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From: john@quonset.cfht.hawaii.edu
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.motif
Subject: Re: Working popup between 2 processes
Message-ID: <10987@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Date: 17 Jan 91 02:40:20 GMT
References: <1991Jan16.035551.20623@wlbr.imsd.contel.com>
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Reply-To: john@quonset.cfht.hawaii.edu ()
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Organization: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp.
Lines: 45

In article <1991Jan16.035551.20623@wlbr.imsd.contel.com>,
amc@wlv.imsd.contel.com (Allen M. Cohen) writes:
> 
> I have 2 client processes.  Process_1 spawns Process_2.
> How can I have Process_1 popup an XmCreateWorkingDialog (with no buttons
> managed), and then have Process_2 popdown or destroy that Dialog?
> I tried passing the XmCreateWorkingDialog's Widget ID as an argument to
> Process_2, and then having Process_2 doing XtDestroyWidget on it, but
> that didn't work.

Interclient communication via the X server is one means to aid in
displaying of "work-in-progress" user feedback.  It works like this:

Process 1 sets up some atoms and then registers itself with the
root window.  It then execs process 2.  Now, while process 2 is
grinding through its startup, process 1 gives visual feedback to
user.  When process 2 is ready to remove the visual feedback, eg,
realized its widgets or being mapped, it communicates these
intentions back to process 1 (via XSendEvent).  Process 1 then
quits the visual feedback.

Visual feedback could be a working dialog, flash buttons, etc.

Depending upon what you are trying to use the feedback for, you
could even have process 1 keep visuals up until it caught
a SIGCHLD.  This eliminates the interclient communication stuff.

I think (not sure here) process 1 could also traverse the window
tree and quit the visuals when process 2 was mapped (providing
that is what it is going to do).

Anyway, I hope this provides some food for thought.  We have
used the first two methods to give our users a clue that
process 2 is indeed working -- just that it takes awhile
to initialize all the X stuff and get mapped.

jk



 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 John Kerr                      Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp.
 Computer Sys. Engineer         INTERNET: john@cfht.hawaii.edu 
                                BITNET:   john@uhcfht
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