Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!kddlab!titcca!sragwa!srava!erik
From: erik@srava.sra.JUNET (Erik M. van der Poel)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Programs relying on app-defaults files (was: Re: xclipboard bug?)
Keywords: app-defaults
Message-ID: <2191@srava.sra.JUNET>
Date: 22 May 89 03:00:34 GMT
References: <1041@sragwa.sra.JUNET>
Reply-To: erik@sra.junet (Erik M. van der Poel)
Organization: Software Research Associates, Inc., Japan
Lines: 47

In article <1041@sragwa.sra.JUNET> erik%sra.junet@uunet.uu.net (Erik M. van der Poel) writes:
>... I propose adding a function to Xt that would allow specifying the
>app-defaults in a string in the program instead of in a separate file.
>...
>    void XtAppDefaults(defaults)
>        String defaults;

After writing the above, I decided to try to implement the new function.
While re-reading the Xt sources and documentation, I realized that the
above proposal would probably not be adequate since the application
class name is not specified.

I was also reminded of something I bumped into before while writing an
application, namely, the fact that Xt allows you to have an app-defaults
file for the shell created by XtInitialize(), but not for other shells
created later by XtAppCreateShell().

Another thing I bumped into while reading the documentation, is that the
word "application" seems to be used in several contexts (oops :-), i.e.
to mean something different each time. For example, in the description
for XtCreateApplicationContext() (emphasis mine):

    Every APPLICATION must have at least one application context.

Here, the "application" probably refers to a program.

Another example, in 2.1:

    The major component of an application context is a list of X Display
    pointers for that APPLICATION.

Here, the "application" probably refers to an application context.

And another, in the description for XtAppCreateShell():

    Specifies the class name of this APPLICATION.

Here, the "application" probably refers to the new shell.

IMHO, more care should be taken with the terminology. Sorry about the
flames, I'm just trying to provide constructive criticism.

Well, all you Xt'ers out there, any comments?
-- 
Erik M. van der Poel                  erik@sra.junet             (Japan)
SRA, 1-1-1 Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku   erik%sra.junet@uunet.uu.net  (USA)
Tokyo 102 Japan. TEL +81-3-234-2692   erik%sra.junet@mcvax.uucp (Europe)