<!-- ##### SECTION Title ##### -->
GtkSocket

<!-- ##### SECTION Short_Description ##### -->
Container for widgets from other processes.

<!-- ##### SECTION Long_Description ##### -->
<para>
Together with #GtkPlug, #GtkSocket provides the ability
to embed widgets from one process into another process
in a fashion that is transparent to the user. One
process creates a #GtkSocket widget and, passes the
XID of that widget's window to the other process, 
which then creates a #GtkPlug window with that XID.
Any widgets contained in the #GtkPlug then will appear
inside the first applications window.
</para>

<para>
The XID of the socket's window is obtained by using
the GTK_WINDOW_XWINDOW() macro from the header
file &lt;gdk/gdkx.h&gt;. Before using this macro,
the socket must have been realized, and for hence,
have been added to its parent.

<example>
<title> Obtaining the XID of a socket </title>
<programlisting>
#include &lt;gdk/gdkx.h&gt;

GtkWidget *socket = gtk_socket_new();
gtk_widget_show (socket);
gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (parent), socket);

/* The following call is only necessary if one of
 * the ancestors of the socket is not yet visible.
 */
gtk_widget_realize (socket);
g_print ("The XID of the sockets window is %#x\n",
         GDK_WINDOW_XWINDOW (socket->window));
</programlisting>
</example>
</para>

<para>
Note that if you pass the XID of the socket to another
process that will create a plug in the socket, you 
must make sure that the socket widget is not destroyed
until that plug is created. Violating this rule will
cause unpredictable consequences, the most likely
consequence being that the plug will appear as a 
separate toplevel window. You can check if the plug
has been created by examining the
<StructField>plug_window</StructField> field of the
#GtkSocket structure. If this field is non-NULL, 
then the plug has been succesfully created inside
of the socket.
</para>

<para>
When GTK+ is notified that the embedded window has been
destroyed, then it will destroy the socket as well. You
should always, therefore, be prepared for your sockets
to be destroyed at any time when the main event loop
is running.
</para>

<para>
A socket can also be used to swallow arbitrary 
pre-existing top-level windows using gtk_socket_steal(),
though the integration when this is done will not be as close
as between a #GtkPlug and a #GtkSocket.</para>

<!-- ##### SECTION See_Also ##### -->
<para>
<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term>#GtkPlug</term>
<listitem><para>the widget that plugs into a #GtkSocket.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>
</para>

<!-- ##### STRUCT GtkSocket ##### -->
<para>
The #GtkEditable structure contains the following field.
(This field should be considered read-only. It should
never be set by an application.)

<informaltable pgwide=1 frame="none" role="struct">
<tgroup cols="2"><colspec colwidth="2*"><colspec colwidth="8*">
<tbody>

<row>
<entry>#GdkWindow *plug_window;</entry>
<entry>the window embedded inside this #GtkSocket.</entry>
</row>

</tbody></tgroup></informaltable>
</para>


<!-- ##### FUNCTION gtk_socket_new ##### -->
<para>
Create a new empty #GtkSocket.
</para>

@Returns: the new #GtkSocket.


<!-- ##### FUNCTION gtk_socket_steal ##### -->
<para>
Reparents a pre-existing toplevel window into a
#GtkSocket.
</para>

@socket: a #GtkSocket.
@wid: the XID of an existing toplevel window.


