GSoC 2011 - Draft Proposal

Draft Proposal - GSoC 2011 - AbiWord

Name:
    R.C.Manuranga Perera

Email:
    rcmperera@gmail.com

Project Title:
    Table improvements

Synopsis:
    this is based on Martin Sevior's idea displayed on idea page[1].
    but rather than implementing it as "header repeat" functionality,
    this project proposes it to be implemented as table styling template.
    this proposed "table template" will include color, font, align,
    ect. for both body and header. users will be able to easily apply a
    template to a selected table.also they can make and save new template
    styles of their own.

Benefits to the AbiWord:
   not only this will solve the "big tables header repeat" problem,
   but also add a feature that will enable making nice looking tables quickly.

Deliverables:
   will add new tab to "Format Table" dialog box, which will allow
   users to select template for tables and customize templates

Project Details:
  introducing "table header repeat" as well as other table style as a
  "table template" will have many benefits.
  this will make the backend keep separate data models for table data
  and meta/style data, which is a good design.
  style data will be able be switched without change raw table date.
  this will avoid any data repetition in the actual table data, since
  even many rows of the same data is visible, actual data model is
  untouched.

  default templates can be provided for many common patterns eg:-
  alternating dark blue and light blue rows with bold headers repeated
  for each page

Project Schedule:
   I am confident that I can manage to stick to google's scheduled
   time-line[2] or better even though I am currently interning at
   WSO2[3].

Bio:
  I am Manu (R.C.M. Perera) from Sri Lanka.I am an undergraduate
  studying at of University of Moratuwa.
  have a good experience both in C++ and C.

[1] http://www.abisource.com/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code_2011#Table_improvements
[2] http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/events/google/gsoc2011
[3] http://wso2.com/

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please let me know any feedback/suggestions/comments on this proposel

--
by,
            Manu
(R Chathura Manuranga Perera)