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side4linux, a simple integrated development environment!

Products and their Projects

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side4linux is an Integrated Development Environment intended for the design and manufacture of any consumer based Product.
side4linux incorporates the methodologies of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) often referred to as Computer Integrated Manufacture (CIM).
side4linux is designed to allow each Product to be stored in a single location containing all of the Projects needed to complete that single Product.
side4linux divides 'Products' into three main 'Product Groups',  'DEMOS', 'PRODUCTS' and 'TOOLS'.

'DEMOS' are for demonstration Products e.g. the side4linux demo projects in the 'SIDEdemos' Product folder,
'PRODUCTS' are for User Products plus 'MC1' our machine controller.
'TOOLS' are for utility tool Products e.g. the side4linux support tool set in the 'SIDEtools' Product folder.

Each side4linux 'Product' contains a group of Projects which have the same directory structure of,

ANCA	ANCA style 'G-code' CAD/CAM projects.
ARMC	ARM MPU 'C' projects.
AVRA	Atmel AVR microprocessor code projects using the AVRA assembler.
AVRC	Atmel AVR microprocessor 'C' projects.
CLC	Linux Command line 'C' projects to be run in a terminal.
GNOMEC	Gnome 'C' visual program projects built using the LIBGLADE interface.
GNOMECGL	Gnome 'C' with 'Open GL' 2d visual projects built using the LIBGLADE interface.
GTKC	GTK+ visual 'C' projects built using the GTKBUILDER interface.
GTKCGL3	GTK+ visual 'C' projects built using the GTKBUILDER interface that incorporate support for OpenGLtm type 3D graphics.
PCBS	Printed Circuit Board project management for 'pcb' and 'gEDA'.

Therefore if one was designing an "Internet connected bread slice toaster" (called 'Toaster_1') all of the Projects needed (such as Plastic molding dies, CPU printed circuit board, AVR machine code for onboard low level routines, AVR 'C' code for the Human Machine Interface, the Gnome Linux graphical 'C' user interface program for the home computer connected to the toaster and 3d CAD designs) are stored by project type under the Product name of 'Toaster_1'.

The directory for such a 'Toaster_1' Product ( user name of 'fred' ) might be,

/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/ANCA/Faceplate_mold
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/AVRA/Monitor_rom
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/AVRC/Monitor_interface
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/CLC
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/GNOMEC/Toaster_hmi/src
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/GNOMECGL/Toaster_design
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/PCBS/src/Main_board.pcb
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/PRODUCTS/Toaster_1/PCBS/src/Main_board.sch

This directory structure would also include the Gnome based 'side4linux' IDE Product,

/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/ANCA
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/AVRA
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/s/CLC
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/GNOMEC/side4linux/src
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/GNOMEC/side4linux/src/ReservedWords
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/GNOMEC/side4linux/src/Help
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/GNOMEC/side4linux/src/Doc
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/GNOMECGL
/home/fred/Data/Projects/SIDE/TOOLS/SIDEtools/PCBS

Other 'Products' such as the 'SIDEdemos' and other 'SIDEtools' are included in the side4linux distribution.
Also included is the 'MC1' machine controller Product which is the main reason for creating side4linux.

We have taken this Product approach because we are a metals manufacturing company and we have a great desire to ensure that all of our data is stored in a sane manner. This methodology will ensure that the product data can be found easily at a later date, long after the current employees have forgotten about it. If you are just a hobbyist intent on creating only one item then this structured approach may seem like overkill however this is the method of our madness! Please read the Vision and Mission statements provided for a deeper understanding of the development process for side4linux and also take a look at the Road map on the front page to determine the progress to date.

NOTE: Most project Types produce a simple make file and directory structure in the typed project directory by a graphical input method. GNOMEC/GNOMECGL types however call the GLADE2/3 program from the side4linux IDE, 'Project>Edit Project>Edit Project Visuals with Glade'. Glade's 'projectname.glade' project file must then be visually edited using GLADE2/3 to produce the visual interface of the project and then be re-compiled in the side4linux IDE by clicking on the 'Build' toolbar button. Please refer to the Help System provided for detailed assistance in installing 'helper' programs, Help files and Demo's to assist you in making your product. To see what is currently provided in the way of Products in the side4linux package have a look at PackageContents.txt

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