Subject: Combine modules & extras

From: Steve Robbins <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 01:46:53 -0500 (EST)

Hi,

The "extras"  directory was, historically, a place to dump modules that
didn't configure or build with ease.  The extras now all -- in principle
-- configure and build with ease.  In light of the upcoming 2.2, I'd like
to propose erasing the distinction between TRUE modules and SECOND-CLASS
"extra" modules.

At the same time, we might as well drop a few modules that duplicate
functionality.  I have made an inventory (attached) of all the modules &
extras that are currently distributed with the fvwm 2.1.x betas. 

The proposal for the extras is as follows:

* Promote the following to modules: FvwmCommand, FvwmConsole, FvwmDebug,
  and FvwmScript.

* Drop FvwmConfig because the author's documentation says it is
  "braindead" and he "discourages its use".

* Drop FvwmGoodStuff: obsoleted by FvwmButtons.

* Drop FvwmPipe: similar functionality is obtained using FvwmCommand.

* Possibly promote FvwmTaskBar: this seems to be an Win95'ish version of
  FvwmButtons, and hence superfluous.  However, the overlap isn't exact,
  and it seems to work, so keeping it wouldn't be bad either.  I lean
  towards keeping it. 

* Possibly drop FvwmWharf: the README included suggests it is not at all
  stable, and it hasn't been maintained for a while.  I lean towards
  dropping it.

The proposal for current "modules" is to keep all except for the
following:

* Drop FvwmAudio: it is obsoleted by FvwmEvent.

* Possibly drop FvwmIconBox: it doesn't appear to be actively maintained,
  and it is similar in function to FvwmIconMan (which *is* actively
  maintained).

* Possibly drop FvwmTalk: FvwmCommand offers the same functionality, with
  a superior interface (command history & editing with libreadline).

This is an inventory of the modules (& extras) currently in the beta
distributions.  The date after the command is the last date of
modification of the module, or 'current' if actively maintained.
(Portability fixes applied to all modules don't count here).

FvwmAnimate - November 1998
===========

* animates iconification and de-iconification
* uses FvwmForm

FvwmAudio - obsoleted by Event
=========

* plays sounds depending on message types
* uses librplay or runs external audio player

FvwmAuto - September 1996
========

* execute commands when a window gains or loses keyboard focus
  - typically to raise & lower window

FvwmBacker 
==========

* changes background when changing desktops

FvwmBanner
==========

* displays fvwm logo for 3 seconds

FvwmButtons - current
===========

* derived from GoodStuff
* buttons to launch applications
* can swallow windows

FvwmCpp 
=======

* invokes C preprocessor on file that is then "read" by fvwm
* anonymous

FvwmEvent - November 1998
=========

* soi-disant "more versatile" successor to FvwmAudio
  - started from that code, and includes the same RPLAY support
* bind arbitary actions to WM events

FvwmForm - current
========

* fill-out form
* lots of hardcoded limits

FvwmIconBox 
===========

* icon manager

FvwmIconMan - current
===========

* icon manager, modeled roughly on twm's icon manager
* can have multiple iconmen, each specializing in certain window types

FvwmIdent - current
=========

* displays information about a selected window

FvwmM4 
======

* use M4 to process a file, then have fvwm read it
* same as FvwmCpp, except using M4

FvwmPager - current
=========

* displays miniature view of desktops
* allows to switch between them

FvwmRearrange - current
=============

* rearrange windows; currently can tile or cascade them
* obsoletes former FvwmCascade and FvwmTile modules

FvwmSave 
========

* save desktop layout into file called new.xinitrc
* appears to be a re-write of something called "NoClutter"

FvwmSaveDesk
============

* another desktop-layout saving module
* saves layout as "InitFunction" lines
* uses file called .fvwm2desk
* needs a preprocessor module to include stuff into .fvwm2rc

FvwmScroll 
==========

* adds scroll bars to any window

FvwmTalk 
========

* type commands to fvwm in window
* no editing capability
* poor documentation

FvwmWinList - current
===========

* provides clickable list of windows that fvwm is managing
* clicking button does something (configurable)

FvwmCommand - May 1998
===========

* send command and receive information from Fvwm2 from processes
  which are not Fvwm modules
* FvwmCommand utility sends commands to a 'server' module FvwmCommandS

FvwmConfig - March 1994
==========

* helps users make very simple, basic changes to the current fvwm
  configuration
* author claims it is "braindead" and usage is "discouraged"

FvwmConsole - August 1997
===========

* type fvwm commands into xterm, and have them executed immediately
* has editing capabilities if libreadline available

FvwmDebug - January 1994 
=========

* captures the stream of module packets coming from fvwm, and displays
  them on stderr

FvwmGoodStuff - January 1994
=============

* provides a button panel which sits on the X terminal's root window
* buttons trigger user-defined commands
* obsoleted by FvwmButtons

FvwmPipe - 1996
========

* simple hacked module to control fvwm by sending commands through a
  named pipe
* based on FvwmTalk ("somewhat")
* no documentation

FvwmScript - May 1996
==========

* to build graphic user interface 
* write scripts (in its own programming language) to create buttons,
  menus, dialogs ...
* VERY COOL

FvwmTaskBar - June 1996
===========

* provides a Win95-like taskbar made up of buttons arranged by rows,
  each corresponding to a window that FVWM is managing
* based on FvwmWinList module + win95look

FvwmWharf - October 1996
=========

* port of AfterStep "dock" module
* appears to be yet-another-goodstuff-clone
* README enumerates author's doubts: swallow doesn't work, textures
  don't all work, no idea if drag&drop works, audio probably doesn't
   work

---

From: Tim Phipps <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 11:28:52 +0000

>   and it seems to work, so keeping it wouldn't be bad either.  I lean

It's worth keep in just so we don't lose the code to do autohiding,
balloons and nice label truncating.

>   and it is similar in function to FvwmIconMan (which *is* actively

I'd like to keep this, the scrollbars are nice and it does full size
icons, not mini-icons.

>   a superior interface (command history & editing with libreadline).

FvwmTalk is very light weight and it doesn't depend on xterm.

Cheers,
Tim.
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---

From: Steve Robbins <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 07:25:24 -0500 (EST)

> balloons and nice label truncating.

It's worth noting that I am not proposing to LOSE any code!  It will
certainly remain available, but perhaps not distributed with the rest of
the fvwm2 core.

The issue is simply deciding what modules should be distributed with 2.2. 
I believe it is a disservice to distribute modules that are unmaintained &
hence likely buggy.  This would reflect poorly on fvwm as a whole.

So the question is: does module X work, and does it have any unique or
useful characteristics for a USER?  I put the question to the list because
probably I don't use module X, and I didn't investigate too hard.  Mostly
I looked at the docs & code comments, and checked if the module would at
least run.

For IconBox and Talk, your comments below indicate that you would answer
YES to the above question.  OK, so let's keep them. 

Is TaskBar also worth keeping from a user's perspective?

---

From: Dan Espen <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 08:20:58 -0500

> Is TaskBar also worth keeping from a user's perspective?

For those people determined to emulate that other desktop,
I think so.  I'm not one of them, but I know there are people that
want to do that.

--
Dan Espen
444 Hoes Lane  Room RRC 1C-214           E-mail: [email-masked]
Piscataway, NJ 08854                     Phone: (732) 699-5570
--
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