New UI

WINDBG
1

Ok, I see there is yet a new beta, sooner or later I will probably have to
go to the new Bag. My problem is I can never get the docking floating
windows to do anything resonable, I have wasted at days trying to get
anything useful in a configuration for this. When I ask for help at
conferences like WinHEC, I get comments that either “You must be doing it
wrong” probably but that doesn’t help much or “Well this is really good with
multiple monitors”, gee is Microsoft going to give a coupon good for a free
19" LCD with each WinDBG download?

So is there a good description of how to use the docking floating windows?
I find that I cannot layout a simple model of roughly 1/4 screen for the
“locals” 1/4 screen for the “command” and the other 1/2 for the various
source windows and keep it stable. Even if I can make this work originally,
I then need a bigger command for a moment (for instance to dump a bunch of
data) and oops the config is lost, or else the window is docked covering the
whole screen and I have to undock it and reposition every thing.

Right now I still use 6.2.0013.0 because it works. The current WinDBG may
have improvements but if the UI makes it unusable it is worthless.

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply

2

The general rule is that a window type will remember its last dock
operation. I find that the organization is made easiest with
tab-docking. Hopefully this helps:

  1. open a dummy source window (we’ll call it A.txt).
  2. open another dummy source window (B.txt).
  3. dock A.txt, and position it where you want
  4. tab-dock B.txt onto A.txt
  • This tells WinDbg that new source windows which are
    open should tab-dock on top of A.txt
  1. close B.txt
  2. Save this in your default workspace, so the settings carry
    through.

After performing these steps, every source window which is ever opened
again should do so as tab-docked in the same area as A.txt. The only
drawback is that you should never close A.txt.

Another scheme I use is to always have every window type open (locals,
source, watch, calls, etc), and tab-docked in their preferred areas.
This way, when a window wants to take focus, it will already be open,
and thus will not insert itself into the UI at strange and unusual
places. Again, saving this in the default workspace makes sure that all
debug sessions are consistent.

For both of these scenarios, the main issue at hand is that Windbg
remembers the last docking operation for all window types. This can
either be really annoying, or be very helpful, once initially
configured. Another example: lets say I dock the calls window. Then I
tab-dock the watch window on top of the calls window. At this point, I
can close and open the watch window all I want and it will continue to
retain position. But if I close the calls window, it will not be in the
same place upon re-opening. The only away around this is to:

  1. first dock the calls window
  2. then tab-dock the watch window on top of the calls window
  3. then close the calls window
  4. open the calls window again
  5. tab-dock the calls window on top of the watch window
    At this point, the calls and watch window will be associated with each
    other, and always reappear as tab-docked by one-another.

Jason

Subject: New UI
From: “Don Burn”
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2004 10:59:22 -0500
X-Message-Number: 2

Ok, I see there is yet a new beta, sooner or later I will probably have
to
go to the new Bag. My problem is I can never get the docking floating
windows to do anything resonable, I have wasted at days trying to get
anything useful in a configuration for this. When I ask for help at
conferences like WinHEC, I get comments that either “You must be doing
it
wrong” probably but that doesn’t help much or “Well this is really good
with
multiple monitors”, gee is Microsoft going to give a coupon good for a
free
19" LCD with each WinDBG download?

So is there a good description of how to use the docking floating
windows?
I find that I cannot layout a simple model of roughly 1/4 screen for the
“locals” 1/4 screen for the “command” and the other 1/2 for the various
source windows and keep it stable. Even if I can make this work
originally,
I then need a bigger command for a moment (for instance to dump a bunch
of
data) and oops the config is lost, or else the window is docked covering
the
whole screen and I have to undock it and reposition every thing.

Right now I still use 6.2.0013.0 because it works. The current WinDBG
may
have improvements but if the UI makes it unusable it is worthless.

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply

3

Jason,

Thanks for your reply. I still am having problems so I will ask some
specifics. These may show my ignorance, since in the almost 30 years I have
worked with graphics systems I’ve never encountered the model I seem to get
here:

  1. I have an empty WinDBG. I open the first window, and try to dock
    it. It takes the whole space of the WinDBG frame, and there is no way to
    change this. Is this planned behavior? or am I doing something stupid?

  2. I open a second window and attempt to dock it seemingly never docs
    where I want it. It either tab docs (and then there is no way to change
    this) or it docs horizontally (which stinks for source windows).

