Wireshark · Ethereal-dev: [Ethereal-dev] RFC: add option to change main GUI layout like in Analyzer program

[Ulf Lamping <ulf.lamping@xxxxxx>]

Hi List!

I'm currently thinking about Ethereals GUI layout in general.

After having a look at the Analyzer program (from the same people as 
WinPCap), I've got the idea to layout the three main panes (packet list, 
packet details, packet bytes) in a different way.

Currently my Ethereal main window will typically look like (L: packet 
list, D: packet details, B: packet bytes):

LLLLLLL
LLLLLLL
DDD
DDD
BBB

So a lot of screen space at the bottom right edge is usually empty. The 
Analyzer program puts the panes differently than Ethereal:

LLLLLLL
LLLLLLL
DDDBBB
DDDBBB

...you hopefully get the idea.

This results in much better usage of the screen space (although a bit 
uncommon).

I've implemented the change of the layout in my personal source tree 
(changed only one single line of code in main.c, thanks to GTK :-),
and tried this for some days now. It seems to be very useful, at least 
for me.

I would like to add a setting in the recent file, and change between the 
traditional and this new layout with the menu item "View->Packet Details 
and Bytes Side by Side" (does someone know a better name?).

What do others think of this?

Regards, ULFL