You're probably trying to use these functions from application code.  They
should be used only internally to widgets; these functions are for a parent
Composite widget to change the geometry of its children.  An application
which calls XtMoveWidget, for example, effectively defeats geometry
negotiation and the Composite parent's internal state (if any) will no longer
be correct. (The Xt specification goes into more detail.)

The only way for your application to request a geometry change for a widget
is to issue an XtSetValues call setting some of the geometry resources.
Although this call will result in the widget-internal functions' being
called, your application code must use the standard XtSetValues interface or
risk the widgets' data becoming corrupted.

Note that functions defined in <X11/IntrinsicP.h>, as these are, are
typically reserved for use by widgets.

Other promising functions, XtMakeGeometryRequest() and XtMakeResizeRequest(),
are also for use only by widgets, in this case by a child to request a change
from its parent.

The Xlib calls XMoveWindow() and XResizeWindow() should similarly be avoided;
they shouldn't be used to change XtNx, XtNy, XtNwidth, or XtNheight.

Some parts © 2009 Advameg, Inc.