Simplify Use for Developers

The existing Motif API for drag and drop is very flexible and, therefore, is somewhat difficult for nonexpert developers to use. The Common Desktop Environment drag-and-drop convenience API provides some convenience functions, described in the following paragraphs, that result in an API that is simpler and easier to use by providing the following services:

• Manages configuration and appearance of drag icons. Graphics are provided for the default source, state, and operation icons that make up the drag icon in Motif. The compositing of these icons checks the type of data being dragged.

• Enables animation for a drop. You can define an animation procedure that is called when the drop has completed.

• Provides data transfer using standard X selection targets for text, file, and buffer transfers. This data transfer allows interoperability with other applications that use the standard targets directly.

• Provides dual registration. You can register a text widget as a drop zone for data other than text and preserve the ability to accept text drops.