Re: Question about levels

[Chad Hardin]

"Richard Frith-Macdonald" wrote:

> 
> On Sunday, October 13, 2002, at 10:51  am, Chad Hardin wrote:
> 
>> I have a question, I¹ve been looking at the source for an answer but the way
>> things weave together makes it difficult for me to answer it myself...
>> 
>> I¹m creating a very simple, C and SysV IPC based lightweight window server.
>>  Of course, the ultimate goal is to make a backend for this new server.
>>  Right now, the server only deals with top-level windows and leaves
>> inter-window ³widgets² the responsibility of the client.  Is this possible
>> with GNUstep?  The reason I ask is because NSView seems to not rely on the
>> concept of ³sub-windows² from whatever backend it uses.  Is this correct?
> 
> Yep ... the gui layer only requires the backend to support screens (a screen
> normally represents a physical display) and windows ...
> it places windows within a screen, and does all drawing into the windows.
> You do need to support the ideas of window levels and ordering within window
> levels.  All windows in one level appear on top of all windows in any lower
> level. 

Coolness!  Thanks, that part seems to be squared away then!


Ok, now I have a question about levels:

Right now I have it in my head as:

App Level:
*Windows can be raised and lowered. (intra-app app window cycling)
*Windows can be specified as top-level, bottom-level etc. (like the Menu, or
a floating toolbar like thingy)
*Windows can be hidden, shown.
*Windows can be pushed to the bottom and top.  (only to the bottom of the
apps own windows)


System Level:
*All the windows of an app can be raised or lowered. (switching between
apps) (this may not be used much in GNUstep)
*All the windows of an app can be made hidden, etc
*Windows can be specified that they are top-level, etc in relation to ALL
windows of ALL apps (like a Dock)


Is this correct?  I'm starting to think it is not right.  For example, when
a user clicks on a window of another app, they don't expect all of that apps
windows to be raised, just that one window.


Thanks again,

chad