Managing windows

[jburel]

How do manage windows?

Exploration and implementation of various ideas:

• old version i.e. A desktop and all windows in the desktop. Implemented in Shoola M2 only on JM's machine.

• Actual version: i.e. a taskbar and severals windows. dataManager, viewers, hiViewers. Implemented in Shoola M2

• Hybrid version: taskBar not visible. and the menu displayed by the taskbar is now added to the dataManager's menu bar. When the user opens a new viewer or hiViewer, the new window is added to the task bar. Reminder: The task bar is a service initialized (cf. Shoola doc and design) during the init process of the container, that agents can then access. So this approach doesn't break the agents/plugins architecture, b/c the entry is added to the task bar and the viewer (or hiviewer) has no reference to the dataManager. Implemented in Shoola M3. Really easy to roll back.

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Comments

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• First approach known issue: User has the ability to open several viewers/Hiviewers at the same time. The fact that we use a JDesktopPane slows down the painting process. This is an important point to take into account for final decision.

• Third approach: Give more responsability to the dataManager and really consider this agent has the entry point.

[jburel]

We decided to go for the third version i.e. the hybrid one.
cf. client meeting 13/09/2006