[webkit-dev] Widget / Drawing API thoughts

[Timothy Hatcher]

On Jun 21, 2005, at 10:36 PM, Maciej Stachowiak wrote:


>> For OS X at least, we intend to make the controls look and feel  
>> just like the native ones to a pretty exacting level of detail. We  
>> will only fall back to a generic look if the page specifies custom  
>> styling info, this is desirable for web compatibility in any case.

On Jun 27, 2005, at 8:51 PM, Kevin Ollivier wrote:

> Perhaps have a QPushButton that can optionally be set to use a  
> theme or become "non-native" if it's given style properties, making  
> the native/non-native distinction an implementation detail?

This is what I original thought of when I started reading this post.  
If a CSS file starts requesting specific visual changes (aside from  
margins, and maybe even padding for some controls) switch over to a  
non-native, fully styleable control (ala the <button> tag vs <input  
type="button">). In my web design experience it is typically an all  
or nothing game, either the designer wants to tweak the control in  
every direction visually, or no form control selectors at all. (This  
isn't always the case, but likely the majority.)

That mix-and-match middle ground is where it gets shaky. Mac OS X  
native elements can control text-color and background (color only).  
So does that mean you would or would-not switch to non-native if the  
native controls are capable of handling the style request? (This  
would obviously be platform dependent, with Mac OS X controls being  
the least styleable of most platforms.)

And if one form control is styled, but the rest of the controls  
aren't, do you use the same control drawing API for all? (I would  
assume yes, to be semi-consistent. Most designers would style all  
controls typically.)

Sorry if I strayed too far from the implementation aspect of this  
thread, but the design aspect should be brought up.

— Timothy Hatcher » colloquy.info
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