Re: Better Virtual Desktops

["Bradley T. Hughes" <bhughes trolltech com>]

On Wed, 21 Jun 2000 Sasha_Vasko@osca.state.mo.us wrote:

> 
> Ok, Here is an idea that may very well solve most or all of the virtual
> desktopping problems
> with variable desktops number :
> 
> Add property :
> <insert>
> _NET_ACTIVE_DESKTOPS, CARDINAL[]
> 
> This property MUST be set by WM to list numbers of all accessible virtual desktops.
> This Property must be updated whenever new desktop is added or removed.
> </insert>
> 
> all the other per-desktop properties will have the same length, and Ns
> element of any of
> those properties, will cary information related to the desktop number
> stored in Ns element
> of _NET_ACTIVE_DESKTOPS property. This approach will allow for dynamic
> adding/removing
> of the desktops in any order, sequence and with any number, at the same
> time it will inform
> any Pager or other app, if there are any gaps in desk numbering, that can
> indicate that some desk was
> removed from the middle of the list. Pagers may provide users with some
> visible signs in such a case.

One question regarding this proposal, what should window managers that
do not support the removal of a desktop in the middle of the list?  Should
they just not list desktop support at all?

One of the changes that Matthias and I talked about was this very thing.
He and I favor changing only the number of desktops (ie.  the pager sends
a message to change the number from 4 to 6, or from 8 to 5)

> More that that  - it will provide information on what's been delete to
> Pager/windowmanager in case it
> restarts, and all internal logs are lost. It will also allow for that piece
> of info to be carried over to other WMs
> if user changes WM without exiting X.
> 
> _NET_WM_DESKTOP of any window in that case will be refering to the desktop
> number whithin this list,
> thus making making situations when desktop is deleted from the middle of
> the list mnuch easier to handle,
> making reparenting and updating of this property on ALL the windows placed
> on the desk, after the one
> being deleted unneeded.
> 
> Window managers that only maintain virtual desktops based on if there are
> any windows
> present on particular desktop will have no worries in this case as well (
> fvwm and AfterStep ).
> At first they will only set this list to contain single desk 0, then it
> will be dynamically expanded/shrinked
> by Pager requests.
> 
> Everybody will be happy
> 
> In this case
> _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS
> is not needed but we can leave it there for the heck of it, and set it to
> be equal to the number
> of elements in _NET_ACTIVE_DESKTOPS.
> 
> Also add something like:
> 
> <insert>
> When desktop is being deleted all the clients from this desktop must be
> moved to the next available desktop
> with smaller number. If it is not available - then to the next available
> desktop with higher number. If no other
> desktops are available - request will be denied.
> </insert>
> 
> This will make INSERT/DELETE messages specs complete enough.
> 
> Peace
> Sasha Vasko
> 
> 
> 
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> 

--
Bradley T. Hughes <bhughes@trolltech.com>
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