Subject: broken size hints

From: Matthew Rees <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 15:42:48 -0400

Hi,

I've found that I'm getting lots of messages from Fvwm (version 2.3.8) similar
to the following when I run the development version of one of our products:

------------------------

[FVWM][GetWindowSizeHints]: <<WARNING>> Step Manager window 0x34005d3 has broken
(6) size hints
Please report this to [email-masked]
49 541 166 -1 -1 2147417500 0 0/0 69089100/0 69681124 0 69089076

[FVWM][GetWindowSizeHints]: <<WARNING>> Step Manager window 0x34005d3 has broken
(6) size hints
Please report this to [email-masked]
49 541 166 -1 -1 271353512 0 1/0 271011456/0 69681124 0 69089148

[FVWM][GetWindowSizeHints]: <<WARNING>> ABAQUS window 0x340155a has broken (6)
size hints
Please report this to [email-masked]
49 -1 -1 -1 -1 271439240 2147419216 2147419488/273469408 76441304/2147419216
271439704 273469412 0

-------------------------

After looking at the Fvwm code, I can see that it doesn't like it when the
window's max height/width (-1 in this case) is less than the window's min
height/width.  Furthermore, it probably doesn't like that last case above, where
the window's min height and width are less that 0.

Since the hints do look somewhat strange, and since I do not see any of these
messages from any other X applications, I assume that the problem is with our
product, but I wanted to write you (as the warning message implores) to make
sure.  If the hints being sent above are erroneous, I would appreciate it if you
could point me to any information regarding the correct behavior of X
applications.

Furthermore, I've found that when I try to run our product "iconic" Fvwm puts up
the windows anyway (but without any warnings).  Again, I would assume that this
is a problem with our product (since something like 'xterm -iconic' behaves as
expected) and any pointers to information about this would be appreciated.

I am not the person who does the X Windows programming (nor do I know much about
it) but I would be happy to pass along any information you could give to the
appropriate programmers.

If it makes any difference, I'm running on Irix 6.5 and the X server is 11.0 (?
-- this is  X_PROTOCOL and X_PROTOCOL_REVISION in X11/X.h)

Thank you,

-Matt Rees

p.s. Is [email-masked] a list?  If so, please be sure to reply to me
([email-masked]) and not just to the list.

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---

From: Dominik Vogt <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 16:29:12 +0200

> to the following when I run the development version of one of our products:

The first thing you should know is that fvwm itself has no problem
when it prints these warnings.  These are merely fvwm's observations
about broken application hints that may or may not cause trouble with
other window managers.

> could point me to any information regarding the correct behavior of X

There is the so called Inter Client Communications Conventions Manual (ICCCM)
written by the X Consortium.  This document defines the proper way for
interaction between window manager and application (Chapter 4).  You can
find an online version at http://tronche.com/gui/x/icccm/ .  Unfortunately
the ICCCM is very sloppy and leaves much room for (mis)interpretation.  For
example, negative sizes are nowhere explicitly forbidden.  The checks in
fvwm's sizing code follow no strict rules but try to use common sense
instead.  Window managers have to deal with lots of broken applications,
so we put this code in the sizing function so that we can detect and
eliminate these third party bugs.  A popular bug for example is when the
application sets the bit that is provides e.g. a maximum size but then
forgets to fill out the actual values.

> expected) and any pointers to information about this would be appreciated.

You need to set the 'StateHint' hint in the WM_HINTS struct to 
'IconicState'. (ICCCM section 4.1.2.4).

> -- this is  X_PROTOCOL and X_PROTOCOL_REVISION in X11/X.h)

No, it doesn't.

> p.s. Is [email-masked] a list?

Yes, it is.

Bye

Dominik ^_^

--
Dominik Vogt, [email-masked]
Reply-To: [email-masked]
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