GUI System

GUI Architecture

guideXOS features a complete graphical user interface built from scratch, including a desktop environment, window manager, and UI toolkit. Everything is rendered using custom C# code directly to the framebuffer.

Components

• Desktop Environment - Main shell with wallpaper and icons
• Window Manager - Manages window lifecycle, Z-order, focus
• Taskbar - System tray, clock, Start menu, window list
• Start Menu - Application launcher
• Compositor - Combines windows into final framebuffer
• Event System - Mouse, keyboard, and window events

Desktop Environment

The desktop is the main interface users interact with after boot:

Desktop Components

┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Wallpaper (1024x768)                    │
│                                          │
│  💻 My Computer    📁 Documents          │
│                                          │
│  🗑️ Recycle Bin    ⚙️ Settings           │
│                                          │
│                                          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ [Start] [📋 Console] [🎨 Paint]  🕐 12:34│
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘

Taskbar

The taskbar at the bottom provides quick access to applications and system information:

• Start Button - Opens Start menu with application list
• Quick Launch - Pin favorite applications
• Window List - Shows all open windows, click to switch
• System Tray - Network status, volume, notifications
• Clock - Current time display

Start Menu

The Start menu organizes applications by category:

┌─ Start Menu ──────────┐
│                       │
│  📝 Accessories        │
│    → Notepad          │
│    → Calculator       │
│                       │
│  🎨 Graphics           │
│    → Paint            │
│    → Image Viewer     │
│                       │
│  🌐 Internet           │
│    → Web Browser      │
│    → IRC Client       │
│                       │
│  ⚙️ System             │
│    → Console          │
│    → Task Manager     │
│    → File Manager     │
│                       │
│  🔌 Shutdown          │
└───────────────────────┘

Virtual Workspaces

Switch between multiple virtual desktops for better organization:

• Workspace 1 - General applications
• Workspace 2 - Development tools
• Workspace 3 - Communication apps
• Workspace 4 - System utilities

Window Manager

The window manager controls all window operations and visual appearance:

Window Structure

┌─ Title Bar ─────────────── _ □ ✕ ┐
│  Window Title                      │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                    │
│  Client Area                       │
│  (Application content)             │
│                                    │
│                                    │
└────────────────────────────────────┘

Window Operations

Z-Order Management

Windows are layered front-to-back. When a window gains focus, it moves to the front:

Window Stack (front to back):
  [Window 3] ← Active window (on top)
  [Window 1]
  [Window 2] ← Background window
  [Desktop]  ← Bottom layer

Window States

• Normal - Standard window with title bar and border
• Maximized - Fills entire screen (minus taskbar)
• Minimized - Hidden, only appears in taskbar
• Fullscreen - Covers entire screen including taskbar

Tombstoning

guideXOS provides manual tombstoning to free up memory while preserving application state:

What is Tombstoning?

Tombstoning is a memory management feature that allows you to suspend an application and free its memory, while saving its state for later restoration. Unlike minimize (which keeps the app in memory), tombstoning completely unloads the application.

How to Tombstone an Application

1. Click the tombstone button (⏸️) in window title bar
    ↓
2. Application saves its state to disk:
    - Window position and size
    - Control values and data
    - Application-specific state
    ↓
3. Application's memory is freed
    ↓
4. Window is marked as "tombstoned"
    ↓
5. Tombstoned app appears in Task Manager

How to Restore a Tombstoned Application

To restore (un-tombstone) an application:

• Via Task Manager: Open Task Manager, go to "Tombstoned" tab, select the app, and click "Restore"
• Via Console: Use command restore [appname]

Restoration Process:
1. Load saved state from disk
    ↓
2. Reallocate memory for application
    ↓
3. Restore window and controls
    ↓
4. Application resumes where it left off

Tombstone Button

The tombstone button (⏸️) appears in the window title bar between the maximize and close buttons:

┌─ Title Bar ─────────── _ □ ⏸️ ✕ ┐
│  Window Title                  │
└────────────────────────────────┘
                  Tombstone button

When to Use Tombstoning

• Low Memory: Free up RAM while keeping work state
• Pause Large Apps: Suspend memory-heavy applications (Paint, Browser)
• Save Session: Preserve application state for later
• Multitasking: Temporarily unload apps you'll use again

Task Manager Integration

The Task Manager provides a dedicated "Tombstoned" tab showing all tombstoned applications:

Benefits of Tombstoning