[Gtk-sharp-list] GDL - Docking documentation

[John Luke]

Hello,
Darryl Pentz wrote:
> Hi all,
>  
> We've managed to yank all the GDL code out of the MonoDevelop source 
> and we've built a gdl-sharp.dll so that we can use the docking 
> behaviour in an app we're developing at our company.
It is contained in a directory, so people should be able to do that 
rather easily.
>  
> I've been playing with the GdlDockTest app and have to say I find it 
> VERY frustrating. Not least of which is the fact that I find scant 
> little documentation on this code. I realize it's not a shipped part 
> of GTK# but nevertheless, one would expect there would be some useful 
> HOWTO coverage of this code *somewhere* to encourage others to make 
> use of it.
The only docs I know of is the small file in the doc subdirectory, I 
assume you saw it?
>  
> I found some disparate comments in a few newsgroup threads but none of 
> it is consistent with the behaviour of the docking object model. For 
> instance:
> - when setting a DockItemBehaviour to NeverFloating, it makes no 
> difference. Good luck when you click on the DockBar button... it 
> floats one time, then docks the next, then floats, then docks, then 
> floats, then floats... almost as if by some random cosmic logic.
There are several known bugs in the C# port, most of which are listed in 
the TODO file.  In particular, placeholders are not implemented at all 
which control
the iconification/restoring from the dockbar.  You are welcome to file 
bugs or send patches to fix any of these.
> - adding certain event handlers are futile. DockBar.ButtonPressEvent 
> and DockBar.ButtonReleaseEvent are two examples. My breakpoints don't 
> get reached.
These events are not used by the DockBar, if I remember correctly, so 
they are never raised.
>  
> Does this code actually work properly, and if so, has anybody got any 
> decent documentation on it (although some comments in the code would 
> have also been useful)? The main issue for me right now (I'm sure 
> others will follow) is the unpredictable/uncontrollable behaviour when 
> a DockItem is iconified, and then uniconified. There's nothing obvious 
> in the API which suggests a way to trap the event and determine where 
> the dock item should be rendered. It's this haphazard behaviour that 
> is very frustrating.
>
The code works as much as it does within MonoDevelop.  There are some 
known bugs and unfinished parts as noted above.  Reporting bugs in parts 
that MonoDevelop doesn't use might help, but I honestly don't know if I 
will work on it anytime soon but there is always a chance someone else will.