[GUI] after the opinion poll

[Krasimir Angelov]

--- Axel Simon <A.Simon@ukc.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I summarized everything that was said on this email
> list. I put the result 
> on the web and would like to ask everybody to review
> it and correct what I 
> got wrong:


After all, are we ready to specify any kind of low 
level API? I propose to specify just some set of 
modules with corresponding functions and data types, 
while the implementation will leave unspecified. That 
will allow to implement API with various backends:


  - wxWindows
  - GTK
  - WIN32
  - Aqua

Maybe the wxWindows backed will be good starting 
point for the first working prototype. I still prefer
native WIN32 and GTK backends but this is just my own
preference. Regardless of my own preference I think
that if we keep API definition independent of
wxWindows or some other backend, that will make
possible for voluntiers (like me) to implement API for
their prefered backends (WIN32, GTK). 
   I found following key stones:

      - the implementation for scrolled windows should
follow design of GtkScrolledWindow instead of desing
of WIN32 which is adopted in ObjectIO. It is
interesting that .NET WindowsForms also uses approach
similar to GTK. The GTK approach is a litle bit high
level and it is more easy to emulate on various
platforms.
      - the menu bar under MAC is attached to
application while under WIN32 and GTK it is attached
to window. I was already posted some proposals in my
previos mail:
http://haskell.cs.yale.edu/pipermail/gui/2003-January/000106.html

Wolfgang Thaller wrote that "Basically, that should
work" but also mention that there are also other
differences like "Quit", "About" and probably some
other menu commands.
See:
http://haskell.cs.yale.edu/pipermail/gui/2003-January/000107.html

I tried to implement menu bar in Port, following my
own proposal and found that this works. In addition to
the user specified menu bar the library automaticaly
maintain Windows menu for MDI interface. I think that
it also can maintain "Quit" and "About"
menus. The menu commands should be placed in its
prefered places:
     WIN32 and GTK: "Quit" should be renamed to "Exit"
and should be placed in "File" menu. "About" should be
in "Help" menu.
     Aqua: "Quit" and "About" should be placed in
"Finder" menu. 
     In both cases the "Quit" will automaticaly close
window/application and the "About" should call user
specified function which will display About dialog. 
If the user doesn't specify his/her own function then
the library should display system defined About
dialog,which will display the application name and the
short application description, which need to be
specified in the library inialization phase.
There are also some reasons to standardize "New file"
and "Open file" commands.

     - The drawing primitives should use graphics
context as it is proposed from Axel. This differs from
the implementation used in ObjectIO and Port.

Best regards,
Krasimir

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day
http://shopping.yahoo.com