Re: [gtk-list] Re: return of the MDI

["David Given" <dg tao-group com>]

[...]
>I agree with this (and most of the arguments against WiW MDI), but I
>was wondering how hard it would be to implement what Photoshop calls
>pallettes. Little tool windows that float on top within the MDI. The way
>I would love these things is to be "float on top" whenever a normal
>window of the app is raised, and also be 'sticky' (visible on all
>desktops).

Sticky? God, no!

I make *intensive* use of multiple desktops. Any program that insisted on 
making its popups sticky would get binned, instantly (and there have been 
some). Sticky windows should be used *very* infrequently, and then only by 
system-wide programs (like the window manager). I currently don't have any.

But other than that, your little tool windows are called popups and are 
already implemented. (They always float above the top-level window they're 
attached to. Minimise the top-level, the popup goes with it.)

>Imagine GIMP for instance. When I have 2 images open, both on a
>different desktop, I would want the Layers dialog (or any other tool I
>have open within gimp) to be on each desktop. Now this is pretty easy to
>do I guess with WM hints. But to be honest I would want those tool
>windows to be present only on the desktops where I have images. Or (to
>take it a but further) only be visible when an image has focus.

See what I mean?

>And what about raising them to always on top, or at least above other
>windows on that desktop? 

What you want here is an ordinary popup window. Then you *manually* tell your 
window manager you want them sticky and always-on-top. This varies as to 
window manager but is usually pretty easy.


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