Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nuchat!sugar!peter
From: peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Enhanced gadgets -- how to handle them.
Message-ID: <770@sugar.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Sep-87 15:10:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: sugar.770
Posted: Thu Sep 17 15:10:10 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 19-Sep-87 18:12:31 EDT
Organization: Sugar Land UNIX - Houston, TX
Lines: 99

I have been thinking for some time of implementing a higher level of
functionality around the Amiga windows. The basic tool would be what I
call "Extra Gadgets", like the scroll-bar-plus-name-list implemented
in the "Standard File" file requestor or the "Instant Application" package
I uploaded to the net. I started writing a package that would work rather
like:

	xinit(); /* initialise extra gadgets */
	xid = xadd_pane(win, top, left, height, width, n_items, get_item);
		/* struct Window *win;
		   int top, left, height, width;
		   int n_items;
		   char (*get_item)(xid, index);
			int xid;
			int index;
		   int xid; */
	xmodify_pane(xid, new_n_items);
		/* call this when you want to get the list repainted.
		   Say, a new directory has been selected */
	xmsg = xprocess(win, msg);
		/* struct Window *win;
		   struct IntuiMessage *msg;
		   struct XMessage *xmsg; */
	xdelete(xid);
		/* int xid; */
	xterm();

You would use it like:

	xinit();	/* goes in your init code, somewhere near your
			   OpenLibrary()s */

	win = OpenWindow(NewWindow);...
	xid = xadd_pane(win...);

			/* At this point xadd_pane would link the text
			   selection pane into the list the xgadgets
			   package is building. It would also ModifyIDCMP
			   the window to add the needed IDCMP and mouse
			   event flags the xgadget needs. */

	while(msg = (struct IntuiMsg *)GetMsg(win->...)) {
		if(xmsg = xprocess(msg, win)) {
			switch(xmsg->XCode) {
				case TEXTSELECTED:
					...
					break;
				default:
					break;
			}
		} else {
			switch(msg->Code) {
				case RAWKEYS:
					...
					break;
				...
			}
		}
		ReplyMsg(msg);
	}

	/* finally */
	xdelete(xid);
	CloseWindow(win);

	...
	xterm();

I'd like to put this to the net:

	1) Would you find such a set of tools useful?

	2) What sort of implementation would you like? This seems
	   pretty convenient, but maybe a more transparent version
	   in which you provide an xGadgetList to XOpenWindow() would
	   be more to your liking.

	3) If I do this, would you be interested in creating
	   such gadgets to add to the xlibrary?

	4) Do you think xgadgets is too close to X-Windows, and
	   in which case what is a better name?

	5) What other xgadgets do you think would be handy? A set
	   of mutually exclusive gadgets? A pop-up? An n-way
	   selector? An improved string gadget (multiline, for
	   example)?

And more immediately:

	Should the text to appear in the pane be provided as a set
	of strings instead of a function to get the current string?
	I think this version is probably more versatile, as it allows
	the strings to be created when needed and imposes no upper limit
	to the set as an array or even a linked list (maintained in
	RAM) might.
-- 
-- Peter da Silva `-_-' ...!hoptoad!academ!uhnix1!sugar!peter
--                 'U`      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Not seismo!soma (blush)