Daniel, At October 27, 2009 9:47 AM  

  • I have built a couple of apps in both extjs 2.0 and 3.0.
    This book is great to better understand the extjs concepts, not just the syntax.
    http://www.manning.com/garcia/

    It's not complete yet but you can already buy the ebook (i did).
    Look for coupons before you buy... :)

    By Blogger BUG, At October 27, 2009 4:23 PM  

  • Hello from Russia!
    Can I quote a post "No teme" in your blog with the link to you?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 2, 2009 4:15 PM  

  • @Hello for Russia,

    Feel free.

    By Blogger Thomas Ummels, At November 3, 2009 12:59 AM  

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Thomas Ummels, freelancer and senior Javascript developer. Creator of the Gantt chart software www.tomsplanner.com. A Gantt chart tool that anables you to share project timelines and Gantt charts online. An alternative for Excel templates and/or MS Project. It is faster than Excel. Gantt chart templates enable you to create Project plans and schedules fast and easy. The Gantt chart tool is written in Javascript using the latest Front End technolgies including Jquery and ecluding Ext-js. Although Thomas Ummels has extensive experience using the Extjs framework. Tom'splanner enables you to share your Gant charts and project schedules online.