[comp.windows.x] widget creation philosophy

becker@CS.ROCHESTER.EDU (Tim Becker) (10/01/88)

I think a widget should be built as a general purpose reusable window 
application part (like command button, scroll bar, etc).  So, when R1
and R2 came out with load, clock, and biff widgets, I started wondering 
why my idea might be wrong.  (I looked at load and it'll do a bit more
than load avg, though not much).  Why wasn't xbiff designed with a
pixmap widget, for instance?  Why isn't there a widget that implements
a XImage?  Xclock and xload could use that more general widget type instead.

I'm no widget insider, but it seems that we have widgets with too much
special purpose functionality.  If I'm wrong, what am I missing?

Tim Becker.
becker@cs.rochester.edu

jim@EXPO.LCS.MIT.EDU (Jim Fulton) (10/01/88)

> Why wasn't xbiff designed with a pixmap widget, for instance?

Because there wasn't one when xbiff was rewritten for X11 (fall of last year).
Quick and dirty hack?  Guilty as charged.


> Why isn't there a widget that implements a XImage?

Most likely because nobody has written one and given it back yet.


> I'm no widget insider, but it seems that we have widgets with too much
> special purpose functionality.

Undoubtedly.  

The Athena widgets are simply a sample set (if I may so slander them), not a
definitive one. 

wunder@hp-sde.SDE.HP.COM (Walter Underwood) (10/02/88)

>> Why isn't there a widget that implements a XImage?
> Most likely because nobody has written one and given it back yet.

The ImageEdit widget in HP Widgets will display an XImage for you.

wunder

bobm@hpcvlx.HP.COM (Bob May) (10/03/88)

	The HP ImageEdit widget allows you to display an XImage in
 	an editable grid. If you simply want to show an image, the
 	HP widgets include a "StaticRaster" widget that allows you
	to display an XImage; to attach select and release callbacks 
	to it; and to invert itself upon selection if desired.

	Bob May
	bobm@hpcvlx