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List:       kde-look
Subject:    Draggable menus
From:       "Steven D'Aprano" <dippy () mikka ! net ! au>
Date:       2000-04-29 21:55:13
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Earlier, Carsten Pfeiffer wrote:

> We had this handle in KMenuBar a while ago, but it was dropped because
> dragging the menubar doesn't make much sense. But why not use the handle
> to switch between Mac Menubar and normal menubar? I.e. drag a menubar to
> the top -> Mac Mode. Drag it away -> Normal mode.

I like this idea, with a couple of provisos:

1) Can we substitute "screen mode" and "window mode" for the
emotionally volatile terms "Mac mode" and (uggh) "normal mode"? This
might help to keep tempers down a bit. Remember, we're all on the same
side here.

2) Having a handle on the edge of the menubar in window mode is fine,
but keeping the handle there in screen mode is counter productive. By
having the handle between the edge of the screen and the menu titles,
you lose the benefit of the "infinitely deep" top left corner. That
corner is far too valuable to waste it on a drag handle!

Does anyone have a suggestion as to where the handle can be placed to
keep it out of that corner?

3) Dragging the menubar into the top of the screen docks it into
screen mode. Dragging it back close to the window titlebar docks it
into window mode. What should happen when the user drags the menubar
somewhere else?

I'd suggest that the menubar sits there in a separate floating
palette, as it does currently under KDE and Gnome, except that the
palette is a duplicate of the "real" menubar that stays where it
belongs at the top of the window. Yes, this will mean there are two
menubars. This means that the menubar will *always* be available at a
known place (top of screen or top of window, depending on the user's
preference), regardless of where else the user places a copy. The
floating menubar is an addition, for the user's convenience.

4) Is it worth discussing tear-off menus? (Individual menus rather
than the entire menubar.) Or do we leave this can of worms unopened
for the time being?



-- 
Steven D'Aprano

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