Re: Can I get a quick overview of GtkApplication actions?

[Sandy Armstrong <sanfordarmstrong gmail com>]

On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Matthias Clasen
<matthias clasen gmail com> wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 7:03 PM, Sandy Armstrong
> <sanfordarmstrong gmail com> wrote:
>> Howdy,
>>
>> I wasn't sure what list to email, so apologies if this is the wrong
>> place to ask.
>>
>> I've heard some rumblings about the new GtkApplication having the
>> ability to export "actions" in such a way that other apps can easily
>> find and invoke those actions.  But the docs in GApplication and
>> GtkApplication seem a bit short on details.
>>
>> Can anybody explain to me (or link me to an explanation) of what this
>> feature is and how it works, and how it's expected to be used in (for
>> example) gnome-shell?  Are the actions discoverable even when the app
>> is not running?
>>
>> This could tie really nicely into some work I'd like to do to bring
>> Windows 7 Jumplist-like functionality to GNOME, but I want to make
>> sure I understand exactly what's currently implemented or planned to
>> be implemented.
>
> Hey, I've added a (very simple-minded) example of gapplication +
> actions in the glib 2.27.2 docs. Should show up on library.gnome.org
> soon.

Cool, thanks. Nice sample.  I've read through the updated docs, too.

> As for jump lists and that kind of thing, Ryan is planning to land
> some more exciting support in glib 2.28 / gtk3, which I assume he will
> unveil sometime soon.

Yeah, I'm intending to chat with him and other interested folks at
Summit about this.  I just haven't seen any specific use cases for the
export action stuff yet, so I wasn't sure what ya'all had in mind.

>From my point of view, I want to be able to export actions that are
available even when my app is not running.  The other cool component
of Jumplists in Windows 7 is item pinning.  I think this could easily
be achieved with a bit of API added to GtkRecent*.

Basically this gives me the ability to implement something like the
Tomboy note menu directly in GNOME Shell, or in the GNOME2 Taskbar, or
in Docky, or whatever, and have it available even when Tomboy isn't
running (so that I don't have to force my users to keep it running all
the time for optimal UX).  And most applications could benefit from
something like the Tomboy note menu, which Microsoft apparently
realized when they developed Jumplists for Windows 7.

Anyway, I guess we can continue this chat at Summit.

Thanks,
Sandy