Ideal screen rotation

Rui Miguel Silva Seabra rms at 1407.org
Tue Nov 10 18:02:44 CET 2009


On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 12:08:06PM +0000, Dave Ball wrote:
> Rui Miguel Silva Seabra wrote:
> > On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 12:00:31AM +0000, Dave Ball wrote:
> >> option1: New atoms in the _NET_WM_STATE property.
> >> - _NET_WM_STATE_LANDSCAPE
> >> - _NET_WM_STATE_PORTRAIT
> >>
> >> If neither is present for a given window, WM can choose (based on
> >> the accelerometers). Both present is an error - or could be defined
> >> as leave the window in it's current orientation.
> >>
> >> option2: New property.
> >>
> >> _NET_WM_ORIENTATION
> >> 0 = Either / WM decides
> >> 1 = Landscape
> >> 2 = Portrait
> >
> > There are two landscape positions and 2 portrait positions :)
> Doh - of course!  Which would lead to:
> 
> _NET_WM_STATE_ORIENTATION_LANDSCAPE
> _NET_WM_STATE_ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT
> _NET_WM_STATE_ORIENTATION_INVERTED
> 
> or
> 
> _NET_WM_ORIENTATION
> 0 = Either / WM decides
> 1 = Landscape
> 2 = Portrait
> 3 = Landscape inverted
> 4 = Portrait inverted
> 
> However, what's the use-case for an application requesting either of the 
> inverted states?  I can't see when those would be useful - in terms of 
> hints the app would supply.
> 
> Obviously, if the WM was deciding orientation based on the device 
> position, you would correctly rotate to the inverted states, but if an 
> application is built for portrait or landscape is there any reason a 
> developer would not want the "normal" portrait/landscape orientation for 
> the device?

Yes, certain devices may be better prepared (in terms of connectivity for
power, usb, etc...) for one kind of landscape rather than the other.

Rui



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