NAME

Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink -- non-shrinking container widget

SYNOPSIS

use Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink;
my $noshrink = Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink->new;
$noshrink->add ($my_child_widget);

WIDGET HIERARCHY

Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink is a subclass of Gtk2::Bin.

Gtk2::Widget
  Gtk2::Container
    Gtk2::Bin
      Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink

DESCRIPTION

A Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink container widget holds a single child widget and imposes a "no shrink" policy on its requested size. The child can grow, but any request to shrink is ignored.

When the child requests a size the NoShrink sets that as its own desired size, ie. the size it requests from its own parent in turn. But if the child later changes its request asking to be smaller, the NoShrink stays at the previous larger size, thus keeping the child's largest-ever request. This largest size is maintained separately for width and for height.

Requested sizes are of course just that: only requests. It's a matter for the NoShrink's parent how much space is actually allocated. In any case the NoShink gives its child the full actual allocated space, less the usual container border-width amount (a Gtk2::Container property).

FUNCTIONS

Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink->new (key=>value,...)

Create and return a new Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink container widget. Optional key/value pairs can set initial properties, as per Glib::Object->new.

my $noshrink = Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink->new;

The child widget can be set with the usual container add method,

$noshrink->add ($my_child_widget);

Or with the usual child pseudo-property, either at creation time or later,

my $noshrink = Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink->new
                   (child => $my_child_widget);

PROPERTIES

minimum-width (integer, default -1)
minimum-height (integer, default -1)

The currently accumulated minimum width and height to impose on the size request made by the child. These are maintained as the largest width and height requested from the child so far, or -1 for no particular size requested in that direction so far.

Both sizes are for the child's space. If the Gtk2::Container border-width property is set then that's added on top of these for the size requested in turn by the NoShrink.

These minimums can be set initially to begin at a particular size, for example

my $noshrink = Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink->new (minimum_width => 30,
                                        minimum_height => 20);

Or they can be reduced later to reset the size. A setting of -1 means to go right down to the child's current requested size. This is good if the nature of the child's content has changed,

$noshring->set('minimum-width', -1);  # reset to child size

Or a particular size in pixels can be set, to get the child's size or that new size, whichever is larger.

These minimum size properties are unaffected by any removal of the child widget or re-add of a new child. If a new widget has a completely different nature then you may want to reset both dimensions to start again from its new sizes.

shrink-width-factor (float, default 0)
shrink-height-factor (float, default 0)

If non-zero then these values are factors representing a point at which the NoShrink will in fact shrink to match the child's size.

If the child asks for a width which is a factor shrink-width-factor (or more) smaller than the existing minimum-width imposed, then the NoShrink will reset the minimum-width to the child's request. Likewise likewise shrink-height-factor on the height.

Suppose for instance shrink-width-factor is 2.0 and the NoShrink has over the course of successive child size requests grown to 300 pixels wide. If the child then asks to be 100 pixels the NoShrink will obey that, because it's a shrinkage by a factor of more than 2.0 times. The new minimum-width becomes 100.

These factors allow small shrinks to be ignored, but follow large ones. This can be good if the child might grow to a silly size displaying wild data for a time, and you'd like it to shrink back when normality is restored.

The usual border-width property from Gtk2::Container is accepted, it leaves a border of that many pixels around the child in the NoShrink container's allocated space. The default border-width is 0, giving the child all the allocated space.

HOME PAGE

http://www.geocities.com/user42_kevin/gtk2-ex-noshrink/index.html

LICENSE

Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink is Copyright 2007, 2008 Kevin Ryde

Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.

Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with Gtk2::Ex::NoShrink. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

SEE ALSO

Gtk2::Container, Gtk2::Bin