Re: [XWEM]: Fun with frames

[Zajcev Evgeny]

Steve Youngs <address@hidden> writes:

> I found another user problem with xwem (read: Steve has gotten himself
> stuck and can't find a way out).
>
> After having about 50 xwem client windows open and getting totally
> lost I figured it was time to start working with multiple xwem
> frames.  A few `M-x xwem-make-frame' later and I could pretend that I
> was organised.
>
> Very soon thereafter, I found that all these new frames had names like
> "Frame 0: default", "Frame 1: default", "Frame 3: default".  Now
> there's gotta be a way to rename these frames... And there is!
> `xwem-frame-set-name'.  Now here's my first question...
>
> How do I rename a frame when there is no XEmacs frame in sight?
>
> Can I create a new xwem frame _and_ give it a name at the same time?
>
> Can I start an application and have it go into a specific frame
> without being in that frame when I start the app?  Something like the
> following pseudo code...
>
> (save-excursion
>   (xwem-switch-frame (xwem-find-frame "foo"))
>   (xwem-launch-program))
>

Yes, will describe below.

> Can I switch frames by name instead of doing multiple `H-x H-n' or
> `H-x H-p' until I get to the frame I want?

here is what i have in my xwemrc:

    ;; Fast frame switcher
    (defun my-xwem-switch-frame (key)
      "To be used by H-C-<digit> bindings."
      (interactive (list (event-key xwem-last-event)))
      (xwem-frame-switch-nth (- (char-to-int key) 48)))
    
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-0") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-1") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-2") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-3") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-4") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-5") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-6") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-7") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-8") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)
    (define-key xwem-global-map (xwem-kbd "H-C-9") 'my-xwem-switch-frame)

  NOTE:

  After today commit, which i will performe in few hours, really big
  commit which even changes core things in xwem a little, so will need
  testing, it will be possible to write something like:

    (define-xwem-command my-xwem-switch-frame (name)
      "Switch to xwem frame named by NAME."
      (xwem-interactive (list (xwem-completing-read "XWEM Frame: "
                                (mapcar (lambda (f) (list (xwem-frame-name f)))
                                   xwem-frames-list))))
      
      (let ((frame (xwem-frame-find 'name name)))
         (when (xwem-frame-p frame)
            (xwem-frame-select frame))))

>
> That should be enough to keep me going for a while. :-)

Hehe, your investigations really great!, do you dig in code :)?  Here
is a little discription about working with frames, clients, windows,
etc.

 *XWEM FRAMES*:

   General function to create frames is `xwem-make-frame-1'.  It takes
   all arguments needed to change any parameter of xwem frame at
   creation time.  Arguments are:
     
     o EMBEDDED-P - non-nil if creating embedded frame, i.e. which is
       frame and client at the same time.

     o PARAMS     - frame's parameters.  List in form '(:token1 val1
       :token2 val2 ..  ), where token is one of:
           :name - Frame's name.
           :state - Frame's state.
           ... others not really used.

     o PROPS      - frame's properties, plist, known keys are:
           'inner-border-width
           'otter-border-width
           'title-height
           'title-thickness

        Values are numbers.

     o NON-SELECT - Non-nil to not select newly created frame.

   Default keybindings to deal with frames:

      H-x 5 0         xwem-frame-destroy
      H-x 5 1         xwem-frame-fit-screen
       Enlarge frame to most close X screen, get knowledge about
       xinerama and enlarges to most close xineramed screen if
       xinerama enabled.

      H-x 5 2         xwem-frame-sbs-vert-split
       Side-by-side vertical split.  Side-by-side splitting is also a
       way to create frames.  Here is ascii art how sbs splitting
       works.

        Horizontal sbs split:
        +--------+                             +----+----+--...--+----+
        +--------+                             +----+----+--...--+----+
        | 1      | `xwem-frame-split-sbs' |--> | 1  | 2  |       | N  |
        |        |                             |    |    |       |    |
        +--------+
                                               +----+----+--...--+----+

       1, 2, ..  - frame numbers, i.e. result of `xwem-frame-num'.
  
      H-x 5 3         xwem-frame-sbs-hor-split
       See above.

      H-x 5 5         xwem-make-frame
       Create generic frame.

      H-x 5 Z         xwem-frame-showroot
      H-x 5 b         xwem-cl-switch-other-frame
      H-x 5 n         xwem-frame-set-name
       This answers question about renaming frame without accesing
       XEmacs frame.

      H-x 5 r         xwem-launch-program-other-frame
      H-x 5 z         xwem-frame-hide
      H-x 5 C-l       xwem-frame-lower
      H-x 5 C-r       xwem-frame-raise
      H-x 5 H-t       xwem-transpose-frames
      
      H-x 5 H-a m     xwem-launch-lupe-other-frame
      H-x 5 H-a x     xwem-launch-xterm-other-frame
       Weird keybindings to start application in other frame.  i.e.
       frame will be created and client managed in its root window.


 *XWEM WINDOWS*:

   Window is subpart of xwem frame, as XEmacs windows to XEmacs
   frames.  You can split window, delete window, resize window, etc.
   Normally each window is used to hold xwem client.  Client resized
   to windows size, so normally there is no clients overlapping inside
   one frame.  Windows has support for really cute thing -
   expectances.