  3. Once I get something wrong, incredibly easy, I find no way to stop
    WinDBG from doing it again except by deleting all workspaces, windows and
    additional docks, exiting and starting over!!!

Is the only way to control things to have N docks, in my case source files,
command, local, watch, calls if so this is out of control?

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply

“Jason Shay” wrote in message
news:xxxxx@windbg…
The general rule is that a window type will remember its last dock
operation. I find that the organization is made easiest with
tab-docking. Hopefully this helps:
1. open a dummy source window (we’ll call it A.txt).
2. open another dummy source window (B.txt).
3. dock A.txt, and position it where you want
4. tab-dock B.txt onto A.txt
- This tells WinDbg that new source windows which are
open should tab-dock on top of A.txt
6. close B.txt
7. Save this in your default workspace, so the settings carry
through.

After performing these steps, every source window which is ever opened
again should do so as tab-docked in the same area as A.txt. The only
drawback is that you should never close A.txt.

Another scheme I use is to always have every window type open (locals,
source, watch, calls, etc), and tab-docked in their preferred areas.
This way, when a window wants to take focus, it will already be open,
and thus will not insert itself into the UI at strange and unusual
places. Again, saving this in the default workspace makes sure that all
debug sessions are consistent.

For both of these scenarios, the main issue at hand is that Windbg
remembers the last docking operation for all window types. This can
either be really annoying, or be very helpful, once initially
configured. Another example: lets say I dock the calls window. Then I
tab-dock the watch window on top of the calls window. At this point, I
can close and open the watch window all I want and it will continue to
retain position. But if I close the calls window, it will not be in the
same place upon re-opening. The only away around this is to:
1. first dock the calls window
2. then tab-dock the watch window on top of the calls window
3. then close the calls window
4. open the calls window again
5. tab-dock the calls window on top of the watch window
At this point, the calls and watch window will be associated with each
other, and always reappear as tab-docked by one-another.

Jason

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: New UI
From: “Don Burn”
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2004 10:59:22 -0500
X-Message-Number: 2

Ok, I see there is yet a new beta, sooner or later I will probably have
to
go to the new Bag. My problem is I can never get the docking floating
windows to do anything resonable, I have wasted at days trying to get
anything useful in a configuration for this. When I ask for help at
conferences like WinHEC, I get comments that either “You must be doing
it
wrong” probably but that doesn’t help much or “Well this is really good
with
multiple monitors”, gee is Microsoft going to give a coupon good for a
free
19" LCD with each WinDBG download?

So is there a good description of how to use the docking floating
windows?
I find that I cannot layout a simple model of roughly 1/4 screen for the
“locals” 1/4 screen for the “command” and the other 1/2 for the various
source windows and keep it stable. Even if I can make this work
originally,
I then need a bigger command for a moment (for instance to dump a bunch
of
data) and oops the config is lost, or else the window is docked covering
the
whole screen and I have to undock it and reposition every thing.

Right now I still use 6.2.0013.0 because it works. The current WinDBG
may
have improvements but if the UI makes it unusable it is worthless.

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply

4

  1. Yes, this is expected. You may want to read through the help file,
    under the article titled “Docking a window”.

  2. Read “Docking a window”. But short answer: the position of the
    mouse dictates where the window will dock. There is a dark outline
    which should indicate how the window will dock (or tab-dock) while you
    drag the window around.

  3. Such as? Windows will remember their last dock/undock action. So
    if you do something wrong, simply closing and opening the window again
    won’t fix it. You need to put the window where you want it to go,
    otherwise WinDbg will repeat the mistake.

Jason

Subject: Re: New UI
From: “Don Burn”
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 12:42:16 -0500
X-Message-Number: 2

Jason,

Thanks for your reply. I still am having problems so I will ask
some
specifics. These may show my ignorance, since in the almost 30 years I
have
worked with graphics systems I’ve never encountered the model I seem to
get
here:

1. I have an empty WinDBG. I open the first window, and try to
dock
it. It takes the whole space of the WinDBG frame, and there is no way
to
change this. Is this planned behavior? or am I doing something stupid?

2. I open a second window and attempt to dock it seemingly never
docs
where I want it. It either tab docs (and then there is no way to change
this) or it docs horizontally (which stinks for source windows).

3. Once I get something wrong, incredibly easy, I find no way to
stop
WinDBG from doing it again except by deleting all workspaces, windows
and
additional docks, exiting and starting over!!!

Is the only way to control things to have N docks, in my case source
files,
command, local, watch, calls if so this is out of control?

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply