Hi Lyn,
As I understand it, Widgets will exist inside the stack window, just
like controls. They are drawn in what RunRev calls a canvas, in the same
layer as current controls. This might impose some limitations on what is
possible.
Then again, since you can hook directly into the API of the operating
system, you should be able to call API's that add a toolbar for
instance. This means that widgets provide pretty much the same
extensibility as externals, but with less effort.
If a widget doesn't always need to have a visible canvas, which is what
I would expect, then widgets can also exist "outside" the stack window
and you should be able to do anything you want, as long as there is an
API for it.
--
Best regards,
Mark Schonewille
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On 8/3/2014 10:14, Lyn Teyla wrote:
Hi all,
A preview of the Widgets & Themes project was shown last month by Kevin:
http://livecode.com/blog/2014/07/08/the-next-generation-widgets-themes/
--------
Will the following missing GUI items be possible to implement via Widgets (i.e. solely
via the new "lower-level" LiveCode)?
1. _Native_ transluscent blur effects (without faking it) on specified portions
of the stack/card background (independently, i.e. without affecting its
objects' opacities) as well as for individual objects and/or entire groups:
http://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=17609
2. Create a system menu bar icon:
http://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14125
3. Create _native_ toolbars (and toolbar elements including buttons, search
boxes, full-screen icon, etc.) without faking it:
http://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=14272
4. Embed CEF browser (third party library) with JavaScript integration on all
platforms rather than just OS X and Windows:
http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=12698
5. Display _native_ alert boxes (again, without faking it which is what the
current 'answer' command does) containing built-in elements such as Message
Text, Informative Text, Accessory View, Icon, Title, Buttons, etc.:
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/userexperience/conceptual/applehiguidelines/Windows/Windows.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20000961-TP10
--------
In the Widgets & Themes presentation, it was also mentioned that new networking
and database layers will be developed using Widgets, with the final goal being to
have nearly all of LiveCode written in LiveCode itself.
This implies that Widgets are not limited to GUI elements, since it can
interface with non-GUI routines (e.g. networking) and those from third-party
libraries (e.g. databases).
Does this mean that it will be possible to use Widgets to (again, solely via the new
"lower-level" LiveCode):
6. Extend dragDestination (or implement an alternative to dragDestination) to
return file paths:
http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=8634
7. Hook into the notification manager of each platform, e.g. enabling the
ability to bounce the dock icon on OS X, etc.:
http://lists.runrev.com/pipermail/use-livecode/2011-August/159957.html
--------
Once again, for all of the above, I am referring _strictly_ to the use of the new
"lower-level" LiveCode that is used to implement Widgets. That means:
(a) No "faking it" (drawing your own non-native stuff); and
(b) Non-involvement of any other programming language (e.g. C, etc).
--------
Many thanks for any information that you can provide.
Best,
Lyn
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