Re: [gtk-list] Re: file selector

[Thomas Leonard <tal197 ecs soton ac uk>]

On Fri, 16 Apr 1999, Thomas Leonard wrote:

> On Fri, 16 Apr 1999, Brian Brunswick wrote:
> 
> > In article <fd43c3f248%marble@executor.karoo.co.uk> you write:
> 
> > >Why not just provide a space where you could drag and drop a file from
> > >a file manager? That way file selection only needs to be done in one
> > >place (the file manager).
> > >
> > >Saving could also be done by providing an icon which could be dragged
> > >and dropped to the filer.
> > >
> > >(This works very well in the RISC OS operating system, but would likely
> > >be a shock to Windows users. RISC OS has no load dialog - you just drop
> > >from the filer, and the save dialog is a tiny filer window with the one
> > >file icon and an 'OK' button to save to the last place you saved to.
> > >Some apps also provide a 'Kill' icon, and the save dialog is
> > >automatically presented if you close an unsaved document.)

[ snip ]

> > I argued for it a bit over in gtk-app-devel a few weeks ago. What
> > people don't really seem to realise is that the standard file
> > dialogues are already ***over complicated*** - its like building an
> > /entire/ file manager into every application. Instead, gtk should just
> > have hooks that can link in with whatever file manager the USER
> > actually wants, along with a default gtk file manager that implements
> > these load/save dialogues in whatever way is preferred.

[ snip ]

> Hi, I'm currently writing a RISC OS style filer for X windows, which
> already supports dnd loading and saving. I'm currently in discussions with
> John Lindal about adding the extensions to the XDND protocol.

Hello again! Well, the protocol is finally ready, see:

<http://www.its.caltech.edu/~jafl/xds/>

There are a couple of example applications (written in GTK+, of course!)
here:

<http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~tal197/ROX/xds.html>

Hopefully anyone writing a file manager will consider adopting this
protocol, otherwise there's not so much point in applications supporting
it (although it's still nice to be able to drag whole files easily between
applications).

Have fun!


Thomas Leonard
-- 
tal197@ecs.soton.ac.uk
2nd year computer science
RISC OS freeware to download at http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~tal197/