     Expectance is special window mark, which is used to manage
     particular clients in this window.  For example you want to start
     xterm application but do not want to manage it in current
     window.  So you install expectance in some other window and just
     start xterm.  xwem will catch xterm application, find window
     which has xterm expectance installed in manage xterm in this
     window.  If no such window found - manage xterm in current
     window.

     To show how expectances works, just try: H-o r xterm RET

     This will start xterm application withot changing selected
     window.

  Here is windows oriented keyboard bindings:

      H-x 1           xwem-frame-del-others
      H-x 2           xwem-frame-split-vert
      H-x 3           xwem-frame-split-horiz
       Bindings to create new windows.
      
      H-x 0           xwem-frame-del-win
       To delete window.

      H-r h           xwem-frame-win-enlarge-hor
      H-r v           xwem-frame-win-enlarge-ver
       Bindings to resize window.  Example H-x 2 H-1 0 0 H-r v

      H-x +           xwem-balance-windows
        When you have multiple windows, which has different sized,
        this will try to make windows with same width/height, just
        like `balance-windows' for XEmacs windows.

      H-o 0           xwem-kill-cl-and-window
        Kill client in current window, and delete window.

      H-o b           xwem-cl-switch-other-win
      H-o r           xwem-launch-program-other-win
      H-o C-o         xwem-cl-switch-other-win
      H-o H-t         xwem-transpose-windows
        Exchange clients in window and other window.

      H-o C-H-l       xwem-cl-switch-to-other-in-other-win
      
      H-o H-a m       xwem-launch-lupe-other-win
      H-o H-a x       xwem-launch-xterm-other-win

  Here also support for window configurations.  i.e.  if using
  `xwem-register' addon, here is bindings to work with window
  configurations:

      H-x 6           xwem-register-win-config
       Save window configuration to register.

      H-x j           xwem-register-jump
       Restore window configuration from register.


  Working with window expectances:

    For example you have frame:4 selected, and want to launch xterm in
    other(than selected) frame.  Here is how it may look:

      (define-xwem-command my-launch-in-oframe (cmd)
        "Run CMD in other frame."
        (xwem-interactive "eMy launch other frame: ")
        
        (let ((frame (or (xwem-frame-other (xwem-frame-selected))
                         (xwem-make-frame-1 nil nil nil t))))
          (xwem-win-expt-inc (xwem-frame-selwin oframe) cmd)
          (xwem-execute-program cmd)))

    What it does? Just obtain another frame, or create new if no other
    frames available, intall expectance in selected window, and run
    CMD.


 *XWEM CLIENTS*:

  xwem client is normal X application, such as xterm, xclock, etc.
  They manages according to entries in manage database.  Generic way
  to manage client is remap it to some xwem frame and resize to xwem
  window sizes.

  Ways to run new clients.

   H-x r <cmd> RET - very generic way to create new client.

   If application start time is pretty long, f.i: 20 secs, and you
   dont want to wait time it will be managed, you can try using window
   expectance feature.  H-u H-x r <cmd> RET - this will install
   expectance in current window, so you can switch to another frame,
   do something, i.e. continue xweming.  Programm <cmd> that you have
   started, will be managed to window which was selected at start
   time, i.e.  there will be no unexpected popups for you, except if
   you continue working in that window.

   Once you started some applcation you can use H-x 7 2 - run copy
   command.  This will examine current client and try to run another
   instance of this application, f.i.:

      H-x r xterm RET .. wait client mapping .. H-x 7 2

   Here is various variants of H-x 7 2 commands, to run copy in other
   window, other frame.
    
     H-x 7 4         xwem-client-run-copy-other-win
     H-x 7 5         xwem-client-run-copy-other-frame

   When some client already managed, and you have lost where it was
   managed, but remeber its name, you can try using `H-x 7 p' - this
   command will find where client managed and switch to its frame,
   window, and client, so it is one of fastest way to find losted
   client.

   xwem client can be marked, just like you can mark position in
   XEmacs buffer.  H-@ - mark current client.  Then you can switch to
   last marked client using H-u address@hidden

   If using xwem-register addon.  You can push client to some register
   H-x / <reg> - push current client to register <REG>, then using
   H-x j <reg> - pop to client in <REG>.

   To obtain some info about current client, use H-x 7 i - this will
   show in xwem minibuffer clients name, sizes, and even uptime!


 *HELP SUBSYSEM*

   xwem uses great Emacs feature - selfdocumenting.  xwem help
   subsystem is pretty sily, but it may help sometimes.  Here is
   bindigs:
 
    H-h b - List all xwem bindings.
    H-h k - Describe binding
    H-h s - List all xwem strokes.
    
   Also here is help key(H-h), i.e.  when you press help key after
   starting new keymap prefix it will describe bindings for this
   prefix.  f.i.: H-x H-h - will describe H-x bindings.

   Proposals about what should be in xwem help subsystem are very
   very welcome, so dont hesistate.

   
It was very short description.  I understand that many things is
pretty hard, and needs very detailed description in manuals.  But I
still can't have time to write good doc, and also my english so ugly,
that I can't understand what I wrote after 7 days :(

Thanks again that you not give up fighting with xwem :).

Really I begin to understand that everything for Xing can be done in
xwem environment, as everything can be done in Emacs for editing :)

-- 
lg