🚀 go-pugleaf

wsinda@wsintt02.info.win.tue.nl (Dick Alstein) writes:

>This posting is a Call For Discussion.
[long description of tags for icons in template files deleted]

(Now that's what I call net-friendly quoting!)

You may be interested to know that somebody (whose name escapes
my swiss-cheese memory) is writing a new template editor, called
!Glazier (from scratch). It's very beta prerelease at the moment,
but is very good, and extremely promising...

But there is more... He has got an official file allocation from
Acorn for a new template file format, with the hope of making a
new template format, as well as releasing C code (or possibly even a
module) to allow programs to load the new template format and
'emulate' all the new features by a combination of new code
and use of existing WIMP constructs.

Some of the ideas i have seen/suggested for this format are:
  Tagged format which is upgradable - Acorn's format is a little restrictive
  as it is basically just a core dump... ;-)

  New 'meta-icons' for example, a 'slider' icon that is designed in the
  template editor, and used as a single icon in the program, but is actually
  defined in the window as a pair of WIMP icons... ALL the handling of these
  types of icons will be transparent to the user/programmer, thus giving
  the appearance of a much higher-level of icon capabilities.

  Tagged icons. Refer to each icon by a unique name-tag

  Extra information on icons stored in the template (e.g. "If this icon is
  clicked, shade that icon", etc)

  Incorporation of menu templates: Tagged menu items are used, so the
  menu structure can be edited (put the quit item as a subitem of the 'file'
  submenu if you like), but the program will still respond to a click on
  'quit' by quitting...
  Inclusion of support for ESG groups of tickable menu items, etc.

  Incorporation of hot-key definitions

Thus, the template format would allow editing of a much greater amount of the
interface without having to alter the program at all. Ideally, you should
be able to radically alter the look & feel of the application, it's menus
and key-bindings, ALL with a single template editor package.

So any suggestions I will collect and pass on to him if he doesn't get them
for himself...
-- 
_________________  "I'd like to answer this question in two ways:
  /____ _ _/_ __       First in my normal voice, and then
 // / //_//_ /_/       in a silly, high-pitched whine." (Monty Python)