[ABU] 3-aug-2007 -  A new kind of toplevel window.

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The '''Pod''' command creates a new toplevel widget (given by the pathName argument).
Additional options, described below, may be specified on the command line or
in the option database to configure aspects of the Pod such as its
background color.

Other than creating new Pods, the Pod command can also transform existing 
toplevel widgets.

Here is a sample; note the rounded shaded corners and the 3rd semi-transparent window ..
 
[http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/pod-1.0/doc/images/demo01.png]

Another picture showing how to adapt an existing application : [Kandinsky dance]

[http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/pod-1.0/doc/images/Kandinsky.png]


'''DOWNLOAD'''

   * Start page:  [http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/pod-1.0/doc/index.html]
   * Download  [http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/archive/pod-1.0.zip]


'''HOW TO USE IT'''

Basically, in order to create a Pod-window you only need to add 2 lines:

   package require Pod
   Pod .myPod

or, you can transform an existing toplevel in a Pod-window

   Pod adapt .topWin
     
There are few other command you can use for customizing the Pod (read below).

   # change the look
  .myPod configure -background blue
   # disable the interactive resizability 
  .myPod configure -resizable false

 
For full details, read the "Pod Reference" [http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/pod-1.0/doc/pod.html] within the doc
directory.


'''PLATFFORM COMPATIBILITY'''

'''Pod''' is pure-tcl code but it is based on some [wm] sub-commands ''unfortunately'' supported only on Windows.
In particular, the following command are not ''well'' supported on Mac/Unix:
   * '''wm ovverrideredirect''' $win
   * '''wm attributes''' $win '''-transparentcolor''' $color  (*New in TclTk 8.4.15*)
   * '''wm attributes''' $win '''-alpha''' $val

[WJP] I just tried it on my Linux 2.6.3 system with Tcl/Tk 8.4.14 and it seems to work.

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[AMG]: What are the speckles visible in the lower-right corner of the screenshots?  Are they resizing grab handles?

[ABU]: Correct ! You can enable/disable these grab handles 

   $w configure -resizable false

Anyway, even if interactive-resizing is disabled, you can always resize the Pod by program:

   wm geometry $w 250x200

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'''More about Platform Compatibility'''

'''Windows'''
   * '''100%'''  - Note that the minimal required version is '''8.4.15''' (it is the first supporting the "wm attributes $w '''-transparentcolor''' $color" command).
 
'''Mac'''
   * Rounded corners are not drawn properly ( you can see a fake pink background!). This is because on Mac (8.4.15 at least) the Toplevel-transparency concept is implemented in a totally different (and incompatible) way.
   * You can create new Pod, but you cannot convert existing toplevels to Pod. This is because the '''wm overrideredirect ...''' command has a different behaviour respect to Windows ; Once a toplevel has been drawn, you cannot hide the window-decoration.

'''Unix'''
   * Rounded corners are not drawn properly. Toplevel transparency is not supported.
   * About the '''wm overrideredirect ...''' command, there are some troubles ...similar to those found on Mac.

Yesterday [WJP] reported a positive impression on Linux ... I'd like to see a screenshot of the demo included ...


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[[
[Category Widget]
]]