[comp.windows.x] How good can a window manager be?

davej@uicsrd.csrd.uiuc.edu (10/02/87)

	Hi! 
		I would like to get comments on this problem:

How good can a window manager be?
--------------------------------

	Suppose I am interested in having windows of the following type:
		An X-window which has lot of other subwindows.

		I have a function to resize this composite window. 
		The function also updates the process data for the main window 
		and all the subwindows. The function knows how to 
		maintain relative sizes of all sub-windows.

	Now suppose lot of unrelated processes have such
	windows floating around. 

Question is:
------------
	How can a window manager resize this composite
	window and also update the private data of the
	relevant process.

	Assuming I don't want to have resize menus for every
	process (or window).

	Solution I am thinking of:

		To always have a window manager process. 
	On the selection of a resize option have the window
	manager signal the relevant process. 
	Now the process getting the signal can do resize in whatever 
	way it wants to do.

I would appreciate getting comments.

Do the existing window manager address this problem?
If yes how do they solve it?


thanks, 
yogesh

gaur%uicsrd@a.cs.uiuc.edu