X client wrapper for Win apps?

[David Fraser]

Keith D. Tyler wrote:

>David Fraser was recently quoted as saying...
>  
>
>>I've discovered that rather than using -fullscreen, if you simply use 
>>-nodecoration
>>and set the X server to run at the same size as fullscreen, it doesn't 
>>minimize when
>>you switch tasks, but still stays the same size as the full screen in 
>>the background.
>>The advantage being you can still see it behind your other apps (if 
>>they're not maximized),
>>although they're still not actually inside X windows.
>>    
>>
>
>Yeah... but unless you only use alt-tab to switch apps, you have to
>minimize the X server periodically to see the minimized app icons (which
>are ugly as sin in Win95+, but that's another matter)
>  
>
Another thought on this theme (these are all just patch-ups, we really 
want the whole
Windows running in X thing) is to have a hook that catches Shell 
functions (opening,
closing of Windows, etc) and use that to create dummy (transparent?) 
windows in X corresponding
to each top-level window in Windows. Selecting the window in X should 
then activate
the window in Windows. They would then appear in the taskbar / list of 
windows in
whatever window manager system is being used in X. Windows has a nice 
Hook system
that is fairly easy to use...

>  
>
>>Could we modify them to send messages between them for certain desktops?
>>    
>>
>
>Doubtful.
>
>  
>
>>So say you have Ctrl-F1, Ctrl-F2 switching to Linux Desktop 1 and 2, then
>>Ctrl-F3, Ctrl-F4 switch back to the Windows one and tell it to activate 
>>a certain
>>desktop. That way we'd be writing glue code rather than a whole new system.
>>    
>>
>
>Well, I use directional window-switching keystrokes. The JSPager set uses
>Ctrl-Up,Ctrl-Down, etc, and my FvwmPager set uses Alt-Up, Alt-Down, etc.
>
>  
>
>>>This is, I realize, all probably very unrealistic dreaming, but any leads
>>>or tips are welcome.
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>
>Sounds like if Wine emulates a Win32 environment and then converts Win32
>apps to X windows, the problem is partly solved there. But AFAIK Wine
>doesn't have a multi-window mode, you get one X window which contains a
>Windows desktop *within* which normal GDI windows run. Is that right or
>has that changed?
>
No, each GDI window runs in a separate X window

>
>==================================================================
>Keith D. Tyler                                keith@keithtyler.com
>Federal Way, WA                          http://www.keithtyler.com
>------------------------------------------------------------------
> Terrorists can attack freedom, but only Congress can destroy it.
>==================================================================
>
>  
>