Bug#744249: libgtk-3-0: gtk 3.12 breaks usability by forcing client side decorations on X11

[Matti Hamalainen]

On Fri, 3 Oct 2014, Vlad Orlov wrote:

>
> The only issue is that gnome-calculator is missing the menu to change the mode
> (basic/advanced/financial/programming) when CSD is off.
> As I understand it, gnome-calculator itself needs to be patched to fix that. Ubuntu
> already has unity_classic_menubar.patch that brings back the usual mode select
> menu. Unfortunately, this patch is for gnome-calculator 3.10.x and doesn't apply
> cleanly to 3.14.x.

Ah, I failed to notice that .. indeed, that is unfortunate.

> The same issue is seen in gthumb, devhelp and totem. Basically, this patch kills
> the main window's headerbar which has all the application-specific controls (menu
> buttons, etc.), leaving the user without any way to change application preferences,
> open files, etc.
>
> I'm attaching the screenshots with these three apps with CSD on and off.
>
> The only control that's not killed is totem's main menu - it changes to some kind of
> "fallback menu" (same as in gnome-calculator). IIRC this "fallback menu" is GTK+
> feature, though I'm not sure.
>
> I'm afraid that these apps need to be patched to provide the classic menu, just like
> it has been done for gnome-calculator in Ubuntu...
>
> Ideally, I'd like to find a way to make a "smart" patch for GTK+, the patch that will
> intercept the creation of the headerbar items (buttons) and create the classic menu
> and its items instead. Then there won't be a need to patch every single application.

Agreed. But probably unlikely to happen, and the trend seems to be further
"Gnomeification" of many Gtk+ apps .. I fear the day when Gimp goes Gtk+3.

> I understand that it might be very well impossible though.

I concur on this, since headerbars basically allow any kind of widgets 
inside them (if I recall correctly), it would be difficult, possibly 
impossible to sanely convert them to menus or such. :/

I am somewhat at loss for how to proceed, unless Gtk+ devs themselves come 
up with a standard solution.

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