Subject: Multiple face databases, etc

From: Steve Kinzler <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 91 14:54:13 -0500

Rich,

I've been setting up multiple faces databases here today and am quite
pleased with the results.  The addition of the huge facesaver database
does slow things down, but it's not too bad -- still quite usable.

You said a bug in the search order was that the search stopped at the
first matching "unknown" face found.  Perhaps this should be considered
a feature?  Anyway, I've got our databases set up like this, so we avoid
any undesired effects:

	#!/bin/sh
	PATH=/usr/ucb:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin; export PATH

	FACEPATH=/usr/local/faces/local:/usr/local/faces/facedir:\
	/usr/local/faces/facesaver:/usr/local/faces/bitmaps; export FACEPATH

	arch=`arch` || exit
	faces=/usr/local/faces

	for arg
	do
		case "$arg" in
		-A)	args="$args -e $faces/bin/from";;
		-ALL)	exec $faces/bin/facesall -a $faces/bitmaps;;
		-PA)	args="$args -e $faces/bin/lpqall";;
		-Q)	args="$args -e $faces/bin/mailq";;
		-R)	args="$args -e $faces/bin/rotary";;
		*)	args="$args $arg";;
		esac
	done

	exec $faces/bin/faces.$arch $args

This is a front-end script we use for faces so (1) we can execute the
faces binary of the correct architecture and (2) we can add the
customization scripts as flags to faces and (3) I can hack things like
the FACEPATH without having to recompile.  Note the order of the
databases:  local -> facedir -> facesaver -> bitmaps (probably soon to
be renamed logos).  I took out all the unknown faces from the facedir
directory and took out the misc. and etc. dirs, too, since they're
also in bitmaps.  Unknown faces are only in bitmaps, at the end of the
search.  Unknown faces could be placed in databases earlier in the
search to cut off (and speed up, I presume) the search if desired.

I also deleted all the empty directories in our copy of the facedir
database.  I'd be willing to maintain this database for you, if you'd
like -- give you more time to work on programming.

I've announced the facesaver database to comp.org.usenix to a good
reception.  I think a fair number of sites have installed faces as a
result.  We've had about 29 ftps of the facesaver database and
17 ftps of the faces source since.

One of these days I'll start using X-faces with the Usenet Oracle
(that I run) and I expect that to generate more interest and usage
of faces since it's pretty widely used, especially by curious
people.

						Steve

PS:  One last thing, a very little (and ignorable) complaint about
faces.  Iconifying a faces window always places the icon at the same
spot on the screen (top, about midle).  This is contrary to all other
X11 applications which leave the icon near the top, left corner of where
the window was (the default placement, I presume).  Since the exact icon
placement can always be specified with a geometry flag, can we make the
default the same as other X applications?

---

From: John Mackin <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 06:56:06 +1000

Guys (and girls, if there are any on the list),

I'm really behind with everything right now, so please bear with me a
tad.  (This especially means you, Rich.)  There have been a lot of 
issues raised on the list recently that I want to take up, but I just
don't have time.  I do feel, however, that I have to clear up some
confusion on Steve's part:

    From: Steve Kinzler <[email-masked]>
    Date: Tue, 9 Apr 91 14:54:13 -0500

Steve,

This has _nothing_ to do with Rich's application -- or indeed, any application.
Where an icon is placed is _completely_ under the control of the _window
manager_.  Yes, applications can specify a geometry for their icon; and
many (I suspect, very many) window managers will ignore it.  I know mine
does; I told it to, except for certain application classes which I do allow
to place their own icons.

Window geometry is, in some sense, up to the application, but since
if no window manager is running, there will be no icons, icon geometry
is _purely_ a function of the window manager.  If you don't like the way
your window manager handles an icon for a certain application, seek
first for the beam that's in thine own eye -- that is, read the manual
for, and reconfigure, your window manager, rather than speaking to
the author of the application about it, since s/he has nothing to
do with it.

John.