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From: carroll@cs.uiuc.edu (Alan M. Carroll)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.motif
Subject: Re: Attaching an X window process to a previously running X window pro
Message-ID: <1991Jun7.171740.3139@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Date: 7 Jun 91 17:17:40 GMT
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In article <9106061330.AA06740@ge-dab.GE.COM>, MULLEN_L@TREES.dnet.ge.com (LEO MULLEN) writes:
> 
> Here is the scenario:
> 
> 	We are interested in developing a distributed HMI and we have 
> 2 concerns:

Heheheh, you could just wait till I finish my thesis in a couple
months and have one for free :-) (assuming "HMI" means "Human-Machine
Interface")

> 
> 	1.  Is there a way for a seperate process (process A) to 
> call its on X window and then attach that called window to the 
> main application that is already running?

There are several ways to do this. The main application creates a
window, and send the window ID to A. A can then

1) use main window directly

2) create a window and reparent it to the main window

3) create a window that is a child of the main window.

As an an example, we've built a Motif widget server (currently called
"Biscuit") which provides frames with menus and buttons and things,
and a DrawingArea for use by other clients. To provide text editing
facilities, we use Epoch, which reparents an edit screen into the
DrawingArea (method 3). In practice, a central server sends a message
to Biscuit for the frame, and a message to Epoch for the text. Biscuit
then sends a message to Epoch to tell it the window ID of the
DrawingArea, and Epoch reparents an edit screen into the DrawingArea.

-- 
Alan M. Carroll          <-- Another casualty of applied metaphysics
Epoch Development Team   
Urbana Il.               "I hate shopping with the reality-impaired" - Susan