Create a Mac Dock Style using Perl 2

[dmazzini]

Hi guys

I have installed few days ago the application.

objectdock_freeware.exe, It really looks nice on windows.

I would like to create a Perl-Tk (gtk) application using same style as Mac Dock. You know, the bar at the botton of the window which maximize icons whe user point it with the mouse.

Is there already some kind of Perl module for it? Should it possible to do it? Any advices?

dmazzini
GSM/UMTS System and Telecomm Consultant

 

[Kirsle]

Advice: don't use Perl Tk. It doesn't support window transparency (having non-square windows), and the closest it can get is to where Windows won't decorate your window (won't give it a title bar and borders, leaving only your window's inner contents there out by themselves, where you could "skin" it by creating your own title bar etc), but in this mode the window manager also forgets about it and it doesn't appear in the Alt+Tab list or task bar, etc.

In short, Perl Tk is kinda an X Window System creature and doesn't play well with the Windows API.

You could use Gtk2-Perl but I can't tell you whether or not it will support window transparency either (if you want your program to look like the Mac OS dock, where the dock part is a kind of trapezoid shape with icons and you can see your desktop around and behind the icons, you'll require window transparency and preferably alpha channel support).

So your best bet might be Win32::GUI, which directly uses the Windows API (same as Visual Basic .NET), if you know any VB .NET then the Perl module should be pretty easy to use since it has the same kind of interface. There's not a ton of documentation though so you might have to look into the .NET languages and kinda translate their docs to the Perl format.

Good luck though on your project.

-------------
Cuvou.com | My personal homepage

perl -e '$|=$i=1;print" oo\n<|>\n_|_";x:sleep$|;print"\b",$i++%2?"/":"_";goto x;'

 

[Xaqte]

Don't forget another option: wxPerl.

 

[dmazzini]

Thanks for the advice. I created some applications in the past using Win32::GUI, so I might start looking at it again. I did not put too much attention to Win32 in the past since interfaces created were not crossed platform.

Never used wxPerl I will check it as well.

To be honest it's not really an urgent project, it that really OS dock looks so nice .

BTW, today I have read that Apple has got patent for the dock:

http://copyfight.corante.com/archives/2008/10/09/apple_gets_a_dock_patent.php

Not really happy with that! First time that I heart that a company patent a GUI.

Thanks guys




dmazzini
GSM/UMTS System and Telecomm Consultant

 

[Kirsle]

If Apple wants to enforce their patent, they have much bigger fish to fry than you.

Namely, Avant Window Manager.

http://wiki.awn-project.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

- it's popular in the Linux world. All of the Mac-clone screenshots (or most I've seen) use AWN as their dock.

-------------
Cuvou.com | My personal homepage

perl -e '$|=$i=1;print" oo\n<|>\n_|_";x:sleep$|;print"\b",$i++%2?"/":"_";goto x;'