I've attached a patch for ide\main.pp (rev 18847) which provides a more coherent window layout. Its not exactly what I had in my mind (an approximation of which can be seen when you open a default early Delphi installation) mostly because there doesn't seem to be a method to obtain the real window boundaries including the titlebar and frame (as a sidenote, this is something that should be addressed since this functionality is required for automatic alignment of multiwindow applications). So I did what I could with the existing resources.

Some modifications I did has to do with the "first look" of the program. I believe that 0.9.26 leaves much to be desired regarding the initial look. So I modified the code in order to:

1. The component bar ("MainIDEBar")'s height is calculated to match the contents and current window size.
2. Line up the windows so they don't appear inconsistent and they don't overlap each other.
3. Make the default new form size to cover a large area made up of the area left by the object inspector, the main bar and the messages window.
4. Resize the source editor window to be smaller than the default new form size but similar in aspect.
5. When a new project is made (or the IDE starts), the form is brought on top instead of the source editor.
6. Try to not mess it up with other themes :-)

I did #1 and #2 to make Lazarus look less chaotic and more consistent. I really believe it looks better now.
I did #3, #4 and #5 to focus on the visual side of Lazarus. Lazarus's strength is the RAD, which means the user doesn't have to type code. By showing the form (#5) instead of the code this is highlighted, especially since the form is not a tiny little form (#3). I made the source window a little smaller to enhance even more this aspect of the IDE: the design part is more important than the code part so the code editor is hidden behind the form (#4).
Lastly I did #6, or at least I tried to, for practical reasons.

This is how Lazarus looks with my patch after an initial launch (I just launched the program):

Aero: http://gimme.badsectoracula.com/winlazarus_aero.png Basic: http://gimme.badsectoracula.com/winlazarus_vistabasic.png Classic: http://gimme.badsectoracula.com/winlazarus_classic.png

I would like to make Classic look more tight, but the frame width of Aero and Basic makes the windows to overlap. Here is where I wanted to be able to use the real window bounds instead of the client areas. I compromised a bit and I gave more weight to the Aero/Basic themes since this is what most people will use in the near future. Also from my experience from Linux, many window managers look more like Aero/Basic than Classic.

So here it is, I hope this patch will be added (after maybe tested in other platforms - I only have Windows Vista available at the moment). I really believe it makes Lazarus look more "professional" and coherent.

Kostas

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I updated the patch with some suggestions by fpcfan and martin_frb from #lazarus-ide:

1. Added some failsafe code to make sure there won't be negative results in dual mode screens
2. The form is brought to top only if a new project is made at startup

The attached patch replaces the previous one.

Kostas

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2009/3/1 Kostas Michalopoulos :

1. The component bar ("MainIDEBar")'s height is calculated to match the contents and current window size.

This is a good idea in general, however your patch IMHO has some flaws, which I'll list in order from least to most significant:
1) CalcMainIDEBarHeight function has inconsistent indenting and no try-finally block
2) I am not sure how this code takes into account MainMenu height
3) It certainly does not take into account possibility for more than a single row of components
on the tab (which, I presume, was the main reason for original large height). Perhaps a better suggestion would be to measure sizes of real components, instead of creating a fake ones.

These are merely a tweaks for magic constants.
I have nothing against it, but I think this is, at best, a workaround until docking code is finished.

I'll check it.

2) I am not sure how this code takes into account MainMenu height

It doesn't. It seems the menu is considered as a part of the frame so its added transparently when the SetBounds is called.

3) It certainly does not take into account possibility for more than a single row of components on the tab (which, I presume, was the main reason for original large height).

The original large height wasn't large enough to show two rows. But I don't have encountered a computer that even fills the component bar. Although by resizing it I saw that the components simply disappear, which I think isn't a good idea. I believe the best would be to scroll (like in Delphi - ideally they would fill the available horizontal/vertical space and scroll for the rest) or at least have a visual clue that there are more components.

Perhaps a better suggestion would be to measure sizes of real components, instead of creating a fake ones.

Initially I thought this, but the problem is that the real components are aligned so their sizes mean nothing.

They make Lazarus look better now at least :-).

Kostas