Use compiz "core"functions in other application ?

[nicolas2b54]

Hello everybody,

First, the work you do is wonderful. The compiz app and its plugins are really good.

So, I wonder if there is a way to use some of the compiz "core" functions in other apps.
I explain : I would like to display the thumbnail of some window with the associated icon like the plugin do. How can I get it, wich file may I include ( compiz.h ? or other )
I also would interact with compiz switcher, is it possible ?
I try to read the source code of the mentionned plugin, but it's quite hard to understand for me

I precise that the app is not a plugins it's an external app.

Thanks for your help


Nicolas.

[plun]

I am not a dev but maybe this is a good start point.... "mikedee" develops
core functions, seems to be on vacation

Examples:
http://forum.compiz-fusion.org/showthread.php?t=710

OpenGL
http://forum.compiz-fusion.org/showthread.php?t=303

Maybe also to switch to GIT version...I am using Kristian/Fransrogars/Telemakos script. (english in second post)

http://forum.compiz-fusion.org/showthread.php?t=1656

All packages must be uninstalled and important that user/bin/compiz.real is removed...this binary messes up everything...:p

Hopefully a real dev also gives you more tips...:)

[nicolas2b54]

Hi Plun,

You are everywhere :)

The thread you show is to make plugin, no ?
There is no main, only an init function for the plugin system.
What I search is a way to use some function alone (not in the compiz plugin system).

But thanks for your links, the OpenGL thread is very interesting !

[DivineGod]

I think it's possible to utilize plugin functions (thumbnail-plugin in this case) through D-Bus in your own application.

[kilamanjaro]

Hi DivineGod,

This is exactly my interest as well - i.e. using plug-in functions in an application. Can you provide any pointers (to documentation, material, examples, etc) about doing this, as you say, through D-Bus?

If I might also ask, is there any reason that you know of that CompizFusion can't be compiled and run with an X11 server on (i) Windows or (ii) Mac OS X [Tiger - which includes an X11 server with the OS]?

I haven't done this yet but I am seeing if its possible to create an application development strategy that involves using CompizFusion on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. Any comments, pointers, ideas, references etc will be absolutely welcome!

Many thanks in advance,

Kilamanjaro

[delfick]

compiz in windows or macosx will never happen...

I don't know the technical details, only what I've read from devs when they reply to the question of putting this on windows, but it relies too much on linux specific libraries and such....

If you want windows to look good, the best your gonna get is a desktop shell, like sharpe (http://sharpe-shell.org/news.php) or some stuff from stardock....but this won't be able to go onto windows....

[RAOF]

compiz in windows or macosx will never happen...
...

It's certainly not going to happen on Windows. OS:X may be a different matter. It does work on *BSD, and OS:X could possibly acquire the infrastructure to make it work. You may even be able to build Xgl on OS:X and run Compiz in that :).

[RYX]

You can use compiz-functionality within other applications by using window properties (XWindow-system specific attributes on windows) in your application and then write/modify compiz-plugins to react on certain window properties. Sounds more dificult than it is ... (I have no examples at hand, check some XWindow-tutorial)

The per-application-blur of the Blur-plugin works like that, the widget-plugin uses it, the decoration-plugin, ... (actually a LOT of common things on your desktop are only possible due to those properties)

:)

[aantn]

I think that we should try to develop an animation framework like core animation on os x. Using that, apps could request a transition between two different states and the animation manager (in this case, compiz) would handle it with a user specified animation that could be set in ccsm. This would also allow a generic way of handling animations that could be done by either compiz or some other animation/compositing manager.

I'm kind of busy at the moment, so the explanation is a bit rushed. Hopefully its understandable.

[delfick]

isn't that what gtk+ will do with compositie aware widgets?

[aantn]

I don't think so. Perhaps an example will clearify things.

One usage could be for firefox effects when navigating to a new page or switching tabs. Firefox would specify when the effects begin and end, and the user would be able to set the transition to any of the cf effects. For example, they could set it to be a page flip animation (similar to shiira), a cube effect, or any other cf effect. Users who use kde and not compiz could set the effect to be any of the kwin supported effects.

Another possible usage (of a very different type) would be to implement some type of tab expose/scale for FF. (Also copied from shiira.)

I haven't written any plugins for compiz fusion (yet) and I haven't looked at the code (although I will after I finish up with my applet for awn), so its possible that something like this is already possible.

[Deciare]

I've seen a couple of suggestions for Core Animation-like functionality before, and even suggested a couple myself (here (http://forum.compiz-fusion.org/showthread.php?t=1867#post14704), and here (http://forum.compiz-fusion.org/showthread.php?t=5204#post35297)). :D I like this idea a lot, and think it would be awesome for applications to be able to rely on Compiz and other compositing/animation managers to take the complexity out of adding visual cues.

[aantn]

The problem seems to be a lack of devs to take on the job.

I do some programming myself, but I don't think that there's any chance that I could write something like this myself.

[teolemon]

The idea is to have coverflow for file browsing, ultimately ?
Is that what you're thinking about ?

[aantn]

The idea is to have coverflow for file browsing, ultimately ?
Is that what you're thinking about ?

That could be one usage, but I think thats really only the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities are endless.