[[email protected]: Re: Desktop-style window management]

This is from Yann, it was supposed to go to the list also

----- Forwarded message from Yann Vernier <[email protected]> -----

From: Yann Vernier <[email protected]>
To: Micah Dowty <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Pgui-devel] Desktop-style window management

This description *exactly* matches how Blender's layout system works..
the limitations being that in Blender, there's only one app and document
(although it can contain many screens and scenes), and title bars ("area
headers") are only horizontal. Still, they can be hidden, top, or bottom.
By default, Blender has a very small InfoWindow at the top, which contains
a menu bar in its header, to look familiar to people who expect one.

On Mon, Jan 06, 2003 at 08:17:30AM -0700, Micah Dowty wrote:
> The new app manager I've been thinking of would solve this.
> I think there was a thread on this list a while back discussing it, but
> the archives are probably broke knowing sourceforge.
> 
> In summary:
> 
>   - You can have multiple 'layouts' that would be analogous to virtual
>     desktops or virtual terminals. They would be easy to switch between,
>     and fullscreen
Blender terms this "Screens". Like scenes, they can be switched with a
menu button in the InfoWindow(s). Global hotkey: Ctrl+Left/Right.
> 
>   - Each layout would start with one fullscreen frame. Frames could be
>     split, merged, and resized
Blender defaults to 3 screens defined, all with an InfoWindow on top.
They're 4-pane 3D, 1-pane 3D, and sequence editing (video
postproduction). The layout system works as described with right or
middle clicks at edges between areas.
> 
>   - Each frame has a way (a pull-down menu maybe) of selecting the app
>     that resides in it
That's the first button in all area headers (Blender's equivalent of the
panel bar). It's a menubutton, and there are also hotkeys for switching
to different types of areas. The rest of the header is defined by the
area itself, i.e. ButtonWindow has the groups of buttons, 3D view window
has the view controls, and InfoWindow has the menubar.
> 
>   - Any app can appear in either zero or one frame in each layout
Well, if you consider Blender's Windows the analogue of apps, this
matches. A Window in Blender is something that can be put in an Area,
which is a visible frame in a screen.
> 
>   - The ability to have multiple layouts and to split frames would
>     not get in the way of a novice's ability to sit down and use an
>     app full-screen
Yep. Nobody forces you to switch Screens.
> 
>   - Everything would be accessible from a "titlebar" on the frame,
>     a compact border or button, and/or the keyboard, depending on the
>     device's input and display capabilities.
Blender calls the title bar a Header. It can be hidden or moved, per
area.
> 
>   - If you select an app for a frame that's already being displayed in
>     another frame in the same layout, the apps would swap places
Blender doesn't quite do this, since its Windows get an instance per
Area; you just select the *type* of Window. This allows you to have i.e.
4 3D views from different perspectives. This doesn't make much sense for
all programs though, but perhaps some apps even in PicoGUI might want
the option to split themselves; I agree with the behaviour you suggest
as the default though.
> 
> I know I'd love to use a system like this :)
> In a typical session on my desktop, I might have one layout with only a web
> browser, one layout with frames displaying my email, a media player,
> and an IRC app, another layout with a text editor, a few terminals, and the
> same IRC app...

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