NWI: hollow apps

[Matthew Woehlke]

Maciej Pilichowski wrote:
> On Tuesday 17 March 2009 21:29:53 Matthew Woehlke wrote:
>> Sure; my thought was more that it should work /like/ docking, in
>> terms of drag-and-drop windows into the container. In which case I
>> don't see why you need the empty space.
>>
>> - Start apps
>> - Make tiled container
>> - Move second app into container -> container automatically
>> re-layouts
>>
>> Still three steps :-). 
> 
> No, actually four (each app is one step -- launching). The last step 
> is not very comfortable to do using keyboard. 

Ok, you convince me (I think) :-). But... I'd say that is even more 
reason to allow empty containers. (It's more for what happens in empty 
desktop, or when closing last child, than to create a container that is 
initially empty).

So, more keys! :-)

wm-container-wrap-tabbed
wm-container-wrap-tiled
wm-container-wrap-floating
wm-container-split (win-t?)

...where the last (not the best name, would need a better description in 
the actual UI) creates a new 'empty space for child', that will absorb 
the next-created window. So, new tab, new pane in tiled, new window 
(meaning a title bar and frame) in floating.

>> (Especially if the tabs and titlebar blend together, 
> 
> No true entirely. With tabbar we would like to add "create new tab" 
> button, just like today with Konq.

So? It would be a button on the "title" bar in that instance. I don't 
see a problem ;-).

>> in which case 
>> I don't expect we'll really have a "don't show tabs" mode.)
> 
> We would. Because Konq. can work in postpone UI mode -- "decide later 
> if this SDI or TDI". In other words, this option "show tabs", 
> translates to:
> [ ] start as SDI, user can switch to TDI on fly
> [x] from the start work as TDI

I am confused. If you start konq in not-tabs container it doesn't have 
tabs. From there you can:
- wrap in tabbed container; now it has tabs even if there is only one tab
- create new tab; konq spawns a new process with wm hint to be a tabbed 
sibling of the current window, and now you have two tabs

So "don't show tabs" mode is "don't put it in tabbed container right 
away". Do I miss something?

>>> The most important for me is the idea, or mechanism, of sucking
>>> application on start to container waiting for it -- so it would
>>> be grouping on launch.
>> Mmm... okay, I think I was missing this part. It should still be
>> do-able, though. I think I would say, after creating a container,
>> new windows auto-join that container until focus leaves that
>> container? But that might confuse some people, I wonder if it
>> should be made an option...
> 
> Leaving focus -- no. For example you could alt-switch to other 
> application and accept "the drop". Or you could switch to KMenu and 
> launch app. 
> 
> You couldn't switch dekstops, i.e. you could, but this would be drop 
> cancel.

Yeah, I think you're right, this probably wouldn't work. Never mind :-).

-- 
Matthew
Please do not quote my e-mail address unobfuscated in message bodies.
-- 
"I like to think of it as 'unplanned dissonance'" -- A fellow chorister