STATE_FLOATING (was Re: Pending 1.2 stuff)

[Lubos Lunak <l lunak sh cvut cz>]

On Friday 23 August 2002 09:43, Lubos Lunak wrote:
> On Thursday 22 August 2002 11:17, Matthias Clasen wrote:
[snip]

 Ok, can we reach some final agreement on this thing? So far this has been 
discussing only me and Matthias (and Havoc a bit, but I'm not sure what's his 
position on this).

 To sum up my position : The current definition of _NET_WM_STATE_FLOATING is 
too vague. Either everybody will implement it the same as KWin does (i.e. 
extra layer above almost all windows), in which case this can be simply said 
in the spec, or some WMs will interpret the definition differently, in which 
case KDE will most probably have to keep using it's STAYS_ON_TOP. KDE has 
this stays_on_top feature at least since KDE2.0 (I don't know if other WMs 
have some kind of stays_on_top too).

 I suggest to use this instead:
=====

 [In 5.7.]

_NET_WM_STATE_STAYS_ON_TOP indicates that the window should be on top of most 
windows (see Stacking order for details). Applications should not set this 
hint if _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE already conveys the exact nature of the window.

_NET_WM_STATE_STAYS_BELOW indicates that the window should be below most 
windows (see Stacking order for details). Applications should not set this 
hint if _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE already conveys the exact nature of the window.
[ this will solve my problem with being able to put Kicker below windows, and 
I also think we also have some feature request for being able to put Konsole 
below all windows and keep it there *shrug*]

 [7.10. or wherever]

 7.10. Stacking order

 The window manager should place windows in the following layers, from the 
bottom:
 - windows of type _NET_WM_TYPE_DESKTOP
 - window having state _NET_WM_STATE_STAYS_BELOW
 - windows not belonging in any other layer (i.e. "normal" windows)
 - windows of type _NET_WM_TYPE_DOCK
 - windows having state _NET_WM_STATE_STAYS_ON_TOP
 - window having state _NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN, if it has focus

 Windows that are transient for another window should be kept above this 
window.

 The window manager may choose to put some windows in different stacking 
position, for example to allow user to bring currently active window to the 
top and return it back when the window looses focus.
[That's it. Note it says 'should' and not 'must do so and will be shot 
otherwise', so WMs are free to do whichever insane things they desire as long 
as it keeps the stacking order at least somewhat sane.]
=====

 And if you think suggesting the stacking order is really too descriptive, I'd 
rather at least want to use the definition of STAYS_ON_TOP as written here 
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/wm-spec-list/2002-July/msg00008.html by Havoc, 
with 'below windows of type _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOC' -> 'above' (why should 
they be below?).

-- 
Lubos Lunak
KDE developer
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