"Topside" titlebar version of flwm

[MikeLockmoore]

I've been working on modifying flwm to display window titlebars in a more conventional "topside" location.  The version I have is starting to work, but is still very crude and not ready for public use yet.  But here is a sneak peek at what my work-in-progress. 
--
Mike Lockmoore

[roberts]

Looking real good!

[jls]

1

I think it's faster (don't know why) to reach the title of a window if this is on the side, but it's true is more difficult to read.
2 the title with the focus is white while the others are light gray, not so much different, what about black and white 4 example
3 any substitute for alt+enter?
⁴any possibility 4 shortcuts 4 resizing a window?

[MikeLockmoore]

jls_legalize: Addressing your questions:
1) Maybe left-side bar is easier for you, but I think this will vary a lot between people.  I generally keep my mouse toward the right side of the screen, because many apps now put the scrollbar there (unlike many early X-Windows apps), so for me, the top is usually closer.  As we say here in the USA, "Your milage may vary".

2) I agree that there is lack of contrast between the active window title and the others.  I have already experimented a bit with the color, and will probably try to make the colors somewhat more distinct.  Also, I know some people really like to tinker with the look of their system, so I may experiment with using optional environment variable to define colors for title text and bar background, but have some defaults that provide at least a little more contrast than flwm currently does.

3) Sorry, I don't recall what alt+enter does in the standard flwm.  I guess I don't use that right now.  What is it used for and what kind of substitute would be useful?

4) Maybe we can have a set of keybindings to resize (and maybe move?) the windows, but my initial goal is to just re-orient the look of the window titlebars.

Also, in general, keep in mind a big goal for roberts is to keep the default WM small and fast, so each proposed new feature will need to be carefully considered, and we may try to simplify and streamline the WM by removing or revising some current features.

[jls]

......
Also, in general, keep in mind a big goal for roberts is to keep the default WM small and fast, so each proposed new feature will need to be carefully considered, and we may try to simplify and streamline the WM by removing or revising some current features.

I use win 95 on a laptop with 16 MB ram and is fast and it has all the key bindings

[bigpcman]

I've been working on modifying flwm to display window titlebars in a more conventional "topside" location.  The version I have is starting to work, but is still very crude and not ready for public use yet.  But here is a sneak peek at what my work-in-progress. 
--
Mike Lockmoore

Looks good to me. I look forward to being able to use this.

[MikeLockmoore]

I use win 95 on a laptop with 16 MB ram and is fast and it has all the key bindings

jls_legalize: Sure, new keybindings for the WM or any one app don't require a lot of code compared to an entire operating system, but I think most of us really like TC because its small size provides many benefits.

At some point, I may experiment with some extra keybindings and see what the codesize impact is.  Then the TC core team can decide whether it is a good trade-off for the base system.  I'm sure you know that other WMs are available with more features, and perhaps I will offer an optional "deluxe" build of flwm as a TC extension with a few of the niceties that we are discussing here and in other threads.
--
Mike L.


--
ML

[fladd]

Talking about keybindings: The simple addition of moving a window with ALT and draging anywhere would be a very nice one!

fladd

[roberts]

FWIW
Left click on left border allows dragging
Left click on right border resizes

[jls]

some windows are movable also dragging from certain point inside the window.
Try xchat (the gtk 1 version)

[fladd]

Well, I haven't seen one that is movable without touching the left bar. So I guess those that can be moved otherwise (like Xchat) seem to be a minority.
Moving windows with Alt+drag is very common across window managers (except the one underlying windows). It is also a very convenient way to move windows since you can do it from every mouse position.

fladd

[roberts]

Left click and drag on title area is by far easier than using holding down a key and dragging.
Besides with smart window placement of flwm, I find that I rarely need to  move overlapping windows as in the other window managers. We don't need to emulate duplicate functions, especially those already involving the use of a mouse. You have many other choices of window mangers as well.

[thane]

I'm supportive of the efforts to debug and improve flwm, and I'll use whatever results. But if the topside titlebar is more trouble than it's worth, maybe we could settle for a left titlebar like this?

t
i
n
y
c
o
r
e

Truncated as needed to avoid clobbering buttons?

[roberts]

top side flwm is working great. It is in 2.4rc1 that is currently being alpha tested.
So, sooner than later, it will be available.

To print characters one per line does not allow much especially with a shorter vertical than horizontal. Besides which once truncated is even less useful.

I knew Mike was working on a top side flwm, in the meantime, I hacked out title text on the 'classic' flwm. There is no need for my hacked version since, via Mike's effort, top side has come to fruition so quickly.

[fladd]

Left click and drag on title area is by far easier than using holding down a key and dragging.
Besides with smart window placement of flwm, I find that I rarely need to  move overlapping windows as in the other window managers. We don't need to emulate duplicate functions, especially those already involving the use of a mouse. You have many other choices of window mangers as well.

Well, I think we just have different opinions here I think having the ability to grab a window everywhere without needing to place the courser exactly into a verz small area is much easier.
Anyway, if it will not be in there it just won't.

Another question: Will the option to have the title bar on the left side remain? I think it is a great concept, especially since today most screens are widescreen and there it saves space of course. So it is perfect, since, in contrast to other WM it uses space where it is most available. And even on normal screens there is more width available then height.

fladd