Change the way main editor frames are managed by Kicad: before this change, they had the Kicad manager frame as parent frame, and it creates a few issues:

- When the Kicad manager is iconized, all other child frames are iconized (normal wxWidgets behavior)
- For viewer frames in modal mode, there is a more annoying issue: they have the wxFLOAT_ON_PARENT frame style on unix, and wxSTAY_ON_TOP on Windows.
wxFLOAT_ON_PARENT frame style is incorrect (although on most WM it works) because the parent frame (Kicad manager Frame) is not the caller. It is usually a main editor frame.
It does not work on Windows (wx STAY_ON_TOP is used).
* Now each editor frame has a null parent.
Therefore iconizing the Kicad manager frame does not iconize other frames.
* Viewer frames have null parent in normal mode and the caller parent in modal mode (therefore wxFLOAT_ON_PARENT frame style is always and correctly used)
* References to opened/closed main frames are no more managed by the (complicated) kicad code. Instead of, a non critical and more easy to understand code just uses FindWindowByName to know if a main window exists or not.

These changes do not fix all issues about Kicad frames brought to the foreground or the background, but it fixes a few issues, and AFAIK do not add other issues.

common/kiway.cpp

@@ -48,10 +48,19 @@ KIWAY::KIWAY( PGM_BASE* aProgram, int aCtlBits, wxFrame* aTop ):
 {
     SetTop( aTop );     // hook player_destroy_handler() into aTop.
 
-    memset( m_player, 0, sizeof( m_player ) );
+
+    // Prepare the room to store the frame names, once they will be created
+    // with FRAME_T type as index in this table.
+    // (note this is a list of frame names, but a non empty entry
+    // does not mean the frame still exists. It means only the frame was created
+    // at least once. It can be destroyed after. These entries are not cleared.
+    // the purpose is just to allow a call to wxWindow::FindWindowByName(), from
+    // a FRAME_T frame type
+    m_playerFrameName.Add( wxEmptyString, KIWAY_PLAYER_COUNT );
 }
 
 
+#if 0
 // Any event types derived from wxCommandEvt, like wxWindowDestroyEvent, are
 // propogated upwards to parent windows if not handled below.  Therefore the
 // m_top window should receive all wxWindowDestroyEvents originating from
@@ -60,26 +69,14 @@ KIWAY::KIWAY( PGM_BASE* aProgram, int aCtlBits, wxFrame* aTop ):
 
 void KIWAY::player_destroy_handler( wxWindowDestroyEvent& event )
 {
-    wxWindow* w = event.GetWindow();
+    // Currently : do nothing
-
-    for( unsigned i=0; i < KIWAY_PLAYER_COUNT;  ++i )
-    {
-        // if destroying one of our flock, then mark it as deceased.
-        if( (wxWindow*) m_player[i] == w )
-        {
-            DBG(printf( "%s: m_player[%u] destroyed: %s\n",
-                __func__, i, TO_UTF8( m_player[i]->GetName() ) );)
-
-            m_player[i] = 0;
-        }
-    }
-
     event.Skip();  // skip to who, the wxApp?  I'm the top window.
 }
-
+#endif
 
 void KIWAY::SetTop( wxFrame* aTop )
 {
+#if 0
     if( m_top )
     {
         m_top->Disconnect( wxEVT_DESTROY, wxWindowDestroyEventHandler( KIWAY::player_destroy_handler ), NULL, this );
@@ -89,6 +86,7 @@ void KIWAY::SetTop( wxFrame* aTop )
     {
         aTop->Connect( wxEVT_DESTROY, wxWindowDestroyEventHandler( KIWAY::player_destroy_handler ), NULL, this );
     }
+#endif
 
     m_top = aTop;
 }
@@ -271,14 +269,15 @@ KIWAY::FACE_T KIWAY::KifaceType( FRAME_T aFrameType )
 
 KIWAY_PLAYER* KIWAY::GetPlayerFrame( FRAME_T aFrameType )
 {
-    if( unsigned( aFrameType ) >= KIWAY_PLAYER_COUNT )
+    if( m_playerFrameName[aFrameType].IsEmpty() )
         return NULL;
 
