Re: Decorations (again)

[Paul Warren <pdw ferret lmh ox ac uk>]

On Tue, 16 Nov 1999, Michael ROGERS wrote:

> >> The below layer should be reserved desktop icons and named "desktop". If
> >> we need a layer for normal windows that stay below other windows, we
> >> need both "desktop" and "below" IMO.
> >
> >Indeed, there is a difference between "desktop" and "below".  Desktop
> >means desktop features.  "Below" is normal windows that stay below other
> >windows, but above the desktop.
> 
> Now I'm confused. I thought you agreed that we only needed three layers.

Ah.  I've just reread the last few emails and have realised that I
mis-read the list of categories and hints...

>Categories
>
>Undecorated
>Toolbar
>Menu 
>Dialog
>Main window
>
>New hints:
>
>Stay on top
>Stay below
>Modal
>Group modal
>[ Urgent (as per ICCCM) ]
>[ Omnipresent (use DESKTOP hint) ]
>[ Non-resizable (use WM_SIZE_HINTS) ]

I hadn't noticed that we had dropped the Desktop and Dock categories.
Sorry.  I think that they should be categories, as they are two distinct
types of window that require special treatment.

As for only needing 3 layers, what I meant was that a normal window should
only be able to hint itself into three different positions - normal,
ontop, below.  We are no longer prescibing how many "layers" there should
be.  Instead, we tell the WM what *types* of window we have (using the
categories above) and the WM can sort them into internal "layers" as (and
if) it sees fit.

The more information you give a WM about what the purpose of its windows
is, the more it can do with them.  I think someone was talking about a WM
feature whereby all desktop features were temporarily raised to be on top
of all other windows.  Neat, and it can do this now because desktop
windows are now labeled as such, and distinguished from normal windows
that just prefer to be stacked below other windows.

Sorry if I am not explaining myself very well

Paul