Re: GNOME panel "menu" applet

[Colin Davis <cdavis thepentagon com>]

Peter Hawkins wrote:
> 
> Hi there...
> 
> I was wondering what people thought about the necessity for a partial
> rewrite of the existing menu applet for the gnome panel...
> 



> So, why don't we do it something like this:
> Simply store a menu as a directory of symlinks. Call it ~/.gnome/menu or
> something.  Store other information, such as the associated icon, in the
> metadata database, like any other file in the system. This may, of
> course, require that we break off functions like logout into seperate
> executables, but I'm sure we'll live...
> If equivalent functionality to "user"/"system" is desired, one could
> make a /usr/share/gnome-menu and transparently superimpose this on the
> local gnome menu...
> Completely scrap any support for things like "Debian menus" and "DE
> menus" and so forth, rather implement them the same as any other type of
> menu (directory of symlinks), possibly with some form of auto-convertor.
> 

Good. This is the best way to do this.

> The "panel" menu could be implemented in two ways. The starting of
> applets could be implemented using symlinks, the same as any other type
> of program. All the other "add" options could delegated to a small
> helper executable which activates the required function somehow (CORBA?)
> The properties functions really belong in the control center anyway.

Again. This is better. It allowsthese functions to be implemented via
_any_ menu. E could have a link to the logout button of GNOME

> 
> Advantages:
> * Menu-editor can be scrapped.

We may want to convert the editor, for compatability with previous
reasons

> * Everything becomes more flexible.

Agreed. This is a Good Thing. 

> * It's not much harder than what we have there now (reading .desktop
> files).

But wouldn't this be slow? reading a .desktop file for each menu
entry... What if there were hundreds of entries?
> 
> Do people think this is a good idea?
> 

In general, yes. I think, however, we may want to work with the KDE
people, and place out menu in the location. That way, applications can
add to the menu, with out knowing which desktop you use. something like
/usr/share/desktop-menu
>:-)
> Peter