Re: issues for future version

[Sasha_Vasko osca state mo us]

> On Thu, 30 Aug 2001, Sasha_Vasko osca state mo us wrote:
>
> > > Sasha_Vasko osca state mo us wrote:
> > >
> > > > - Pseudo-Transparency support (aka Root pixmap ID).
> > >
> > > Could this be implemented using parent-relative backgrounds for the
> > > client window and the frame window? The WM would set a hint on the
root
> > > window to indicate support for this kind of pseudo-transparency. It
> > > would work nicely with virtual roots - the virtual root would be the
> > > parent of the frame window, so its background would be visible rather
> > > than the background of the (possibly obscured) root window. How would
> > > the root pixmap ID work with virtual roots?
> >
> > But that does not allow you to do shading and more fine-tuned tinting,
> > [...]
>
>    Why realtime shading/tinting for a static background image? For
> IceWM I added the possibility to announce another pixmap per
> ROOT_PIXMAP_ID than displayed on the desktop. Yes that's really waste of
> memory. But this approach blasting fast, allows amazing effects (your

Do you mean you create more pixmaps - one for each shade/tint ? AFAIK -
that's
the exact cause of the fact that Eterm is such a memory hog.

Do you use ROOT_PIXMAP_ID  or _XROOTPMAP_ID ? Latter is what's used by E
and
AfterStep.

> imagination is the limit) and people insisting on this eyecandy normally
> should have more than enough memory.
>
>    Something that really bugs me is the reaction of some apps on the
> destruction of the ROOT_PIXMAP_ID (e.g. when you restart the window
> manager): Some apps simply crash if you are not careful enough (e.g.
> gnome-terminal). Other apps don't/hardly recover when your are careful
> (XChat, Eterm). Being careful in my terms means removing of the
> ROOT_PIXMAP_ID as soon as it becomes invalid.

Naturally. You have to update property first then wait for some time,
so that all the interested clients get PropertyNotify, and only then can
you destroy the Pixmap. Otherwise clients may attempt to use invalid
pixmap when ConfigureNotify comes in front of PropertyNotify.

> Ciao,
> Mathias

Sasha.