[E-devel] netbook-launcher using efl

[Gustavo S. B. <bar...@pr...>]

Hello guys, just for your information of a hack I'm doing as a
proof-of-concept and NO, THIS IS NOT THE SUMMER OF CODE PROPOSAL, some
of you asked since I did the systray and it was suggested as GSoC
project. Let's remember that "netbook-gsoc" is much broader, requires
window management hooks, gadgets and a better launcher, but this can
be used as base for ideas.

Get Code:  git clone
git://git.profusion.mobi/users/gustavo/e-netbook-launcher.git

What's It?

Ubuntu guys developed its netbook-launcher using Clutter, looks nice
but relies on OpenGL. Screen shot at
http://www.eeepc.it/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/unr_2.jpg   Concept is
nice and I really think we can have a even more powerful replacement
using EFL, that does not requires OpenGL and will be themeable using
edje and all.

My current code is based on latest Elementary (I'm changing things
there as I need) and Evas, Ecore, Edje and EDBus. I used some code
from E17 and also "places" module by Dave Andreolli. It still lacks a
grid view since there is no elm_grid (raster!!!), Volume needs
improving (eject/unmount icon) and feedback, lots of them: errors,
launch... and also implement single instance, TODO list in order could
be:

  - grid for applications (high priority, but harder - I can hack
something using evas tables if no elm_grid shows until I'm done)
  - favorites menu on top-left (easy)
  - volumes eject/unmount button (easy)
  - discover freedesktop.org icon name given a volume and its
properties from HAL (not hard, but needs to investigate - can also go
into "places")
  - launch feedback (startup-notification? maybe the same code used
for "single instance" below?)
  - error feedback (mount failed, launch failed - easy, use inwin or
something like that)
  - THEME!!! I'd like to have one like
http://www.eeepc.it/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/unr_2.jpg so we can
show we do the same, but also another fancier one.
  - single instance
  - automatically find file manager (try a couple or get from
efreet/freedesktop.org and mime-type association?)
  - monitor menu changes
  - monitor ~/.gtk-bookmarks files
  - exit button and dialog

To really rock, I'd like to have the following:

  - move each component into a plugin, load from .so and automatically
swallow based on theme parts (gui.swallow.files -> files plugin,
gui.swallow.user_info -> user_info plugin...)
  - dialog to change finger-size and escale, much like Raster's
presentation software for BossaConference
  - change wallpaper, so we can disable ARGB window and not rely on
composite managers.

I do not promise anything concrete or reliable soon, this was the work
I did while flying USA->Brazil and I do not have much time to work on
it, but I'll try as I can find some interesting use cases for
Elementary and also can fix some bugs with Efreet and EDBus.

If you have patches and suggestions, let me know. I plan to add it
under PROTO as soon as I have something bit better.

-- 
Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri
http://profusion.mobi embedded systems
--------------------------------------
MSN: bar...@gm...
Skype: gsbarbieri
Mobile: +55 (19) 9225-2202