-    return m_player[aFrameType];
+    return static_cast<KIWAY_PLAYER*>( wxWindow::FindWindowByName( m_playerFrameName[aFrameType] ) );
 }
 
 
-KIWAY_PLAYER* KIWAY::Player( FRAME_T aFrameType, bool doCreate )
+
+KIWAY_PLAYER* KIWAY::Player( FRAME_T aFrameType, bool doCreate, KIWAY_PLAYER* aParent )
 {
     // Since this will be called from python, cannot assume that code will
     // not pass a bad aFrameType.
@@ -308,14 +307,16 @@ KIWAY_PLAYER* KIWAY::Player( FRAME_T aFrameType, bool doCreate )
         if( kiface )
         {
             frame = (KIWAY_PLAYER*) kiface->CreateWindow(
-                    m_top,
+                    aParent,    // Parent window of frame, NULL in non modal mode
                     aFrameType,
                     this,
-                    m_ctl    // questionable need, these same flags where passed to the KIFACE::OnKifaceStart()
+                    m_ctl       // questionable need, these same flags where passed to the KIFACE::OnKifaceStart()
                     );
             wxASSERT( frame );
 
-            return m_player[aFrameType] = frame;
+            m_playerFrameName[aFrameType] = frame->GetName();
+
+            return frame;
         }
     }
 
@@ -342,10 +343,7 @@ bool KIWAY::PlayerClose( FRAME_T aFrameType, bool doForce )
         return true;
 
     if( frame->Close( doForce ) )
-    {
-        m_player[aFrameType] = 0;
         return true;
-    }
 
     return false;
 }

eeschema/dialogs/dialog_edit_component_in_schematic.cpp

@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ void DIALOG_EDIT_COMPONENT_IN_SCHEMATIC::showButtonHandler( wxCommandEvent& even
         // pick a footprint using the footprint picker.
         wxString fpid;
 
-        KIWAY_PLAYER* frame = Kiway().Player( FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL, true );
+        KIWAY_PLAYER* frame = Kiway().Player( FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL, true, m_parent );
 
         if( frame->ShowModal( &fpid, this ) )
         {

eeschema/getpart.cpp

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ wxString SCH_BASE_FRAME::SelectComponentFromLibBrowser( const SCHLIB_FILTER* aFi
     if( viewlibFrame )
         viewlibFrame->Destroy();
 
-    viewlibFrame = (LIB_VIEW_FRAME*) Kiway().Player( FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL, true );
+    viewlibFrame = (LIB_VIEW_FRAME*) Kiway().Player( FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL, true, this );
 
     if( aFilter )
         viewlibFrame->SetFilter( aFilter );

eeschema/viewlib_frame.cpp

@@ -77,20 +77,22 @@ END_EVENT_TABLE()
 
 
 /* Note:
- * LIB_VIEW_FRAME can be build in "modal mode", or as a usual frame.
+ * LIB_VIEW_FRAME can be created in "modal mode", or as a usual frame.
  * In modal mode:
  *  a tool to export the selected symbol is shown in the toolbar
- *  the style is wxSTAY_ON_TOP on Windows and wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT on unix
+ *  the style is wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
- * reason:
+ * Note:
- * the parent is usually the kicad window manager (not easy to change)
+ * On windows, when the frame with type wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT is displayed
- * On windows, when the frame with stype wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT is displayed
+ * its parent frame is sometimes brought to the foreground when closing the
- * its parent frame is brought to the foreground, on the top of the calling frame.
+ * LIB_VIEW_FRAME frame.
- * and stays displayed when closing the LIB_VIEW_FRAME frame.
+ * If it still happens, it could be better to use wxSTAY_ON_TOP
- * this issue does not happen on unix.
+ * instead of wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
- *
- * So we use wxSTAY_ON_TOP on Windows, and wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT on unix
- * to simulate a dialog called by ShowModal.
  */
+#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+#define MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT   // could be wxSTAY_ON_TOP if issues
+#else
+#define MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
+#endif
 
