[openbeos] Re: inconsistency?

Mikael Jansson wrote:
Oh, one more thing:
Suppose we're typing something and a IM client wants to put its new window in front. As we have decided, it won't do that anymore. Still, we have to alert the user in some way that a new window has opened.

One pretty good solution which I've seen in a recent email is to have the Deskbar flashing 3-4 times application's name and then when you click, highlight the new_window/window_which_wants_focus.
Still, there may be a problem with that as our Deskbar is not always visible. Maybe the Deskbar should come in front(without focus) on such an event.


We need another solution. BDeskbar::SetExpanded(false) is how I have my Deskbar. 

    Not exactly. If you have your Deskbar contracted, then this feature 
won't be available.

The second, and the most simple one, is to display that new window beside the one that we're working in - where it best fits between our focus window's borders and screen edge.


Yup, would be pretty easy to just get the position of the current window and display a note that another window wants our attention, and then make it go away after a delay t, or if the user clicks on it.

"Display a note"? Where? And where is the relation between that note and the position of current window?

The third, and the most futuristic one, is in case no part of the new window is visible (after passing step 2 described above - placement so that it would be partially visible). If that happens, I think we should make our window 40% transparent(no focus!) put it front of the current one, and make it decrease transparency to 0 in an interval of 1 second. Of course, the real window would be behind all this time. This is just a graphical effect. Also, to prevent bugs, that window would be locked for moving and resizing during this 1 second effect.


That /might/ be a better idea, if we were still able to type through it. 

    Yes, I said that. "no focus"

Like on p. 117 of "The Humane Interface" by Jef Raskin.

I have this idea from some time. I do not remember if it just came to me or it was that I read about it on GE. Did not read that book.
Anyone has it in e-book format? :-D



Adi.

Other related posts: