WM features

[kettani lalla fatima zahra]

Hi all,

i have a question about window manager's features. Is there any WM that can force an application specific window to behave as a system modal window?

I know for example that mwm offers XmNmwmInputMode resource that can be used by an application to set a system modal window, but i am interested by a customisation that could be done through WM without being invoked by the application it self.

And for screensavers, is there a WM that can allow a program to pop up over a screen saver?

If anyone know any WM that can do this please mention it, and if it doesn't exist could anyone explain to me why it is done this way?

Cheers

 

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[Nathaniel Smith]

On Mon, Jan 21, 2008 at 01:41:31AM +0000, kettani lalla fatima zahra wrote:
>    Hi all,
>    i have a question about window manager's features. Is there any WM that
>    can force an application specific window to behave as a system modal
>    window?
>    I know for example that mwm offers XmNmwmInputMode resource that can be
>    used by an application to set a system modal window, but i am interested
>    by a customisation that could be done through WM without being invoked by
>    the application it self.

If I'm understanding "system modal window" correctly, then the usual
way to create such a thing is to make a full-screen override redirect
window.  All window managers allow for such a thing (because override
redirect windows override the window manager's control).

-- Nathaniel

--
Electrons find their paths in subtle ways.
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[Dana Jansens-2]

On Jan 21, 2008 1:24 AM, Nathaniel Smith <njs@...> wrote:

> On Mon, Jan 21, 2008 at 01:41:31AM +0000, kettani lalla fatima zahra wrote:
> >    Hi all,
> >    i have a question about window manager's features. Is there any WM that
> >    can force an application specific window to behave as a system modal
> >    window?
> >    I know for example that mwm offers XmNmwmInputMode resource that can be
> >    used by an application to set a system modal window, but i am interested
> >    by a customisation that could be done through WM without being invoked by
> >    the application it self.
>
> If I'm understanding "system modal window" correctly, then the usual
> way to create such a thing is to make a full-screen override redirect
> window.  All window managers allow for such a thing (because override
> redirect windows override the window manager's control).

The application would need to actively grab the keyboard as well, to
prevent the window manager's user from moving focus to windows beneath
the full-screen window.  Since the WM has no knowledge of the intended
behavior, it may still move focus at its discretion. So, you probably
want to watch for that and return focus to your window if it does
move.

Alternately, you can grab the entire X server, causing all other X
applications to temporarily freeze.  This may cause weird things like
cause your music player to pause until the server grab is released.

There's no real nice way to do what you want, but there are ways.


dana
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[Lubos Lunak]

On Monday 21 of January 2008, kettani lalla fatima zahra wrote:
> Hi all,
> i have a question about window manager's features. Is there any WM that can
> force an application specific window to behave as a system modal window?
>  *I know for example that mwm offers XmNmwmInputMode* resource that can be
> used by an application to set a system modal window, but i am interested by
> a customisation that could be done through WM without being invoked by the
> application it self.

 If by system modal you mean a window that will block all remaining windows,
then that is generally, with very few exceptions, considered to be evil and I
doubt you'll get support for something like that. Especially given that the
few expections work like described in another answer, with override redirect
and grab.

> And for screensavers, is there a WM that can allow a program to pop up over
> a screen saver?

 No. It is up to the screensaver what it allows, or rather not allows, to be
visible.

--
Lubos Lunak
KDE developer
--------------------------------------------------------------
SUSE LINUX, s.r.o.   e-mail: l.lunak@... , l.lunak@...
Lihovarska 1060/12   tel: [phone]
190 00 Prague 9      fax: [phone]
Czech Republic       http//www.suse.cz
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[Carsten Haitzler (The Rasterman)]

On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:26:13 +0100 Lubos Lunak <l.lunak@...> babbled:

> On Monday 21 of January 2008, kettani lalla fatima zahra wrote:
> > Hi all,
> > i have a question about window manager's features. Is there any WM that can
> > force an application specific window to behave as a system modal window?
> >  *I know for example that mwm offers XmNmwmInputMode* resource that can be
> > used by an application to set a system modal window, but i am interested by
> > a customisation that could be done through WM without being invoked by the
> > application it self.
>
>  If by system modal you mean a window that will block all remaining windows,
> then that is generally, with very few exceptions, considered to be evil and I
> doubt you'll get support for something like that. Especially given that the
> few expections work like described in another answer, with override redirect
> and grab.

agreed. irrespective of whatever a spec might say in mwm or netwm - i know i
would never support such a feature in enlightenment. it simply removes control
from a user. dialogs that hold your whole screen hostage are just evil. if you
must do it - then it will be your extra level of work to grab keyboard, mouse,
and so on - hopefully giving you a dis-incentive to try do this as it raises
the barrier of entry for the app programmer.

> > And for screensavers, is there a WM that can allow a program to pop up over
> > a screen saver?
>
>  No. It is up to the screensaver what it allows, or rather not allows, to be
> visible.
>
> --
> Lubos Lunak
> KDE developer
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> SUSE LINUX, s.r.o.   e-mail: l.lunak@... , l.lunak@...
> Lihovarska 1060/12   tel: [phone]
> 190 00 Prague 9      fax: [phone]
> Czech Republic       http//www.suse.cz
> _______________________________________________
> wm-spec-list mailing list
> wm-spec-list@...
> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/wm-spec-list
>

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------------- Codito, ergo sum - "I code, therefore I am" --------------
The Rasterman (Carsten Haitzler)    raster@...

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