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From: earleh@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Earle R. Horton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Checking for MF (was Re: Need some MF help)
Message-ID: <12950@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Date: 7 Apr 89 20:40:52 GMT
References: <1179@internal.Apple.COM> <2749@pegasus.ATT.COM>
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Reply-To: earleh@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Earle R. Horton)
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In article <2749@pegasus.ATT.COM> ech@pegasus.ATT.COM (Edward C Horvath) writes:
>This isn't a need-to-know, but rather an annoyance.
>
>I have an application that tries to be a good citizen by shrinking windows
>when it's not the foreground app.  I'm not the author of VersaTerm, but it
>does this also.
>

     I for one do not ever want to have to write code which does this.
Window sizes and locations should always be under user control.  The
new MultiFinder (6.1a2, I ftp'ed if from somewhere, and don't remember
where if you're asking) has an option to "Set Aside" applications so
that their windows are not visible.  This means that you can use it
sort of like Switcher if you want, or like the "regular" MultiFinder
if you want.  If Apple ever makes an official release out of it, lots
of problems like those above will vanish.

     One of the beauties of MultiFinder is how surprisingly little you
have to do to be compatible with it.  If developers resort to tricks
like shrinking their windows when suspended, I think they are
second-guessing what Apple is going to do, and what users are going to
need, and will probably experience problems in the future.

...
>This works fine EXCEPT when the application is part of a "Set Startup"
>set and does not wind up frontmost.  The app is set up in background,
>and stays in background, but doesn't receive an initial Resume OR Suspend.

     I agree that this is definitely a bug.  Keeping track of
Resume/Suspend events is not a good way for an application to find out
if is in the background or foreground, especially if there are
conditions where you don't get all of them you are entitled to.

Earle