Path: utzoo!dptcdc!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uflorida!gatech!mcnc!rti!sas!cole
From: cole@sas.UUCP (Tom Cole)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Checking for MF (was Re: Need some MF help)
Summary: mf applications shrinking windows when suspended is bad
Message-ID: <1001@sas.UUCP>
Date: 17 Apr 89 19:52:52 GMT
References: <1200@internal.Apple.COM>
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.,Cary NC,25712
Lines: 51

In article <1200@internal.Apple.COM>, cep@apple.com (Christopher Pettus) writes:
> In article <2749@pegasus.ATT.COM> ech@pegasus.ATT.COM (Edward C Horvath) 
> writes:
> > I have an application that tries to be a good citizen by shrinking 
> windows
> > when it's not the foreground app.
> 
> While for some applications this might make sense, remember that the 
> interface guidelines strongly advise against messing with the size or 
> position of user-defined windows except under user control.  For example, 
> if the user had set up a screen neatly so that they could see some info in 
> your application before bringing another forward, they would be rather 
> upset if the windows then moved so as to be invisible.
> 
> -- Christopher Pettus, cep@apple.com

Righto!  In fact, when the newer versions of MultiFinder finally become
part of the normal system, then the user can specifically control what
happens to the windows of an application that is switched out, by using
the option key when clicking on the "switch" icon in the upper right
corner, or using "Set Aside..." from the apple menu.  It seems much
much more desirable to always let the user decide what happens.

Parenthetical opinion:  it is somewhat irksome that PrintMonitor will
always set aside or otherwise obliterate its windows when suspended.  There
are many times when I have wished I could leave the Print Monitor window
up in some corner of the screen (north 40, perhaps) and watch the progress
of my printing while continuing work.  I suppose Print Monitor has its
reasons, but it would be nice if it worked otherwise, waiting for me
to explicitly send its window away...


Tom Cole
SAS Institute

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