Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!dont-send-mail-to-path-lines
From: mouse@lightning.mcrcim.mcgill.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re:  Running window managers & other clients in subwindows
Message-ID: <9102281037.AA10785@lightning.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>
Date: 28 Feb 91 10:37:15 GMT
Sender: daemon@athena.mit.edu (Mr Background)
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 27

> We're trying to create a "virtual root" window which can then be
> managed by a window manager, and run applications inside the virtual
> root.  [...]

> As a further point, when override-redirect windows get recreated, I'd
> like them to be clipped by the virtual root, not the "real" root.
> Can I prevent the client from referencing the "real" root?

It seems to me that it should be possible to build a program which
fronts as an X server, but makes it look to clients as though the root
window isn't the "real" root, sort of a protocol filter.

The only thing that immediately comes to mind as a problem is the
potential for clients speaking directly to the real server to reparent
windows into or out of the pseudo-root's tree.  If one ignores this
issue, it seems doable.  Can anyone think of any other problems?

> I guess what I really want is a UNIX chroot() call in X!

:-)  If UNIX had notifications on file creation, destruction, and
renaming corresponding to X's on window creation, destruction, and
reparenting, chroot() would be harder!

					der Mouse

			old: mcgill-vision!mouse
			new: mouse@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu