[LAU] [OT]: Multiple windows paradigm - [WAS]: Re: A Project To Upgrade seq24

[Neil C Smith]

On 10 December 2015 at 13:38, Paul Davis <paul at linuxaudiosystems.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 4:42 AM, Neil C Smith
> <neilcsmith.net at googlemail.com> wrote:
>> The UI toolkit I use for Praxis LIVE starts off as single window, but
>> allows the user to drag features around inside the main window, or outside
>> into a new window.
>
> Thus duplicating the functions of a window manager both inside and outside
> your application, and causing cognitive dissonance for the user if the
> external WM behaves differently from the internal one. It is cool, but I'm
> not sure it is wise.

I'm talking about a style of MDI that Wikipedia's collective wisdom(!)
would call an IDE-style interface.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_document_interface#IDE-style_interface

Not entirely surprising seen as Praxis LIVE is an IDE.  It's a style
of interface that is not easy or possible to replicate with the
functions of a window manager - definitely not in the more common
ones!

But, the key point was that such an interface, as long as it supports
persistence, can meet both needs (single / multiple windows) or
something in between.

>> Surely that's a feature of most UI toolkits that support MDI, and actually
>> meets both requirements above?
>
> Most UI toolkits do not support MIDI. Most UI toolkits do not allow the user
> to edit layouts at run-time.

Assuming you mean MDI?! ;-)

I possibly should have said "or in common libraries", but it's not
that unusual to find in Linux software.  AFAICT it's perfectly
feasible in eg. QT or GTK?

Best wishes,

Neil


-- 
Neil C Smith
Artist : Technologist : Adviser
http://neilcsmith.net

Praxis LIVE - hybrid visual IDE for creative coding - www.praxislive.org
Digital Prisoners - interactive spaces and projections -
www.digitalprisoners.co.uk