dockApp

A visibility-driven docked-app handle. Wraps Z.app with a per-panel refresh scheduler over the same tab contract as Z.shell.tabApp, but renders the open panels as Z.dockPanels inside a single Z.dockArea (real egui_dock tabs, splits, and drag). The app costs zero engine work while hidden; each open panel polls on its own refresh interval, and the open model is an ordered set of open panel keys rather than a single active tab.

Each entry in tabs follows the tab contract { label, refresh, build, onMount?, onCallback?, tick?, float? }. A tab's own float overrides the app-level float default — e.g. a viewport tab sets float = false to dock into the main surface while tool panels float.

Create

M.create(opts) -> DockAppHandle — the module table is callable, so DockApp(opts) works too. Required opts: name, tabs, tabOrder (may be empty). Optional: initialOpen, tabAliases, statusClock, onStatusTick, extraScreens, appOpts, initialState, dockLayout, float, and dock presentation keys (overlayType, leafCollapseButtons, leafCloseAllButtons, allowedSplits, dockStyle).

Handle

The returned DockAppHandle carries:

• app, state, screenName
• update(dt) — runs the scheduler and ticks the app.
• onCallback(callbackId, data) -> boolean — routes dock close, app dispatch, and tab/extraScreen callbacks.
• destroy(), setVisible(v)
• openPanel(key), closePanel(key), isOpen(key) -> boolean, togglePanel(key) — drive the open set.
• getLayout() -> string?, restoreLayout(json) — read and re-apply the live dock split/tab arrangement.

Usage

local DockApp = require("modules.zui.shell.dockApp")
local handle = DockApp {
    name = "system_tools",
    tabs = TABS,
    tabOrder = { "entities", "logs" },
    initialOpen = { "entities" },
}