[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

Title:DECWINDOWS 26-JAN-89 to 29-NOV-90
Notice:See 1639.0 for VMS V5.3 kit; 2043.0 for 5.4 IFT kit
Moderator:STAR::VATNE
Created:Mon Oct 30 1989
Last Modified:Mon Dec 31 1990
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3726
Total number of notes:19516

1869.0. "Icon box reorganise - also rearranges in V2.0 ???" by AYOU49::CHARLES (La bon vie, de la bon mot) Fri Dec 08 1989 12:06

Hi,

	In DECwindows V1.0 I used to rearrange my Icons into the order I wanted
	then hit the reorganise button on the Icon box to tidy it up.  The 
	spacing was adjusted but the relative order stayed the same.

	Now in V2.0 when I hit the reorganise button is also rearranges them!
	Moving Icons arround into different realative positions eg:

all-in-1 decterm2 LATwin notepad mail bookread cardfile calendar ses_man clock
notes lat filevue note_conf                                      note_edit

	converts to

cardfile calendar notepad mail bookreader all-in-1 ses_man decterm2 clock lat
                  notes filevue note_conf note_edit


	What are the criteria for moving an Icon to a different relative
	position and is there any way to make it behave as before or at least 
	fix the order thay are displayed in?

	With so many notes in this conference on *fixing* icon placements,
	why do this anyway???

	Charley

	PS Appologies if this has been raised before, but I have had a good look
	round and could not find this mentioned.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1869.1GALVIA::MCNELISPaul Mc Nelis, ODA <==> CDA GatewayFri Dec 08 1989 13:5516
From what I've seen, the WM works top-down, left to right through the iconbox,
and moves the icons, as it comes to them, into the available space.

In DW V2, icons can be moved by a single pixel, and, unless you look carefully,
your "straight line" of icons might actually have some one pixel higher or
lower than others, which would account for the reordering you see.

Another thing which can affect this is icons which are a different vertical 
size from the others, in this case, after this icon is placed, the order of
other icons may be affected as they fill the space around it.



Then again, maybe the Window Manager really does shuffle the icons.

-- Paul.
1869.2Move them to the very top of the Icon Box...UVRMNT::HERRLICHAlan HerrlichFri Dec 08 1989 18:079
This pixel-wise behavior is kind of a pain with re-organize, but if you push
all the icons right up against the very top of the icon box then they will
re-organize correctly.  I usually just line my icons up against the top of
Icon Box in the order I want them and do a re-organize them.  This still can
be a pain if you re-organize a lot and and want to keep your icons in a definite
order.  You can become skilled at placing them at the exact same pixel level,
but it isn't easy...

					- Alan
1869.3Y position overrides X positionSTAR::BECKPaul BeckFri Dec 08 1989 20:548
Yes, the new approach is annoying and takes getting used to. I also don't like 
the fact that the reorganize button *still* sometimes will wrap an icon off
the right edge and bring up scroll bars, when there's plenty of room for it
lower down. Grrrr.

What I generally do is to stagger things down a few pixels if I want them to 
appear to the right. Works consistently (a pain to do, though). Trying to
manually get things at the same height is nearly impossible.
1869.4XANADU::BERRYsleep is for parents that eat quicheSun Dec 10 1989 22:168
    How about those unlucky few that don't like the predefined order of a
    line of icons. I tend to group my icons in a cluster in the left, and
    onother in the right, with new icons appearing in the middle.
    
    Is DECwindows somehow telling me that it knows better than me what I
    want to do?
    
    JP
1869.5AITG::DERAMODaniel V. {AITG,ZFC}:: D'EramoMon Dec 11 1989 00:168
>>    Is DECwindows somehow telling me that it knows better than me what I
>>    want to do?
        
        As with almost all DECwindows applications, if you don't
        like the default behavior then you can customize it. 
        Change WINDOW_SYSTEM in MODPARAMS.DAT.
        
        Dan
1869.6Now I understand - I think!AYOU49::CHARLESLa bon vie, de la bon motMon Dec 11 1989 09:2516
Hi,

Thanks for all the responces I can now get the reorganise to do what I want by
pushing the top line of Icons up as far as it will go.  Though this may not be
a bug, it has the "look and feel" of a feature that people will not like.

Just a suggestion; why not allow people to arrange their applications in the 
Autostart menu as they wish, then position the Icons in the same sequence.

Another approach is the one used by CUE (is this a dirty word/accronim in 
DECwindows?) and allow people to explicitly position and save their application 
Icons.

Thanks

Charley
1869.7QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centMon Dec 11 1989 13:418
Re: .5

Funny!  Are you suggesting we should set WINDOW_SYSTEM to 0 to customize
DECwindows the way we want it?   I admit you can put the icons where you want
them with that method, but I think the side-effects are a bit severe for
most people.

					Steve
1869.8SMAUG::MENDELWhat've we done to our fair sister?Mon Dec 11 1989 15:543
    It seems that being able to configure/save icon xy's would be nice.

    -- Kevin (who swears when he hits the |#| by accident)
1869.9AITG::DERAMODaniel V. {AITG,ZFC}:: D'EramoMon Dec 11 1989 20:308
        re .7
        
>> Funny!  Are you suggesting we should set WINDOW_SYSTEM to 0 to customize
>> DECwindows the way we want it?
        
        I meant setting it to which of 0 or 2 sets it for VWS (UIS). :-)
        
        Dan
1869.10SSPENG::KLEINSORGESo sue me.Mon Dec 11 1989 23:213
    
    	:-) What a scream :-)
    
1869.11Noted.STAR::CYPRYCHFri Dec 15 1989 16:5715
    Your suggestions for user-selection of predefined
    icon positions is noted...
    
    Your suggestions for the tidy button positioning
    icons based upon a user-selected order is also
    noted... ( The list is quite long in how many
    different orders a user would like to tidy her/his
    icon box)
    
    At the present time the XUI window manager is not
    being enhanced,  due to Motif.
    
    If this ever changes,  then this wish list will
    be broken out again.
    
1869.12OED::BEYERHugh R. BeyerFri Dec 15 1989 23:537
    Then put this on the list of desired DEC extensions to the Motif window
    manager.
    
    The icon box is a control panel.  It's ridiculous that I can't set it
    up consistently each time.
    
    	HRB
1869.13TALLIS::MCAFEESteve McAfeeTue Dec 19 1989 20:1810
    
    Sometimes pausing and then unpausing the screen adds scroll bars
    to my icon box.  Just a nuisance.  Seems to happen when I have
    icons near both the right and left edges, but I can't nail it
    down.
    
    Also, I'd like to be able to disable that darn reorganize button.
    Quite a few times I've hit it when I didn't want to...
    
    - steve