 #define LIB_VIEW_FRAME_NAME wxT( "ViewlibFrame" )
 #define LIB_VIEW_FRAME_NAME_MODAL wxT( "ViewlibFrameModal" )
@@ -99,18 +101,15 @@ LIB_VIEW_FRAME::LIB_VIEW_FRAME( KIWAY* aKiway, wxWindow* aParent, FRAME_T aFrame
         PART_LIB* aLibrary ) :
     SCH_BASE_FRAME( aKiway, aParent, aFrameType, _( "Library Browser" ),
             wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize,
-            aFrameType==FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL ?
+            aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL ?
-#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+                aParent ? KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE
-                KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxSTAY_ON_TOP
-#else
-                aParent ? KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
                           : KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxSTAY_ON_TOP
-#endif
                 : KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE,
             aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL ?
                           LIB_VIEW_FRAME_NAME_MODAL : LIB_VIEW_FRAME_NAME )
 {
-    wxASSERT( aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER || aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL );
+    wxASSERT( aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER ||
+              aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL );
 
     if( aFrameType == FRAME_SCH_VIEWER_MODAL )
         SetModal( true );

include/kiway.h

@@ -298,11 +298,13 @@ public:
      * @param aFrameType is from enum #FRAME_T.
      * @param doCreate when true asks that the player be created if it is not
      *   already created, false means do not create and maybe return NULL.
+     * @param aParent is a parent for modal KIWAY_PLAYER frames, otherwise NULL
+     *  used only when doCreate = true
      *
      * @return KIWAY_PLAYER* - a valid opened KIWAY_PLAYER or NULL if there
      *  is something wrong or doCreate was false and the player has yet to be created.
      */
-    VTBL_ENTRY KIWAY_PLAYER* Player( FRAME_T aFrameType, bool doCreate = true );
+    VTBL_ENTRY KIWAY_PLAYER* Player( FRAME_T aFrameType, bool doCreate = true, KIWAY_PLAYER* aParent = NULL );
 
     /**
      * Function PlayerClose
@@ -369,8 +371,10 @@ private:
     /// Get the full path & name of the DSO holding the requested FACE_T.
     static const wxString dso_full_path( FACE_T aFaceId );
 
+#if 0
     /// hooked into m_top in SetTop(), marks child frame as closed.
     void player_destroy_handler( wxWindowDestroyEvent& event );
+#endif
 
     bool set_kiface( FACE_T aFaceType, KIFACE* aKiface )
     {
@@ -393,10 +397,17 @@ private:
 
     PGM_BASE*       m_program;
     int             m_ctl;
+
     wxFrame*        m_top;      // Usually m_top is the Project manager
 
 
-    KIWAY_PLAYER*   m_player[KIWAY_PLAYER_COUNT];     // from frame_type.h
+    // a string array ( size KIWAY_PLAYER_COUNT ) to Store the frame name
+    // of PLAYER frames which were run.
+    // A non empty name means only a PLAYER was run at least one time.
+    // It can be closed. Call :
+    // wxWindow::FindWindowByName( m_playerFrameName[aFrameType] )
+    // to know if still exists (or GetPlayerFrame( FRAME_T aFrameType )
+    wxArrayString  m_playerFrameName;
 
     PROJECT         m_project;      // do not assume this is here, use Prj().
 };

pcbnew/footprint_wizard_frame.cpp

@@ -88,16 +88,26 @@ int FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME::m_columnPrmUnit = 2;
 
 #define FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME_NAME wxT( "FootprintWizard" )
 
+/* Note: our FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME is always modal.
+ * Note:
+ * On windows, when the frame with type wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT is displayed
+ * its parent frame is sometimes brought to the foreground when closing the
+ * LIB_VIEW_FRAME frame.
+ * If it still happens, it could be better to use wxSTAY_ON_TOP
+ * instead of wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
+ */
+#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+#define MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT   // could be wxSTAY_ON_TOP if issues
+#else
+#define MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
+#endif
+
 FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME::FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME( KIWAY* aKiway,
         wxWindow* aParent, FRAME_T aFrameType ) :
     PCB_BASE_FRAME( aKiway, aParent, aFrameType, _( "Footprint Wizard" ),
                 wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize,
-#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+                aParent ? KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE
-                KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxSTAY_ON_TOP,
-#else
-                aParent ? KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
                           : KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxSTAY_ON_TOP,
-#endif
                 FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME_NAME )
 {
     wxASSERT( aFrameType == FRAME_PCB_FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_MODAL );

pcbnew/loadcmp.cpp

@@ -136,17 +136,17 @@ wxString PCB_BASE_FRAME::SelectFootprintFromLibBrowser()
 {
     // Close the current non-modal Lib browser if opened, and open a new one, in "modal" mode:
     FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME* viewer;
-
     viewer = (FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME*) Kiway().Player( FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER, false );
 
     if( viewer )
         viewer->Destroy();
 
