Re: [gtk-list] Re: MDI?

[George <jirka 5z com>]

> > I don't really know why MDI is not popular in the X world. But I'm glad
> > it isn't. MDI is so rigid and limiting. Well written apps (so you don't
> > get orphan floating toolbars and the like when you hide the main window)
> > and virtual desktops are more than enough, and much better IMHO.
> 
> How would you write a gtk application such that you can call it 'well
> written' in that respect?

he was talking about iconizing the whole application, which is easily
possible and I think WM does this

> Here's an example.
> You have a main window, that has the ability to start a dialog. This dialog
> shouldn't be modal.
> Whenever the application is raised (the window manager decides that), the
> dialog should be raised above the main window, so as never to be hidden by
> it.
> 
> How can this be done in gtk?

this is bad ... bad bad bad ... IMO at least ... except for very special
cases (such as a panel) an application should not do such stuff ..
it gets very annoying ...

> > >By the way - how can something like that be implemented in X? Is there a
> > >concept of 'windows inside windows'?
> > Yes and no. X is all about windows inside windows, but only those that
> > are one level below the root window get a frame from the window manager.
> 
> Which, hence, renders the thing rather useless for most purposes, I'd say.

I don't think that decorated windows inside windows are such a good idea
in the first place ... but all of X is windows inside windows, most
widgets are windows ... an "MDI" application in X usually puts the
windows directly on the desktop ... which makes it all exactly as
usefull as an MDI, but you can also see other windows, you can put
specific windows on other desktops ... etc etc ....

decorated windows inside windows is IMO a poor design ...

George

-- 
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George Lebl <jirka@5z.com> http://www.5z.com/jirka/
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