[Freeciv-Dev] Re: [PATCH] message window -- related to (PR#902)

[Trent Piepho <xyzzy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2001, Francois Taiani wrote:
> Because the client has actually no ways to tell that the server has
> started sniffing for packets (and hence that that the AI is done), I've
> added a new packet type PACKET_START_SNIFFING (with the corresponding
> functins send_packet_start_sniffing(..)
> receive_packet_start_sniffing(..) lsend_packet_start_sniffing() ). In
> its main loop the server now calls notify_clients_ready_sniffing(void)
> just before it starts sniffing for client packets, which causes such a
> packet to be sent.

It seems like your patch won't help at all if you are playing against humans. 
The message window will still pop-up in front of you when they attack, which
is certainly rather annoying.  I have a 21" monitor, so I would make the
message window not overlap the map.  The the treaty window is so huge you
can't do this, so one trick is to popup the treaty window against the player
you are about to attack, then get them quick while they are blinded and can't
respond properly.

I think a real fix would be to not have the message window pop to the front
every time a new message arrives.  That would work with both humans and AI
players, and wouldn't need this extra packet that seems like a kludge to me.

You could stick a small button on the main window, "Event", or something short
like that, that would bring the message window the foreground.  When a new
event arrives, the button gets highlighted to tell you about it.  Then you can
click the button or push F10 when you are ready to have the window obscure the
map.