GTK+ window as desktop

[Ivshti]

Under UNIX-like operating systems that use X11, the GTK+ hint "GDK_WINDOW_TYPE_HINT_DESKTOP" means that the window will be used as a desktop background window.

An example of a desktop background window is Nautilus, when it shows the icons on your desktop, or explorer.exe under Windows.

This allows using node-webkit to develop desktop environments (DEs) or other interesting projects that might need a desktop window.

as_desktop must be set in the window object of package.json.
Tested only under Linux.

[zcbenz]

Thank you!

[Mithgol]

A great addition, but it should probably be documented somewhere.

[Ivshti]

Just set as_desktop to true in the "window" field of your config file.

This is an example:
{ "name": "linvo-board-2014", "main": "board.html", "window": { "toolbar": false, "as_desktop": true } }

Then, board.html will be started as desktop background, and the window size will automatically be the whole screen size.

[Mithgol]

Thank you.

And I've just noticed also that it was documented in the “Manifest format” article in the wiki, inside the “Window Sub Fields” section.

I remember reading that article, I must have missed that item.

[dounai]

The option "as_desktop" does not work on Window XP?

[Ivshti]

It does not work under Windows. I'm not sure how to implement that under Windows.

This is implemented on a GTK+ level, and it's possible that it DOES support GDK_WINDOW_TYPE_HINT_DESKTOP under Windows, however if I'm not mistaken, node-webkit/Chromium won't use GTK+ to create the window under Windows - it would use the windows API.

[dounai]

I'm not familiar with C++, but I know the methods "FindWindowEx" and then "SetParent" in "user32.dll" can achieve that.

[EladBezalel]

So any ideas how to achieve this on windows?
Iv'e tried to catch window position changed event and manipulate it but still no success..

[georgii-ivanov]

Not working under linux Ubuntu 14.04 64-bit.
Nothing happen.