Sway-PreviewKeys VS gtk-layer-shell

Inspiration? https://github.com/CIAvash/Sway-PreviewKeys

Here an example with GTK and python https://github.com/wmww/gtk-layer-shell/blob/master/examples/simple-example.py

% waybar [2022-05-20 15:00:42.483] [info] Using configuration file /home/cas/.config/waybar/config [2022-05-20 15:00:42.483] [info] Using CSS file //gnu/store/x9bb4v37xdb5cnin5sc8yqxkqkcvfwyp-waybar-0.9.9/etc/xdg/waybar/style.css [2022-05-20 15:00:42.538] [warning] Waybar has been built without rfkill support. [2022-05-20 15:00:42.538] [warning] module keyboard-state: Unknown module: keyboard-state [2022-05-20 15:00:42.540] [warning] For a functional tray you must have libappindicator-* installed and export XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Unity [2022-05-20 15:00:42.540] [warning] As using a timezone, some format args may be missing as the date library haven't got a release since 2018. ** (waybar:4938): WARNING **: 15:00:42.567: gtk-layer-shell v0.6.0 may not work on GTK v3.24.30. If you experience crashes, check https://github.com/wmww/gtk-layer-shell/blob/master/compatibility.md ** (waybar:4938): ERROR **: 15:00:42.704: unhandled exception (type std::exception) in signal handler: what: Type is not convertible to string zsh: trace trap waybar

shivodit @ ~ $ waybar [2021-11-04 18:16:32.685] [info] Resources files: /home/shivodit/.config/waybar/config, /home/shivodit/.config/waybar/style.css [2021-11-04 18:16:56.160] [warning] For a functional tray you must have libappindicator-* installed and export XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Unity [2021-11-04 18:16:56.167] [error] media stopped unexpectedly, is it endless? ** (waybar:2188): WARNING **: 18:16:56.184: gtk-layer-shell v0.6.0 may not work on GTK v3.24.30. If you experience crashes, check https://github.com/wmww/gtk-layer-shell/blob/master/compatibility.md [2021-11-04 18:16:56.312] [info] Bar configured (width: 1920, height: 30) for output: DP-1

Ummm. .. not always the case that the client is at fault. For example the layer shell protocols of Wayland allows you to create desktop components like popup menus etc. Now the tricky part is established desktop environments like GNOME uses the xdg_surface, hence GTK only has binding or focuses explicitly on that. This has given others who wants to implement a layer shell like this gtk-layer-shell library has to do some hacking as workaround. As you see currently only tested to work with gtk3 2.24 26.while many rolling releases are already shifting gtk3 2.24.30. Some window managers or rather say status bar like waybar ( the most popular status bar project ) uses this library. And this creates problem for those wants to use any status bar that depends on tk layer shell library and are on recent updates on gtk. Gtk only sees xdg_surface, is not in a mood to support other libraries.

This may be a stupid question but would it be possible to use relm to make a panel or notification widgets for non gnome wayland desktop? I know this can be achieved through GTK layer shell however they do not support GTK4 because gnome want to support they layer shell protocol. Curios if you would gnome if this can be done another way directly with GTK4?

** (waybar:110789): WARNING **: 22:07:43.480: gtk-layer-shell v0.6.0 may not work on GTK v3.24.27. If you experience crashes, check https://github.com/wmww/gtk-layer-shell/blob/master/compatibility.md