Re: proposal: slight extension of gtkrc syntax for per-app settings

[Sander Vesik <Sander Vesik Sun COM>]

Hi Vlad!

I suspect the issue Bill raises is the 'availability of dynamite' issue -
if you can get an half-decent chemistry book and are willing to
experiment, you definately can make it. But it's not available in general
stores so people are at least a bit detered from blowing other people up
with it.

Similarily, if one believes that GUI consistency is more important than
being able to tinker with each and every little piece with abondon, one
would not put the PowerGUIMorpher tool in the hands reach of most users...

On Tue, 1 May 2001, Vlad Harchev wrote:

>  Hi Bill, 
> 
>  First of all, it's also possible to load different gtk theme on 
> per-application basis by setting environment variable or (for gnome apps) by
> putting gtkrc in the file under special name. And of course there is a
> programmatic API for changing the style of a particlar widget. The
> proposed change just provides much more user-friendly means for selecting
> themes (and probably shooting themself in the foot) - but it doesn't provide
> any additional means to app developers (they already have everything at their
> disposal).
>   The advantages of the proposed changes will allow theme creators to
> more elegantly (in single file) provide per-application theme tuning (in 
> particular, to increase accessibility).
>   Also, if not at the first hand, Gtk-2.0 allows changing widget properties
> from gtkrc too! For example, power user will be able to control the default
> directory for file selection dialog in Gnumeric spreadsheet to one directory
> (say, ~/files/sheets/) and default directory for file selection dialog in
> AbiWord to another directory! Or control default font of font selector on
> per-application basis (or, hopefully, default buttons in various dialogs in
> various apps or default state of checkboxes on per-dialog and per-app basis) -
> and all this flexibility comes without any additional efforts from app
> programmer! Also it won't be very difficult to write GUI configuration tools
> that will allow to configure resource values interactively (e.g. user will be
> allowed to point to widget in any dialog, configure properties, and save new
> dialog defaults).
> 
>  So, that flexibility will open another dimension in ease of use and
> configurability of gtk-2.0 based applications. Just to add, all apps that use
> Xt-based widget sets already have it.
> 
> 
>  Best regards,
>   -Vlad
> 

	Sander

One day a tortoise will learn to fly
	-- Terry Pratchett, 'Small Gods'