gtkD problems and general gui question.

[Nick Sabalausky]

"Andrej Mitrovic" <andrej.mitrovich at gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:mailman.367.1319465270.24802.digitalmars-d-learn at puremagic.com...
> On 10/24/11, Nick Sabalausky <a at a.a> wrote:
>> (ie, garbage non-native controls)
>
> In reality you don't even need to use native controls to create a true
> native look. In fact using true native controls is expensive, and even
> IE/Office use custom-drawn widgets that only appear native.
>
> There are theming API's in XP+ systems which for example Qt uses to
> make all widgets appear native (even if you use a custom theme). I
> think they still had to "simulate" the feel of some of the controls
> (scroll bars, ok/cancel button positions), but that's not too
> difficult to do.

It's difficult to get all the subtle details right. For example, if you've 
been using non-native-UI apps in XP (as I'm always cursed to do), then task 
switching gets all fucked up. You'll click on a task button in the taskbar 
or alt-tab, and some random *other* program will pop to the front before the 
one you selected. Doesn't happen if you've only been using native-control 
apps. Irritating as hell.

> What Qt doesn't simulate are the common controls
> (e.g. file open dialogs), they just invoke an API function for that.
>
> AFAIK Gtk does none of those things.

Exactly. The damn thing doesn't even *try* to fit in properly.

> You can still use common controls
> for file dialogs, but I've yet to see any Gtk programmer do this.

Luckily Inkscape does. I really wish GIMP would (but it's clear that GIMP 
will never get a halfway decent interaface outside of a fork. Not too 
surprising since, AIUI, GIMP is to blame for GTK's existance in the first 
place).