window in a window

[Richard Gaskin]

Bob Hartley wrote:
 > I have an app that has a toolbar that does things to a window
 > (an independent rev file). However, I want to embed this
 > independent window into one stack and then save it back out.
 >
 > EG. Imagine a word processor like MS word without an open document.
 > You have a blank window and a toolbar, call it bobsBlankWindow.
 > Now I want to have a rev file to open "within" bobsBlankWindow
 > and then be saved back as the rev file when edited.

What you're asking for is called "MDI" ("Multiple Document Interface"), 
described in the Win HIG here:
<http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwue/html/ch10g.asp>

There is a request in Bugzilla for optional support of MDI:
<http://support.runrev.com/bugdatabase/show_bug.cgi?id=1928>

It should be noted, however, that although MDI was once very popular 
it's becoming less common in favor of the other three windows models 
suggested in the HIG:
<http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwue/html/part3.asp>

One of the main reasons for its decline is that it's often cited as 
confusing to new users, since it's so radically different from all three 
of the other sanctioned models.

But if you decide to go with an SDI (Single Document Interface) it 
raises the question:  What greets the user who starts the app without a 
document?

There are two common approaches:

- have a new blank document created when the app opens

- have a Welcome screen that lets the user choose whether to create a 
new document or open an exising document.

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Media Corporation
  __________________________________________________
  Rev tools and more: http://www.fourthworld.com/rev