Are "Floating Windows" possible?

**jclements** · 06 April 2009, 02:25 AM

In the attached, there is a PopUp.

Is there a way to make the PopUp (or some other type of overlay) "float" so that the user can keep it on the screen, clicj on it and drag ut around, and then close it when no longer needed?

The .web used to create the flash movie (which is shown in the placeholder) is included.

**Egg Bramhill** · 06 April 2009, 03:45 AM

Again, best done in Flash as you require scripting.

**jclements** · 06 April 2009, 04:04 AM

What a drag, Egg.

Maybe John has a secret script.

Thanks

**covoxer** · 06 April 2009, 05:39 AM

Emmm... How much important is this? I mean, sure it is cool. But is it useful? How many sites use this? I don't think it's worth implementing.

**Markku** · 06 April 2009, 07:12 AM

Dear John, let us exploit your fantastic javascript skills!

There is no one like you!

Yes, it is rather important. I had just advised my customer to use such floating/opening/closing widged for one of their specialty use case in a pro application. So there is use for them.

**Markku** · 06 April 2009, 07:18 AM

To really prove that there is no bottom in our bag of scripting wishes, please add an option to this thingy to have a sticky location regardless of user scrolling (follow screen). My widget would need that sort of behavior.

**covoxer** · 06 April 2009, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by Markku

...there is no bottom in our bag of scripting wishes...

Indeed...

**Markku** · 06 April 2009, 07:40 AM

I really have to add this to this conversation: deep inside I feel we are greedily exploiting John's abilities, but the other side of the whole thing is that the more John makes these scripts (expands WD) the easier it is to convert colleagues and the more "out-of-the-bushes" users there will be.

Pro non-converts are weird people in the sense that although wysiwyg html is unique to WD and a really big thing to have, it only makes them say "Wow" because somehow it is like bread and butter. But when they see some special gimmicks that is hard to do that's when they start thinking that "Hey, I really could gain some professional advantage if I had that app. Really cool!".

So John, please don't hold back! The work you do here on the forums must pay back.

**jclements** · 06 April 2009, 02:09 PM

To be honest with the community, I would be willing to PAY for a yearly subscription which would give me access to a site where I could download or to pay for a script on a one-by-one basis. Without the subscription, anyone could browse the site, but not download. See www.Smustard.com as one example of how Ruby scripts for SketchUp are distributed on a one-by-one (or package) basis. Some simple ones are free, others range from $5 up; depending upon their complexity.

Perhaps, as a marketing strategy, a free subscription would be part of a PRO version XWD.

Of course, people can always supply free scripts here.

The frequency of a script's usage (how many times it is downloaded) could also be a way of determining what new "built-ins" to include in the next version/service pack of XWD.

Bottom line, scripts give you flexibility and can SAVE YOU TIME. TIME is money.

John (JC)

**remi** · 06 April 2009, 02:21 PM

Such things are available for free in the Web - often with much more certified quality than such membership-driven, but commercial portals.

See Comparison of JavaScript Frameworks and visit the websites of these Toolkits, in order to meet the JavaScript experts.

Remi