PAC (presentation-abstraction-control) question

[craig]

I'm trying to construct a PAC-agent architecture for an application
that has an MDI GUI. I'm structuring the mainWindow as the
presentation of the top-level agent. Sub-agents of the top-level are
"document editors". The top-level mainWindow contains menus for top
level functions, as well as menu items for the active sub-agent
(document editor). When a new sub-agent is created/activated, it needs
to replace/add menu items to the top-level mainWindow's menu ). When
these menu items are pressed a message is communicated to the sub-agent
(document editor) to perform a function. In other words, top-level has
a presentation that contains menu items that fire off sub-agent
functions.

Does this make sense? Does it violate "agent" encapsulation or any
other design principles?
Thanks for any comments!

-Craig

[Phlip]

craig wrote:

I'm trying to construct a PAC-agent architecture for an application
that has an MDI GUI. I'm structuring the mainWindow as the
presentation of the top-level agent. Sub-agents of the top-level are
"document editors". The top-level mainWindow contains menus for top
level functions, as well as menu items for the active sub-agent
(document editor). When a new sub-agent is created/activated, it needs
to replace/add menu items to the top-level mainWindow's menu ). When
these menu items are pressed a message is communicated to the sub-agent
(document editor) to perform a function. In other words, top-level has
a presentation that contains menu items that fire off sub-agent
functions.

Does this make sense? Does it violate "agent" encapsulation or any
other design principles?

I X-posted to comp.object, and set follow-ups there, because this isn't a
C++ question. (The answer is the same no matter what language you use.)

The only rules for Model View Controller I know are:

- use a triangle of observers

- observe elements in a module, not the whole module

- do what's simplest; sometimes you just call a function
instead of post an observation event

- pass all tests & refactor mercilessly

You do _have_ test cases, don't you?

--
Phlip
http://www.greencheese.org/ZeekLand <-- NOT a blog!!!