Re: NET WM Spec implementation and changes

[Jeff Raven <jraven psu edu>]

On Wed, Jun 14, 2000 at 09:18:44AM -0500, Sasha_Vasko@osca.state.mo.us wrote:
> 
> >>   And we added a StaysOnTop (i.e. AlwaysOnTop, OmniPresent, ...)
> >>
> >>   StaysOnTop     = 1 << 6
> >
> > I think this should be left out. One of the best features of the new
> > spec is that clients don't dictate stacking order - that decision is
> > left up to the WM based on the type of window (_NET_WINDOW_TYPE plus
> > urgency bit, etc).
> >

Well, the problem is that either the client program or the user may
want a window to stay on top even if the window type does not default
to that behavior. Furthermore, external programs should have some way
of affecting this (see below).

Of course, since honoring STATE is not mandatory, the window manager
is free to clear the StaysOnTop bit and manage the stacking order
however it wants using the TYPE information. (Though personally I'm not
convinced that TYPE_DOCK should necessarily mean that the window should
be on top.)

> 
> Actually this is true. If window manager allows for such functionality -
> it is likely to have it's own configuration option for that. So adding
> StaysOnTop to specs makes it unclear as to what option should take
> precedence.
>

I'm not sure what the problem is here... if an application specifies
StaysOnTop, it should stay on top. If in the future the user should use
wm functionality to turn off the StaysOnTop, the window mangager is
obligated to update the STATE property. There should never be a conflict
between what the STATE property says and the current behavior, so there
is no question of precedence.

> That might be a good idea to make this option read-only, so that client
> cannot request to StayOnTop, but it could find out if window manager has
> put it on Top.
> 
> Same thing applyes to Sticky, Shaded, and SkipTaskbar.
> 

Unfortunately this removes some rather useful functionality. For
example, at present blackbox has passed the responsibility of keyboard
shortcuts to an auxiliary program (bbkeys). Via bbkeys the user can
establish whatever shortcuts they would like, including ones to shade
and stick windows. I expect tasklists/pagers would also like the ability
to control these things.

Jeff Raven