Re: [MiNT] Background

[Jo Even Skarstein <joska@online.no>]

On Thu, 2011-09-15 at 18:28 +0000, Peter Slegg wrote:

> > No. You don't understand how the desktop is drawn. It works like this:
> >
> > 1. The application that wants to use the desktop loads or creates a
> > resource tree that makes up the desktop. This includes *everything* on the
> > desktop, like icons or notes.
> > 2. The AES is notified by the application about the new desktop tree using
> > wind_set().
> > 3. The *AES* now takes care of redrawing the desktop object tree whenever
> > necessary.
> > 4. The AES takes care of switching desktops. Whenever an application with
> > an installed desktop takes focus, the desktop is switched. If an
> > application that's not the shell has a desktop and it loose focus, the AES
> > switches to the shell desktop (if it has a desktop) or XaAES desktop.
> 
> That makes little sense.

But this is how it works.

> > > The AES is there to provide services for applications hence it's name
> > > Application Environment Services. So it should provide an ability to
> >
> > Yes, and one service is to draw the desktop.
> 
> No, No, No. The AES should provide a facility to draw a desktop.
> It is up to applications to use that facility to draw a desktop.

This is not how it works. The AES draws the desktop. Period. The
application can use userdef objects on the desktop, but the redraws will
be initiated and handled by the AES, and the userdefs are run by the
AES.

> I repeat again that if I install thing ans configure it to display
> a nice tiled desktop image it should under no circumstance be overwritten
> by the AES.

The custom AES background is configurable, although in a peculiar and
user-unfriendly manner. So you can use Thing background like you're used
to.

But XaAES can display hi-colour backgrounds, Thing can't.

> > The background image is displayed by the AES, not by an application. What
> > XaAES does in this case, is to replace the root object of the desktop
> > object tree with an image. So *all* applications that installs a desktop
> > gets the same background. This is how it should be!
> 
> No, if an application renders a background image then it is doing what the user
> has asked it to do.

That's one way of seeing it. So don't use the XaAES background ;)
Personally I'll be happy to never see that green Teradesk background
ever again, even if that's what it wants to show me.

> I never asked for a vile yellow background.

Bugs are rarely asked for.

Jo Even