RE: [gtk-list] Q's: Animation & GTK Markup Language

[Tony Gale <gale daedalus dera gov uk>]

On 09-Apr-98 Phil Dawes wrote:
> 1) Is anybody working on a programming-language-neutral
> metalanguage to
> describe gtk user interfaces? I think this would be very useful for
> the
> basis for static gui builders seeing as we now have so many
> languages to
> cater for.
> e.g. GUI builder drops the description file, then back-end parsers
> can
> either translate the description into native sourcecode for the
> various
> languages, or interpret the description at runtime and provide
> hooks
> back to the client program (ala visual basic.)
> Perhaps a markup language written in XML could be a good idea?

I don't believe anyone is, although a couple of us have tentatively
discussed the idea on irc. I'm not an XML person, but it would need
to be:
        1. compact
        2. human readable - and writeable!
        3. flexible enough to describe a complete interface (with
            widget attributes, styles, etc.)

> 2) I've noticed that the new windoze gui controls are becoming more
> 'animated' (seems to be since IE4 and the active-desktop patches).
> Key
> examples are the html scrolling (which glides smoothly (50fps) in
> blocks) and the tree control which 'falls' open as if under the
> influence of
> gravity. Is there any base-class support for this kind of
> widget-level
> animation in gtk? Perhaps it could be hacked using timeout signals
> etc..?

I hope this never happens - any GUI feature that means I have to sit
here and wait for it to do-it's-thing will result in me not using it
- and this certainly applies to Windoze98. I'm rather a biggot when
it comes to my user interface :-) [mind you, my colleagues may say
that I'm a complete biggot anyway] - for example, when I'm forced to
use IE, the fact that you can't tell whether the Stop button is
active or not, due to that sunken feeling, really annoys me.

But enough of my pet hates.

Tony
--
E-Mail: Tony Gale <gale@daedalus.dera.gov.uk>
To be is to program.

The views expressed above are entirely those of the writer
and do not represent the views, policy or understanding of
any other person or official body.