[wx-dev] Re: wxPlatform class ?

[ABX]

Francesco Montorsi <f18m_cpp217828 at yahoo.it>:
> I don't understand if these should go in wxToolkitId; that enum is the 
> "list of native GUI toolkits used by wxWidgets as backends" while as you 
> said these are only SDK, which, I suppose, use the same native toolkit 
> under different hardware; am I right ?
>
> In this case, I don't think they should be listed under wxToolkitId 
> which basically is in relation 1:1 with wxWidgets ports.

IMO toolkit fits it well but I would like to hear other opinions too. >From my
point of view they are on top of OS like GTK, Motif and X11 are on top of
Unix. They were indeed created with thinking about different hardware but they
describe some API which manufacturer adopts himself to the hardware. Majority
of the API is common since underlaying OS is common but there are specific
functions or implementation details. For example Smartphone does not have
pointing device at all.

> enum wxMobileDevice
> {
>     wxMD_HANDHELD,
>     wxMD_SMARTPHONE,
>     wxMD_POCKETPC
> };

I don't know it's necessary to split toolkits to mobile devices and other
toolkits. I, for example, would wonder whether "Windows Tablet" which is
Windows XP with additional tablet API and with separate Tabled SDK
( http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/evaluation/products.mspx )
and with desktop-size screen, should be listed as Windows XP toolkit or as
wxMobileDevice entry? And what about Windows XP Embedded?
( http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/getstart/choose/whywinemb/ )
And finally recent Microsoft Origami (dedicated Tablet case).
( http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/umpc/hardware.mspx )

I know they are all rare and half experimental but thinking about 2.7/2.8
lifetime some thinking where they will be placed in the future doesn't hurt.
:-)

OTOH the fact that device is mobile is quite important and I think it can be
added as wxPlatformInfo::IsMobile() or something like this. Also I think that
these IDs we discuss here will help to design policy class which were supposed
to describe behaviour of application: horizontal or vertical layout, nature of
hardware (like mobility) etc. Don't remeber thread unfortunatelly, somewhere
in wx-dev history.

ABX