GCF-2.2.0 Release
                                        -----------------
                                            
GCF-2.2.0 is a major release with some bug-fixes. For more details,refer to the online 
documentation included in this distribution. 

The documentation is also available online:

http://www.vcreatelogic.com/downloads/?file=GenericComponentFramework_Manual&type=pdf

******************************************************************************************
*                                 New Features                                           *
******************************************************************************************

- "Software Updater" module for supporting incremental updates in GCF based applications.
   Find more about "Software Updater" in the GCF manual.
   
- "Logger" module that helps in logging messages. This module will be used within GCF 
  itself, and it can be used within user programs for doing advanced logging.   
  
- CreateAppTemplateWizard tool helps to create template GCF based application minimizing 
  the work involved while creating the application.
  
- GCF now has a new class called ObjectIterator, that developers can use to iterate through
  all exposed objects in a GCF application.
  
- Provided template GCF::findObject<> and GCF::findObjects<> methods to help make it easy
  for developers to look for objects that implement named interfaces.
  
- Provided a GCF::connect() and GCF::disconnect() to help simplify signal/slot connections
  with remote objects.

- Provided new methods GCF::initialize() and GCF::finalize(), to help simplify initialization
  and uninitialization of GCF. Using these are compulsory now. Upgraded MainWindowComponent 
  to make use of the above methods.
  

******************************************************************************************
*                                 Bug Fixes                                              *
******************************************************************************************

- Fixed the bug while adding dependingComponents. 

- Fixed a crash in Updater Example / BookmarkComponent that came up while adding a bookmark.

- Fixed the issue "Sometimes opening another recent item would not ask for save-confirmation"
  in ProjectManager component.

- Fixed the KParts bug. The bug was actually caused because of the custom TabWidgetStyle we 
  use in MainWindow to support the IWorkspaceTabBarPaintHelper interface.

- Fixed the crash in Clipboard component caused because of its unsafe use of the IXmlUtils
  interface.

- in Message.h, Message destructor is made be virtual. Too many memory leaks would be caused 
  otherwise.
  
******************************************************************************************
*                                 Documentation                                          *
******************************************************************************************

- GCF Manual now contains a chapter on "Software Updater", "Logger Mechanism"  and 
  "CreateAppTemplateWizard"

- Included a more detailed documentation on GCF's usage within VTK Designer 2. This would 
  help developers in understanding the value proposition of GCF.

******************************************************************************************
*                                 Deprecated Features                                    *
******************************************************************************************

- The MenuStrip. Use toolbar and menubar instead.

- CreateAppTemplate Tool. Use CreateAppTemplateWizard instead.

******************************************************************************************
*                                 Misc                                                   *
******************************************************************************************

- Restructured the GCF/source directory. Sub-directories now contain source code on a per 
  module basis.

- Configuration page now has UpdaterComponent.

- Initialization of the component : Made sure that the initilization of the component is 
  finished by the time creationAnnounced() is called.
  
- GCF::ComponentGuiNode now has a member called id() that returns a unique identifier for 
  the node.

- <menuitem widgetName="..." /> now automatically creates an action node with that widget 
  name before making it the action for the menuitem.
  
- Script Editor now editor configuration into ComponentSettings.

- By default hideWhenNotInUse attribute of <action> xml elements is assumed to be false.
  
- Moved GCF specific code from MainWindowComponent::shutdown() to 
  GCF::ComponentFactory::shutdown()  

- ScriptEditor now implements another interface called IScriptHighlighter. The interface can be 
  used to access, clone and change the QSyntaxHighlighter used by the script editor.
  
- GCF apps show hour-glass cursor while the application is loading.

- UpdateXMLParser now ensures that icon URLS are properly written  

- Standard Component's code generator now installs the component GUIXML file also.

- Added kde4.pri to help make it easy to find KDE4 libraries on Linux

- GCF_DISABLE_KPARTS and GCF_DISABLE_ACTIVEX flags can be used with qmake to disable the use of 
  KParts or ActiveX even if they are available

- kparts and activex libraries are linked only against GCF. Components and tools that depend on 
  GCF.dll or libGCF.so dont link against them.
  
- Upon compiling we get GCF2.dll on Windows and libGCF.so.2.2.0 on Linux. The version number
  of GCF now makes it easy to track dependencies.