Question about popovers

[Tomasz Gąsior <mail tomaszgasior kao pl>]

I want to ask question about GtkPopover. GTK3 documentation says 
"GtkPopover is a bubble-like context window  [...]" but popover is not a 
real window but it is a floating widget inside other window. From 
perspective of window managers and compositors popovers don't exist.

Appearance of popover is similar to window but it is not window — this 
causes inconsistences in animations. Window animation is defined by WM 
and compositor, popover animation — in GTK theme.

There are also problems with big popovers in small windows. See example: 
Mousepad GTK3, "Find and replace" dialog.
First:     
http://en.zimagez.com/zimage/przechwycenieobrazuekranu2018-01-2915-15-00.php
and then:  
http://en.zimagez.com/zimage/przechwycenieobrazuekranu2018-01-2915-15-22.php

Why did you — my question is directed to GNOME devs — chosen this way of 
implementation of this feature? Why popovers are not normal windows 
(with disabled server side decoration and with client side shadow)? I 
don't want to criticize your decision, probably you are more 
experienced, just I want to understand.

Firefox uses in some parts of its UI widgets with appearance similar to 
GTK popovers. Fx devs implemented it as real window. See 
http://en.zimagez.com/zimage/przechwycenieobrazuekranu2018-01-2915-27-18.php


I have also second question. Why GNOME uses popovers instead normal 
menus for menus purposes?

Thanks for reply.


--
Tomasz Gąsior
https://tomaszgasior.pl