+    SetFocus();
+
     // Creates the modal Lib browser:
-    viewer = (FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME*) Kiway().Player( FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL, true );
+    viewer = (FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME*) Kiway().Player( FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL, true, this );
 
     wxString    fpid;
-
     int ret = viewer->ShowModal( &fpid, this );
     (void) ret;     // make static analyser quiet
 

pcbnew/modedit.cpp

@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ void FOOTPRINT_EDIT_FRAME::Process_Special_Functions( wxCommandEvent& event )
             }
 
             FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME* wizard = (FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_FRAME*) Kiway().Player(
-                        FRAME_PCB_FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_MODAL, true );
+                        FRAME_PCB_FOOTPRINT_WIZARD_MODAL, true, this );
 
             if( wizard->ShowModal( NULL, this ) )
             {

pcbnew/modview_frame.cpp

@@ -100,18 +100,19 @@ END_EVENT_TABLE()
  * FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME can be created in "modal mode", or as a usual frame.
  * In modal mode:
  *  a tool to export the selected footprint is shown in the toolbar
- *  the style is wxSTAY_ON_TOP on Windows and wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT on unix
+ *  the style is wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
- * Reason:
+ * Note:
- * the parent is usually the kicad window manager (not easy to change)
+ * On windows, when the frame with type wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT is displayed
- * On windows, when the frame with stype wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT is displayed
+ * its parent frame is sometimes brought to the foreground when closing the
- * its parent frame is brought to the foreground, on the top of the calling frame.
+ * LIB_VIEW_FRAME frame.
- * and stays displayed when closing the FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME frame.
+ * If it still happens, it could be better to use wxSTAY_ON_TOP
- * this issue does not happen on unix
+ * instead of wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
- *
- * So we use wxSTAY_ON_TOP on Windows, and wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT on unix
- * to force FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME to stay on parent when it is Modal.
  */
-
+#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+#define MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT   // could be wxSTAY_ON_TOP if issues
+#else
+#define MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
+#endif
 
 #define FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME_NAME         wxT( "ModViewFrame" )
 #define FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME_NAME_MODAL   wxT( "ModViewFrameModal" )
@@ -121,20 +122,16 @@ FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME::FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME( KIWAY* aKiway, wxWindow* aParent
     PCB_BASE_FRAME( aKiway, aParent, aFrameType, _( "Footprint Library Browser" ),
             wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize,
             aFrameType == FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL ?
-#ifdef __WINDOWS__
-                KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxSTAY_ON_TOP
-#else
                     aParent ?
-                        KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxFRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
+                        KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | MODAL_MODE_EXTRASTYLE
                         : KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE | wxSTAY_ON_TOP
-#endif
                 : KICAD_DEFAULT_DRAWFRAME_STYLE,
             aFrameType == FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL ?
                                 FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME_NAME_MODAL
                                 : FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME_NAME )
 {
-    wxASSERT( aFrameType==FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER ||
+    wxASSERT( aFrameType == FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL ||
-              aFrameType==FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL );
+              aFrameType == FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER );
 
     if( aFrameType == FRAME_PCB_MODULE_VIEWER_MODAL )
         SetModal( true );
@@ -305,6 +302,11 @@ void FOOTPRINT_VIEWER_FRAME::OnCloseWindow( wxCloseEvent& Event )
 {
     DBG(printf( "%s:\n", __func__ );)
 
+    // A workaround to avoid flicker, in modal mode when modview frame is destroyed,
+    // when the aui toolbar is not docked (i.e. shown in a miniframe)
+    // (usefull on windows only)
+    m_mainToolBar->SetFocus();
+
     if( IsGalCanvasActive() )
         GetGalCanvas()->StopDrawing();