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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: kpanelapplet.h
From:       m_elter () t-online ! de (Matthias Elter)
Date:       2000-03-29 5:56:25
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Matthias Ettrich wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I don't understand the kpanelapplet API. It's supposed to replace kapplet, but
> I can't see how and why.
> 
> Missing things:
> 
>       - slots for remove- or move-requests. They are needed in order to allow
>          the applet to tell the panel that it should be moved or removed. Try
>         'exampleapplet' and use the RMB menu.

Not needed. Moving and removing are ciritical actions. I don't think we
can trust in
every applet author to implement a RMB menu for these. Even if every
author would do so, every applets RMB menu would look different..so much
for consistency. I have a better solution for this. Wait and see. :)

>       - a virtual setupGeometry function or at least a setup() handler. This is
>          needed to notify the applet when the geometry of the panel changes.
>          Run 'exampleapplet' in a horizontal panel and then move the panel to
>          the left:  the applet automatically adjusts itself to be a vertical
>          applet. The new class kpannelapplet cannot do that.

No setup() handler needed. Just reimplement the resize() event. This
works because of heightForWidth() and widthForHeight(). Trust me I have
a working kicker + applets on my HD. :)

> Bad things:
> 
>        - orientation() and position() are probably queried quite often ( for
>           example in paint event handling). Having them doing synchonous dcop
>           calls is too slow. Rather cache these values in the applet and
>           implement a callback were the panel informs the applets about position
>           or orientation changes. But again, the old class did that.

Yes that true. I already noticed this myself but was to busy with other
things to change it. This will be fixed in the final API.


> The only benefit I see are the heightForWidth() and widthForHeight() functions.
> What's the purpose of KPanelApplet? Or better: what's wrong with KApplet that
> can't be fixed?

Simplified API plus a KApplet never knows what size it actually will be
granted, a KPanelApplet does.

-- 
Matthias Elter
elter@kde.org
me@caldera.de

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