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List:       kopete-devel
Subject:    Re: [kopete-devel] Chatwindow UI stuff revived
From:       Michaël_Larouche <michael.larouche () kdemail ! net>
Date:       2006-04-17 15:28:11
Message-ID: 200604171128.13786.michael.larouche () kdemail ! net
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Le April 17, 2006 10:37, Conrad Hoffmann a écrit :
> Hi all.
>
> I see that along with the Google SoC stuff came some revival for the
> chatwindow UI makeover that never went anywhere some time ago.

Of course, it was mockup for a brigther future. We couldn't start working on 
it during 0.12 release.

> As you may remember or not I kind of participated in that discussion with
> some actual patches. they never worked too well and are by now out of date
> anyways, so thats not the point, but i did hack the stuff a little. So i
> have some questions regarding the current state of affairs:
>
> First of all: whats up with kde-artists.org? is that just me, or is it
> gone? are the mockups available anyplace else that allows some discussion?

I still have them saved on my computer, but Johann has updated version of 
item.

> Then, i would like to bring up some technical stuff:
>
> currently, the chatwindow is an exchangable plugin. i think thats good.
> the chatwindow also uses an exchangable style, which is also good, because
> you don't have to programm to change the look a little. now, johann
> proposed a html sidebar (that was last i heard of, correct me if i am
> wrong). that sidebar will have to be styleable/themeable or people will
> complain. currently, a chatwindow plugin does not need to do anything with
> the given style. thus, if programm a chatwindow plugin that does not
> respect styles, the style config would be useless, but it is integrated in
> the main config dialog. same complications could arise for the sidebar.
>
> i hope you see what i mean here. all that stuff should definitely not get
> anymore "plugin-ish". i was wondering what your guys ideas are regarding
> the architecture of all that.
> one idea was that maybe chatwindow plugins could get their own config page
> like real plugins? that way style and other settings could be managed
> there, and other view plugins could provided themability w/o caring for the
> style and stuff.
>
> just some thoughts, i would like to hear some discussion ;)
>
> mfg, conrausch

Chatwindow shouldn't be a plugin anymore. We should make it a KParts so it 
will pluggable into other applications (Kontact). I would really like the 
mockup to become the reality. Making Contact List and Chatwindow both KParts 
would ease the coding of the one window concept while allowing the 
traditional multiple window paradim. Example for the one window, just need to 
plug Contact List KPart and Chatwindow KPart into a KMainWindow side by side.

And email window should be still there for single messages in Jabber and ICQ. 
Before you could switch between chat window and email window, maybe with the 
new UI paradigm, email window should be used only when necessary.

I'm not sure about the HTML sidebar because that will bring yet another theme 
configuration. Remember that Kopete goal is to integrate very well with KDE 
desktop. Of course you can use KDE's colors in resulting CSS files, but like 
you exposed, some users will ask to customize it. Like after I introduced 
Adium for Chat Window, some people wanted the same for contact list.

Also, we need to change the View API, obviously. Currently, you need to ask 
explicit for the chat window or the email window by passing the plugin name 
if you want to get them. Well if we get rid of view plugins then it shouldn't 
be a problem :)
-- 
Michaël Larouche
KDE developer working on Kopete, Kamefu, Solid...on dial-up :P
--------------------------------------
Blog: http://mlarouche.blogspot.com/
MSN/Email: michael.larouche@kdemail.net
IRC: irc.freenode.org/DarkShock on #kopete,#solid,#kamefu,#plasma
Jabber: darkshock@myjabber.net

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