Re: Theming integration

[Richard Frith-Macdonald]

On 8 Jan 2007, at 05:04, Christopher Armstrong wrote:

> I'm curious as to know how the GSTheme class will be implemented. Will
> it contain the code of Camaelon, so that the default implementation of
> GSTheme uses a combination of interface style information, colouring
> information and interface tiles?

That's the idea.

> Or will GSTheme contain a default
> code-based implementation of a GNUstep "look and feel" such as what is
> currently implemented in each control class?

The default GNUstep theme sets no images, tiles, colors or  
interfacestyle values ... so the current hard-coded implementation  
should be used when the default theme is selected.

> How much of Camaelon will
> be put into GNUstep?

Basically all the gui drawing code  should be integrated (obviously  
with modifications) so that every element of the user interface can  
be customised.  However it's not going to be a simple copying of  
code ... for instance, the tiling in GSTheme works slightly  
differently from Camaelon as it's intended to make it easier for a  
theme designer to produce tile images.

> Will GSTheme provide enough methods so that each control's look and  
> feel
> can be completely customised from code i.e. a set of methods for  
> drawing
> buttons, a set of methods for drawing menus, a set of methods for
> drawing scrollbars etc? I think it is important we provide this a some
> theme implementers may have different ideas for how things are drawn.
> For example, if I were implementing a theme using code, I wouldn't  
> draw
> a menu item as a "button" but instead just as a rectangle or just  
> text.

This is going to have to be done gradually, using Camaelon as a  
guide, as we don't really know what methods are needed.  So this part  
of the API is going to be unstable for a long time.  We need to  
identify a simple set of methods powerful enough to do all the  
customisation.  At the moment GSTheme only provides a method for  
drawing buttons.

> Also, who is currently working on the theming code integration?

Just me ... and I have been too busy on other things to do much for  
the last two months (and will probably be busy throughout january).
We need volunteers to work on theming.  I've been intending to do a  
pre-alpha release of Thematic.app and call for volunteers, but just  
haven't got round to it yet.