Re: gEDA-dev: Toolbar Project

[Peter Clifton <pcjc2-at-NOSPAMcam_dot_ac_dot_uk>]

On Wed, 2008-07-23 at 18:57 -0700, ehennes@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> I am looking at making some changes to gschem as a small project.   
> However, the changes seem to be more than trivial.  So, I wanted to  
> get some feedback from the core developers and also make sure that  
> there is no duplication of effort.
> 
> I would like to update the toolbar to include more operations  
> including toggle and radio.  The best way to get the toggle and radio  
> actions seem to be by using GtkAction.  Using GtkAction causes a  
> number of other changes.  The following appears what needs to be done:

What did you want to use toggle and radio options for?

> - Change the way icons are loaded to use GtkIconFactory.
> 
> - Create GtkActions for the toolbar and popup menu items.
> 
> - Modify callback (i_callback.c) function signatures or add wrappers  
> for compatibility with GtkAction callbacks (GSignal).
> 
> - Change scheme functions (g_keys.c) to activate GtkActions rather  
> than invoking the callbacks directly.  This change keeps toggle and  
> radio action's state in sync.

Sounds good in principle, although it is 4:39AM, I've had no dinner, and
have been awake since 11AM yesterday etc..

> - Update toolbar creation to use new API.
> 
> - Update popup menu creation to use new API. (also replace deprecated  
> item factory)

Would be nice to get rid of the deprecated cruft.

> - Remove i_update_toolbar (i_basic.c) and associated calls.
> 
> I'd also like the core developers opinion of using GtkBuilder and  
> GtkUIBuilder for UI construction as apposed to using straight C or  
> some form of guile.

We can't use GtkBuilder, its too new. Think GTK 2.6 as a lowest common
denominator. (Might be bumped to GTK 2.8 for cairo goodness at some
point soon though).

I'm not sure anyone has anything against Glade, other than the extra
dependency. I might be strange and old-fashioned, but I quite like the
generation from C ;)

> Do these modifications seem worthwhile? Is anyone working on this  
> already?

A toolbar revamp would be a worthwhile project. I've often thought more
extensive (perhaps customisable) toolbar(s) could be useful to make
things more discoverable to users familiar with everything being point +
click.

(Key-bindings are super-productive, but only once you've learnt /
figured out what they are!)

Best wishes,

-- 
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: +44 (0)7729 980173 - (No signal in the lab!)



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