NewSimplifiedUI

-- One more time : This feature does concern LINUX ONLY --

All the changes added to the original OpenOffice.org source code provided in this page, are :


 * '''Under LGPL License V3, ( and you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation)
 * Copyright Eric Bachard September 2009

Introduction
Below, you'll find a technical description of the New Simplified UI apparence on Linux feature. It is question of OpenOffice.org source code (mainly C++). More precisely, the interaction with the graphical part aka vcl, the implementation of a new Integrator type, the boostrap e.g. how to retrieve the boostraprc file, read infos and use a configuration file .. and so on will be described there. Thus, we suppose the reader has the mandatory bases to understand the content of what is proposed.

The pre-requisites to read this article still have to be defined, but if the reader is not used with some notions, we invite him to have a look at the OpenOffice.org wiki to complete his knowledge, and read this article in the best conditions.

Idea
Linux users were complaining, because the look was not that good. If we add the fact we cannot use hungry UI on machines like XOs, it was decided to improve the UI, and implement a new mechanism for the look. Only Linux is concerned'.

The goals are :


 * remove the old uggly grey
 * to keep it light, e.g. avoid gnome or gtk use (not an option on XO machines)
 * allow the customization through a configuration file. Some themes are already available

Possible improvements :


 * Use .xcu instead of the config file ( possible drawback : performance issue ?)
 * Missing: detect configuration changes, and update the look in runtime FIXME : is it really a good idea ? (the idea is not to add a game ... )

Current state
'''Implementation works OK. Tests realized on Linux Intel (both 32 and 64 bits), and PowerPC.'''

vcl
TODO : document

scp2
TODO : document

sysui
TODO : document

Screenshots
Aqua colors

Themes
Other existing themes (defaut is Aqua colors) :


 * Graphite
 * Yellow
 * Orange
 * GRAY_BLUE_O4K ( based on OOo4Kids color palette)
 * GRAY_ORANGE_O4K ( based on OOo4Kids color palette)
 * GRAY_GREEN_O4K ( based on OOo4Kids color palette)
 * (add your theme)

Links
Documentation based on the original work made for the Mac OS X port ( X11 version) : old Mac OS X implementation

Contributors
Eric Bachard 08:46, 3 October 2009 (UTC)