Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!harrier.ukc.ac.uk!rlh2 From: rlh2@ukc.ac.uk (Richard Hesketh) Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.motif Subject: Re: Motif Translations Message-ID: <5513@harrier.ukc.ac.uk> Date: 22 Sep 90 14:37:49 GMT References: <9009191944.AA06345@turnpike.Eng.Sun.COM> Reply-To: rlh2@ukc.ac.uk (Richard Hesketh) Distribution: inet Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK. Lines: 30 Summary: Expires: Sender: Followup-To: In article <9009191944.AA06345@turnpike.Eng.Sun.COM> writes: >"good" applications should provide a GUI interface to allow the >user to selectively set allowable resources on user interface elements. >If a GUI interface for this is not possible, then a "language" would >be sufficient, but the cryptic .Xdefaults stuff is not usable by >the audiences that Motif is trying to address. A generic, graphical resource editor is entirely possible and can be produced such that it is a standalone tool that can edit any application through the use of a standard protocol. Restrictions can be made upon this editor by the application's programmer (or widget programmer) such that only certain resources can be modified. This helps the application's integrity. This tool would not preclude the application from having its own customization dialog boxes (ala DECwindows) however a generalized tool that can be used with every application (that talks the required protocol) would remove the general need for these dialog boxes. The X Resource Manager is a *mechanism*; setting resources by editing an Xrm database is IMHO a hack and cannot be called a usable *policy*. Graphical resource editors are not hot air .. they are coming! Ask me around Christmas 8-). Richard Hesketh : @nsfnet-relay.ac.uk:rlh2@ukc.ac.uk : rlh2@ukc.ac.uk ..!mcsun!ukc!rlh2 --- Computing Lab., University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NF, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 227 764000 ext 7620/3682