Description Randy Hudson 2003-08-04 11:50:01 EDT

The perspective code which allows users to drag around controls and dock them 
also applies to the editor itself.  Multipage editors are common, but so are 
subdivided editors.  For example, an editor might be divided into a palette on 
the left, and a diagram on the right.  Maybe there is a source window at the 
bottom of the editor.  So, the editor's Control is subdivided like this:

+---+-------------+
| P |             |
| a |     GUI     |
| l |    Editor   |
| e |             |
| t |-------------|
| t |    Source   |
| e |     Pane    |
+---+-------------+

Another example is the Java Heirarchy View.  That view itself is a simple sash 
form container.  Also, it currently is not accessibly for resizing the sash.

GEF clients have asked GEF to provide such functionality.  However, this 
problem is not unique to GEF clients, and we already know of cases (the one 
here) where supporting only a palette and canvas is not good enough.

Other issues to be solved by compound workbench parts would be:
-persistence of user's changes to sashes/layout:
-management of things like which sub-part is currently providing selection to 
the selection service, etc.

Alternatives to this would be vastly improving view management to the point 
where nesting views inside the editor wouldn't be common.

Enhancements would be allowing these nested editor views to be fly-outs, which 
overlapped the primary "pane".