[ANN] Multiple Desktop support for Pharo 5

Julien Delplanque provided this week a goodie to switch between
"desktops" - but his initial solution was more or less hiding windows
and not really switching between real Pharo worlds/desktops.

I gave him some tips what could be done on the pharo-user list. Havent heard
from him afterwards.

Now I was able to spend a few hours on this topic myself and implemented
a full multiple desktop solution myself.

This works in Pharo 5 only (currently) and requires latest VM (at least on Windows)
from files.pharo.org to get the keyboard shortcuts right.

To try:

  Gofer new
    smalltalkhubUser: 'TorstenBergmann' project: 'DesktopManager';
    configuration;
    loadDevelopment.

The goodie has some nice features like keyboard navigation, world menu
integration and even a custom spotter with preview of the desktops.

Quick start:
===========
 - evaluate the above expression in a Pharo 5 image
 - check the world menu "Desktop"
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + A (= Desktop Add) to add a new desktop
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + D (= Desktop Desktop) to open the overview
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + P (= Desktop Previous) to navigate to the previous desktop
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + N (= Desktop Next) to navigate to the next desktop

The code is hopefully a good example on how to build a custom spotter, shortcuts, inspector extensions, ...
Additionally all this is described in a new article including screenshots
and a guide on how to use this new goodie:

   https://medium.com/@astares/multiple-desktops-for-pharo-5cbc46f3179f

Actually the article took more time to write than coding but I hope
it helps explaining Pharo and why it is a power tool.

Project is on http://www.smalltalkhub.com/#!/~TorstenBergmann/DesktopManager
Article and code is still subject to change.

Have fun
T.

Hi Torsten,

There is no way to make it work in Pharo 4.0? 

On Wed, Aug 26, 2015 at 10:19 PM, Torsten Bergmann <[hidden email]> wrote:

Julien Delplanque provided this week a goodie to switch between
"desktops" - but his initial solution was more or less hiding windows
and not really switching between real Pharo worlds/desktops.

I gave him some tips what could be done on the pharo-user list. Havent heard
from him afterwards.

Now I was able to spend a few hours on this topic myself and implemented
a full multiple desktop solution myself.

This works in Pharo 5 only (currently) and requires latest VM (at least on Windows)
from files.pharo.org to get the keyboard shortcuts right.

To try:

  Gofer new
    smalltalkhubUser: 'TorstenBergmann' project: 'DesktopManager';
    configuration;
    loadDevelopment.

The goodie has some nice features like keyboard navigation, world menu
integration and even a custom spotter with preview of the desktops.

Quick start:
===========
 - evaluate the above expression in a Pharo 5 image
 - check the world menu "Desktop"
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + A (= Desktop Add) to add a new desktop
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + D (= Desktop Desktop) to open the overview
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + P (= Desktop Previous) to navigate to the previous desktop
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + N (= Desktop Next) to navigate to the next desktop

The code is hopefully a good example on how to build a custom spotter, shortcuts, inspector extensions, ...
Additionally all this is described in a new article including screenshots
and a guide on how to use this new goodie:

   https://medium.com/@astares/multiple-desktops-for-pharo-5cbc46f3179f

Actually the article took more time to write than coding but I hope
it helps explaining Pharo and why it is a power tool.

Project is on http://www.smalltalkhub.com/#!/~TorstenBergmann/DesktopManager
Article and code is still subject to change.

Have fun
T.

--

Mariano
http://marianopeck.wordpress.com

Julien,

could you please describe the problem you had in Pharo 4.0 with more details?

--Hannes

On 8/27/15, Julien Delplanque <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>
> On 27/08/15 11:42, H. Hirzel wrote:
>> On 8/27/15, Torsten Bergmann <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>> Hi Julien,
>>>
>>> sorry for "hijacking" the topic. But I got some time left while
>>> traveling
>>> allowing me to put my recommended puzzle pieces together myself and as I
>>> wrote the code was less time consuming compared to the article. The
>>> article
>>>
>>> should help others to investigate in the goodies code and learn how to
>>> do
>>> own
>>> inspector extensions, spotter models, ... in recent Pharo now. If there
>>> is
>>> something wrong with the implementation feel free to send me
>>> comments/corrections.
>>>
>>> Also note that the project on STHub is open for commits, so if you find
>>> something
>>> missing please add it. I would like to keep the "multiple desktops"
>>> metaphor
>>> instead of "multiple worlds" as it better fits what people know and
>>> expect.
>> +1
>>
>>> Additional info:
>>> ================
>>> Meanwhile the job run that checks the configurations for the Catalog
>>> Browser.
>>> So in a fresh and updated Pharo 5 image you can just:
>>>
>>>   - hit SHIFT + ENTER to open the default Spotter
>>>   - enter "DesktopManager" as a search term to find the project
>>> automagically
>>>   - hit enter to load it
>>>
>>> So there is no need to rember cumbersome Gofer scripts anymore. Just
>>> type
>>> and go.
>>>
>>> After loading you can use the tool as written before:
>>>
>>>   - check the world menu "Desktop"
>>>   - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + A (= Desktop Add) to add a
>>> new
>>> desktop
>>>   - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + D (= Desktop Desktop) to open
>>> the
>>> overview (custom spotter for desktop selection)
>>>   - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + P (= Desktop Previous) to
>>> navigate
>>> to the previous desktop
>>>   - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + N (= Desktop Next) to navigate
>>> to
>>> the next desktop
>>>
>>> You can also use the world menu (see another screenshot attached).
>>>
>>> Hope it will become useful to others as well. We should have cared
>>> already
>>> back in 2010/2011 when
>>> Jochen and Sean raised the issue. On the other side with the nice
>>> moldable
>>> GT tools introduced now
>>> in Pharo 4/5 it was really easy to implement.
>> Does this mean that it is available in Pharo 4 as well?
>>
>>
> I tried it on pharo 4 and it doesn't works, it has the same problem as
> the one I had when implementing my version.
>
> Julien
>

Julien Delplanque provided this week a goodie to switch between
"desktops" - but his initial solution was more or less hiding windows
and not really switching between real Pharo worlds/desktops.

I gave him some tips what could be done on the pharo-user list. Havent heard
from him afterwards.

Now I was able to spend a few hours on this topic myself and implemented
a full multiple desktop solution myself.

This works in Pharo 5 only (currently) and requires latest VM (at least on Windows)
from files.pharo.org to get the keyboard shortcuts right.

To try:

  Gofer new
    smalltalkhubUser: 'TorstenBergmann' project: 'DesktopManager';
    configuration;
    loadDevelopment.

The goodie has some nice features like keyboard navigation, world menu
integration and even a custom spotter with preview of the desktops.

Quick start:
===========
 - evaluate the above expression in a Pharo 5 image
 - check the world menu "Desktop"
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + A (= Desktop Add) to add a new desktop
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + D (= Desktop Desktop) to open the overview
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + P (= Desktop Previous) to navigate to the previous desktop
 - you can press CTRL + D and then CTRL + N (= Desktop Next) to navigate to the next desktop

The code is hopefully a good example on how to build a custom spotter, shortcuts, inspector extensions, ...
Additionally all this is described in a new article including screenshots
and a guide on how to use this new goodie:

   https://medium.com/@astares/multiple-desktops-for-pharo-5cbc46f3179f

Actually the article took more time to write than coding but I hope
it helps explaining Pharo and why it is a power tool.

Project is on http://www.smalltalkhub.com/#!/~TorstenBergmann/DesktopManager
Article and code is still subject to change.

Have fun
T.