| Re: IDL's (changing) widget behaviour [message #7277] |
Thu, 24 October 1996 00:00 |
Robert Moss
Messages: 74
Registered: February 1996
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Member |
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Stein Vidar Hagfors Haugan wrote:
>
*snipped a bunch of stuff with which I sympathize*
>
> And, if anyone out there has some great ideas on how to save space
> in widgets, please speak out...
>
> Stein Vidar
Well, I'd hardly call these _great_ ideas, but here they are for what
they are worth:
1) Allow your users to set the default font size for widgets with
an environment variable. I have this bit of code in the startup file
for my application:
; allow the user to customize the default font for widgets
fontsize = getenv( 'IDL_FONT' )
IF strlen( fontsize ) NE 2 THEN def_font = fontsize ELSE $
def_font = 'lucidasans-'+strtrim( fontsize, 2 )
IF def_font EQ "" THEN def_font = 'lucidasans-12'
if !D.NAME eq 'X' then widget_control,default_font=def_font
This lets them choose a point size for the default lucida-sans
font that I prefer, or set a completely different font of thier
own choosing.
2) Map different parts of your interface to the same part of the screen.
Yes, its not always desireable from an aesthetic point of view, but
it can save real estate. A builtin example of this can be seen in the
behaviour of the SLICER or XLOADCT widget.
--
Robert M. Moss, Ph.D. - mossrm@texaco.com - FAX (713)954-6911
------------------------------------------------------------ -----
This does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Texaco Inc.
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| Re: IDL's (changing) widget behaviour [message #7278 is a reply to message #7277] |
Thu, 24 October 1996 00:00  |
Joseph M Zawodny
Messages: 24
Registered: March 1996
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Junior Member |
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Stein Vidar Hagfors Haugan wrote:
>
> (Here I go ranting again....)
>
> After we've finally got IDL 4.0.1 installed here, I'm beginning to take
> the time required to digest the *latest* round of widget changes
> (3.6 -> 4) to see what has to be done to restore the "damage", so to speak.
>
> One thing that's *always* bothered me about IDL's widgets is that
> they seem to be designed for someone with (at least) 2k x 2k pixels
> on their screen. Its just amazing how much "air" comes in between and
> around every little speck of information on the screen, not to mention
> the stupid idea of having a large, *proportional* font as default. Wah!.
(a few constructive criticisms edited out)
>
> Stein Vidar
I second that and offer the following. It is not uncommon to have
several
levels of base_widgets and I have noted that each one must add at least
one pixel around its contents. It seems to me that a base_widget is a
conceptual construct used for organization of the widget and need not
have
ANY physical manifestation on the screen. In other words a button in a
base_widget ought to be the same size on the screen as a button nested
in
a series of 10 base_widgets. I develop widget programs for persons who
travel and their notebook computers might have 800x640 resolution if
they
are lucky. So, RSI, go back through all the widget code and change
those
"if keyword_set()" tests to "if n_elements() eq 0" so key=0 is valid in
widget calls. Better yet, default to zero!
JMZ
--
Work: Dr. Joseph M. Zawodny Play: Joe Zawodny
NASA Langley Research Center KO4LW@amsat.org
E-mail: J.M.Zawodny@LaRC.NASA.gov zawodny@exis.net
(757) 864-2681 (757) 864-2671 FAX
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