Anybody interested in joining xfwm 4 devel ?

[Jasper Huijsmans]

Right, I have been thinking a bit about how things could work (in general 
terms, no implementation).

XFwm
* window management
* session management
* XSETTINGS manager
* xfwm/xfce settings manager (applying styles to everything)
* Completely work with extended window manager hints

Configuration
* xfstylemgr works on xml file(s)
* notification of changes through x client messages on root or on invisible 
xfwm window (like xsettings)
* xfwm applies changes to gtkrc file / xresources / etc.
* libxfsettings provides functions for reading and writing configuration 
files as well as notification

Modules
* many modules can use window manager hints: pagers, taskbars, icon boxes, 
sound module.
* panel can communicate through xclient messages ("_XFWM_SHUTDOWN", 
"_XFWM_RESTART", ...)

Convenience library (libxfce-common)
* executing commands (through g_spawn_* I think)
* file open/save dialog
* other dialogs ?
* image handling. Since GTK2 uses gdk-pixbuf already for it's icons, it 
would make sense to use it exclusively,
   but there may be problems connected to it (I remember Alan saying 
something about that).

Panel
* how about making the buttons either a 'normal button' or an applet 
(through gtk_plug perhaps), so that you can
   choose between running a command or a number of plugins: clock, 
calendar, mailcheck, trashcan, etc. CDE
   has something like this, doesn't it?

These are just some thoughts I had. This is as always without being 
hindered by any real knowledge on the subject ;-)

For examples of working with the window manager hints we could look at 
metacity (window manager based on GTK2) - this also uses glib mainloop 
functionality that might be interesting - and libwnck from GNOME.

Does this make sense at all?

         Jasper

At 08:52 AM 3/22/02, you wrote:
>I would really like to help as much as I can. I don't think I'm qualified 
>to say much about real design issues, but I sure like to comment on other 
>people's ideas ;-)
>
>I'll be away next week (skiing in France), so I won't be able to 
>communicate with you then. The ports to GTK2 of some of the utilities are 
>working for me, but they are still based on the old configuration files 
>and mechanisms.
>
>         Jasper
>
>
>At 06:08 PM 3/21/02, you wrote:
>>Hi all,
>>
>>Well, the title says it all... Let me know.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>--
>>Olivier               <fourdan at xfce.org>            http://www.xfce.org
>>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>XFce is a lightweight  desktop  environment  for  various *NIX systems.
>>Designed for productivity,  it loads  and  executes  applications fast,
>>while conserving  system resources. XFce is all free software, released
>>under GNU General Public License.    Available from http://www.xfce.org
>>
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