Is there any way to create new style toolbar like in MSO 2007-8 ?

[igor71]

Hello, can we somehow create new fancy toolbars which is found in new МS Word for example?

[marcel]

Of course, if you create them from scratch...
The main window should have no menu bar and no toolbar... Then you should dock your widget in the top area.

[igor71]

I guess stylesheets is the way to go...
Is anyone have it done in Qt?
Can i see a screenshots of Qt based solution please?
Anyone?
I'm asking because i'm not sure that it's possiblie on 100%.

[aamer4yu]

Wont QToolBar::addWidget help you ??

[igor71]

"the main window should have no menu bar and no toolbar"
so, toolbar.addWidget - no way. Because this application dont't have toolbar.
When looking on original MS toolbar they looks like Tab widgets with embedded controls.
Please see this link http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/msoffice/?p=139
"Ribbon" item.

[jpn]

As I've heard Trolltech already implemented Ribbon but they just couldn't release it due to some license/patent/whatsoever issues.

[wysota]

As I've heard Trolltech already implemented Ribbon but they just couldn't release it due to some license/patent/whatsoever issues.

Yes, that's correct. And if you do it yourself, you're subject to the same problem. As far as I remember the patent says an unlicenced implementation can't be used for office-like applications (where "office-like" probably means "any" :P).

[igor71]

That's a pity!

[elcuco]

Yes, that's correct. And if you do it yourself, you're subject to the same problem. As far as I remember the patent says an unlicenced implementation can't be used for office-like applications (where "office-like" probably means "any" :P).

Which patent number is it?

[wysota]

I don't know. It might be pending a patent. I based what I wrote on some trolltech labs entry, I think - so you should be able to dig it up there.

[elcuco]

I did not find anything on the subject on the labs:

http://labs.trolltech.com/page/Speci...searchx=Search

[wysota]

Hmm... maybe I didn't read it. Maybe I heard it from one of the Trolls during last DevDays event. That might have been Matthias Ettrich, but I'm not sure. I'm currently using a gprs connection, so I can't access DevDays materials, but when I'm back home, I'll have a look at the list of talks and maybe I'll find the interesting one.

[igor71]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbon_(computing)
"MS is licensing the ribbon design to third party developers royalty-free, as long as the user interface conforms to the Microsoft's design guidelines and they can get an approval from Microsoft"
And here is licensing process in detail (from MS insider i thing):
http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archiv...interface.aspx
So if Trolltech actually build something like this - looks like there is no problem accquiring free license from Microsoft ?

[wysota]

There's only one limitation: if you are building a program which directly competes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Access (the Microsoft applications with the new UI), you can't obtain the royalty-free license.

It seems you have to obtain the licence for each and individual project that uses the widget and Trolltech aka Nokia can't guarantee any of the possible uses will not compete with the above mentioned products.

[igor71]

It seems you have to obtain the licence for each and individual project that uses the widget and Trolltech aka Nokia can't guarantee any of the possible uses will not compete with the above mentioned products.

I think the keyword is "directly competes" here.
Qt framework is not а Word or Еxcel.
Anyway, i'm not lawer nor trolltech boss.
So it's up to big guys to decide.
Btw, i found this app : http://www.vcreatelogic.com/oss/vtkdesigner/index.html
they use something like "ribbon" with qt framework , and guess what: authors still not in jail! (tsss, we don't tell ms)

[wysota]

Qt framework is not а Word or Еxcel.

But it can be used to write one.

Btw, i found this app : http://www.vcreatelogic.com/oss/vtkdesigner/index.html
they use something like "ribbon" with qt framework , and guess what: authors still not in jail! (tsss, we don't tell ms)

Yeah, but he's hiding in India The main thing is that he is the one who developped the ribbon - it is not part of Qt.

[Brandybuck]

The GPL would prevent Trolltech from putting in known patented code into Qt, if there are any restrictions at all attached to it. They could add an exception, but it would be a huge licensing nightmare downstream.

Frankly, I think the ribbon sux and is a huge usability mistake, so it doesn't bother me.

[fifth]

The GPL would prevent Trolltech from putting in known patented code into Qt, if there are any restrictions at all attached to it. They could add an exception, but it would be a huge licensing nightmare downstream.

If Trolltech create a similar toolbar/ribbbon, wouldn't they be using a patented design rather than patented code?

Frankly, I think the ribbon sux and is a huge usability mistake, so it doesn't bother me.

I tend to agree here. Although I've never used when properly working, only messed about with it on others pc's.

[Chisum]

I really dislike all of these patent crap from MS. I was at a large computer show in San Francisco when Wordperfect actually invented the ribbon bar. It was a really big roll-out with a fancy western saloon bar background and a large cast in costumes. This was back in 1990 or so.

But of course, they did not patent the thing. This is so sad but it happens a lot now. The good news is that MS now gets caught in the same patent trap. Check out this site:

http://groklaw.net/

If you scroll down, you can read all about how MS got trapped by a patent on some SML.

And so it goes....

Gary

[Chisum]

sorry, last post should end:

If you scroll down, you can read all about how MS got trapped by a patent on some XML.

And so it goes....

Gary