Subject: FVWM: loses info in graphics windows

From: Dan Melconian <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 01:33:39 -0700 (PDT)

Hello,

	I hope I am writing to the right place ...  If not, sorry!

	I have recently switched (back) to FVWM from GNOME, and am
generally happy with everything.  The one thing I _really_ want to fix,
and which may sway me back to GNOME, is the way FVWM is handling my
graphics windows.  I use a local program, physica, which brings up it's
own graphics window to make my pretty plots; whenever I switch
pages/desks, or even just place another window on top of this graphics
window, the graphics disappear and I'm left with a blank window (when
placing other windows on top, only the area covered is lost).  When I work
with small files, this isn't a problem because I generally use macros, but
sometimes it takes 20 mins to analyze stuff, which is far too long just to
look again at what I've already analyzed!
	I realize physica (see www.triumf.ca/physica/html/homepage.html if
you care) is not a world-renowned program, but perhaps you're familiar
with CERN's "PAW"  (physics analysis workstation) program?  The same thing
happens with it's graphics window.

	Thanks in advance,
		Dan

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From: "Paul D. Smith" <[email-masked]>
Date: 10 Jul 2001 09:39:06 -0400

%% Dan Melconian <[email-masked]> writes:

  dm> I have recently switched (back) to FVWM from GNOME, and am
  dm> generally happy with everything.  The one thing I _really_ want to
  dm> fix, and which may sway me back to GNOME, is the way FVWM is
  dm> handling my graphics windows.  I use a local program, physica,
  dm> which brings up it's own graphics window to make my pretty plots;
  dm> whenever I switch pages/desks, or even just place another window
  dm> on top of this graphics window, the graphics disappear and I'm
  dm> left with a blank window (when placing other windows on top, only
  dm> the area covered is lost).  When I work with small files, this
  dm> isn't a problem because I generally use macros, but sometimes it
  dm> takes 20 mins to analyze stuff, which is far too long just to look
  dm> again at what I've already analyzed!

It's not the job of the window manager to save the contents of windows
when they're obscured: it's the job of the application to redisplay its
contents when it gets the appropriate event.

If physica can't do this without recalculating everything from scratch,
it's _seriously_ broken.  You should ask them to fix it or get a better
tool...

Anyway, you can have FVWM ask the X server to try to cache the contents
of windows using the BackingStore and/or SaveUnder Style options; see
the fvwm2 man page.  This must be what GNOME is doing if you don't see
this behavior there.  BTW, what WM were you using with GNOME?  GNOME is
a whole desktop environment, not just a WM.  At work I run GNOME with
FVWM as the WM.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Paul D. Smith <[email-masked]>    HASMAT--HA Software Methods & Tools
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
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From: Dan Melconian <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 08:58:15 -0700 (PDT)

OK.  I'll give the BackingStore and/or SaveUnder a try ... if not,
I'll get Joe Chuma to fix it from physica's end.
> a whole desktop environment, not just a WM.  At work I run GNOME with

	Yes, of course; what I should have said was "GNOME running
on top of Sawfish."

	Thanks a bundle for the advice!!

		Dan