Re: Status of configurable global options (double-click timeout, etc.)?

[Guy Harris <gharris flashcom net>]

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 11:42:27PM +0500, Vlad Harchev wrote:
>  Hmm, probably I didn't describe my idea in full in previous message. I was
> thinking about dynamic exchange of information about widget's arguments and 
> their meaning and values between already running program and editres-like app.
> User activates special editres-like app, clicks on some widget in the 
> target app's window, and widget returns info about all arguments it accepts
> (type, description, value). From this information, glade-like "properties"
> window is created, in which user can set the options he wish, and applies (and 
> possible saves to rc file) changes. Of course, the "properties" window 
> shouldn't list all basic properties like button's border width, but ones like 
> "default font size for font selection dialog" etc - i.e. default values for 
> parameters that are changeable by user (so, GtkContainer::border_width 
> doesn't fall into this category).

Did Owen correctly infer that you're talking about this mechanism being
for use by the developer of an application, rather than by most users?

If not, my first comment here would be "I rarely configure applications
on Windows by firing up the Registry Editor". :-)

I.e., that might be a nice general mechanism, but I suspect most users
of applications (and, if I'm not either

	1) developing an application

or

	2) trying to beat a particularly stupid and stubborn application
	   into submission

I probably fall into the "most users of applications" category, i.e.
even major-league nerds can fall into that category) would find
configuring applications with some mechanisms such as that about as
appealing as they'd find doing it to an Xt-based application with
editres or doing it to a Windows application by firing up the Registry
Editor.

(I've also found the Earth-Shattering Power that the Xt resource
mechanism provides to be overkill, for most purposes other than the
aforementioned "trying to beat a particularly stupid and stubborn
application into submission" (my ".Xdefaults" file's comments are,
shall we say, rather grumpy).  I have 8 lines in my ".Xdefaults" file
just to force Motif to use Helvetica rather than "fixed" as the font for
various purposes, as I find "fixed" as a "system font" to be rather
butt-ugly.)