X / gtk-x11 / flicker and other problems

[John Emmas]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jon TURNEY"
Subject: Re: X / gtk-x11 / flicker and other problems
>
> btw, I use -multiwindow mode all the time, but I've obviously trained
> myself not to see any of these artefacts
>
lol - fair point..!   But I must admit, having seen how the graphics
performance can be under gtk-win32 I'd be very reluctant now to go back to
x11, even though I know it must be more sensible to stick with the official
backend.  Here's some expansion on what I said earlier:-

>
>>  Twin monitors are a bit of a pain too, to be honest.
>
> Would you care to elaborate on this point a bit?
>
One particular problem is that the xserver will only support twin monitors
if they both have the same settings (resolution etc).  I happen to use my
primary monitor at 1600x1200 and my secondary monitor at 1280x1024.  Running
the monitors at different resolutions is a lot more common than you might
realise.  At one time I thought I was pretty unique but in fact, most
dual-headers that I've spoken to also have their monitors at different
resolutions.  Another problem (doesn't affect me but I think I read this
somewhere) is that Cygwin's xserver isn't very hapy if the primary monitor
is on the right-hand side.


>
> I'm guessing from this that you are using -multiwindow mode.
>
> [ ... ]
>
> At the moment, -multiwindow mode always selects the GDI engine for reasons
> which are lost in the mists of time (rooted modes are able to use
> DirectDraw), so a GDI BitBlt is used to transfer the contents of the
> shadow buffer to the display.
>
Oh - please explain a bit more....  I'm not aware of being in any particular
mode but if there are different modes I could try, I'd be happy to
experiment if you'll tell me how to set them up.


>
> The way the integrated window manager works at the moment, when a window
> is being resized WM_SIZING is only used to enforce any window sizing
> constrains specified in hints, that isn't passed onto the X application to
> allow it to redraw itself until the mouse button is released and a WM_SIZE
> is sent.
>
Yes, that ties in with what I'm observing.  Interestingly I just booted up
into Linux and rebuilt the same app using x11 on Linux.  That gives
more-or-less the same result as Cygwin-X.  The window contents don't get
redrawn until I either release the mouse button (or in Linux's case, stop
dragging for more than about a second).


>
> That probably explains some of what you are seeing, although playing
> around with this a bit, I think neither of these things is working
> entirely as it should...
>
I think I'd agree with that.  It's nit-picking I know, but IMHO gtk-win32
(which resizes continuously) gives a more satisfying and somehow a "more
professional" experience.

Do please let me know if I can try out some alternative modes.

John


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