Hi, I quite agree with you, I think that for now, modules are rather limited. Either a module is contained by a shelf by providing a gadcon client, or it has to do everything by itself (for example, if we want to put a module on the background, we have to handle its placement, the creation/deletion of the instances, the config for each instance...) and as you said, it would lead to inconsistencies.
I think it would be great if we could place freely modules on the background, as it was possible with the old gadman thing. It would allow to have desklets like the ones in adesklets (ie. a cpu monitor with an histogram for example). Shelf are great for small modules, but not for modules that are supposed to display a lot of info (or it would need to use a popup, as the weather module does). Adding the possibility to add modules on the background should not be too difficult imo, as a lot of the code has already been written for the gadcon system. All we would have to handle is the placement/size of the gadcon clients on the background (well... I guess...). And actually, I think it would be great if modules (their gadcon-client actually) could specify if they can be placed in a shelf, on the background or in/on both. For instance, the engage module can only be placed on the background, not in a shelf. And it would be great if a gadcon-client could behave differently whether it is placed in a shelf or in the background. For example, the weather module could display full info if it is placed on the bacground, and just a small icon representing the current weather if it is placed in a shelf. Same for the clock, it could have a gold border if it is placed on the background (as before), and it could have its current look if it is placed in the shelf. raster: if you are ok with this idea, and have no time to do it, I can try to code it if you want. Regards, Simon On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:29:05 +0200, Hannes Janetzek <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote : > Hi, > I started to make a new taskbar-module based on engage. For now it > uses gadcon, but this has several disadvantages. The problem is that > the shelf is intended to hold more than one gadcon-client and > therefore the clients should be changed on changes to the shelf. In > my case the module should control the size, hiding and style of the > shelf and futhermore it doesn't make sense to have more than one > client in its shelf. > > In short: there are a bunch of other modules that need to control how > and where they appear on the desk; modules which might have multiple > instance configurations to store. > I would say engage, devian, calendar and all this desklet-stuff falls > in this category for example. > > So what interfaces could be needed by such a module and how should the > user configure these modules? > > Ok, one could implement all the window- and > instance-handling-configuration for each module, but i think this > will cause a very incosistent configuration of such modules in the > end. So I would do it like this, as one example: > 'Module Settings' -> 'Engage' -> Configure -> 'add Instance' > > >From the user perspective I think it would make more sense if one > >adds > a module like this just like shelfs. > So the add Button from the shelf settings would show a select-window > to add a shelf or an engage bar, etc. > 'Shelf Settings' -> add -> 'Engage' > > > On the interface side. > Just some ideas i had so far for this new kind of shelf. > Module provides information to the 'shelf': > - a name (to show in the select window) > - which orientations are possible (float, edge,..) > - if size is set by the module > Module can cause the 'shelf' > - to resize > - to show/hide > > 'Shelf' provides funtionality > - move window / setting the edge > - hiding > - 'abstracts' if the module instance draws on the desk or a popup (as > is does now already) > > I know there is the gadcon between the client and the shelf. Though > for this kind of shelf gadcon could be much simplified, since it > has only to handle with one module. > > > Are there any objections to add something like this to e? > I mean, it could simplify the work to create a desklet-like module a > lot. > If there is a better way to achieve what i want, please let me know! > > > Best Regards, > Hannes 'jeffdameth' Janetzek > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express > Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take > control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. > http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ > _______________________________________________ > enlightenment-devel mailing list > enlightenment-devel@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/enlightenment-devel > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ _______________________________________________ enlightenment-devel mailing list enlightenment-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/enlightenment-devel
