From: "=?UTF-8?Q?Alfredo_Fern=c3=a1ndez_D=c3=adaz?=" <lswitcher-dev@2rosenthals.com>
Subject: Saving settings and undo stuff (Was: lSwitcher-2-93-0-RC_4.wpi)
To: lSwitcher Developers Mailing List <lswitcher-dev@2rosenthals.com>
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Date: Wed, 16 Dec 2020 01:53:58 +0100
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Hi yet again,

On 20/12/13 21:20, Gregg Young wrote:
> Hi
>
> Attached is lSwitcher 2.93 RC 4.
> It hopefully fixes all of the font, menu and layout issues identified by Alfred.
>
> Still to do/decide on.
> 1. �Adding undo to the settings?

Let me be clear on this: I don't mind what mechanism is used in the end to 
save settings, as long as it is functional, reasonably intuitive (pretty much 
boils down to using the right labels for controls), and is matched by the 
documentation -- so you know what to expect by simply reading the manual, 
and/or or fiddling around.

As I said, saving everything on close makes "Save" buttons misleading (what 
does it save exactly, then, that is not saved otherwise? why have it if 
everything is saved? etc.), and leaves the UI self-inconsistent.

> A. make the hide button work as described in the help (ie only save
> non-settings stuff to the ini on close?

This is how it worked until you changed it without notice to saving 
everything. I only noticed when stuff that I was 'just trying out' started to 
stick between restarts -- I never tried to have non-settings stuff saved.

I was used to this, and it shouldn't be hard to bring back.

> B. Implement a full undo? This is from an earlier email:

The hardest to implement, but we have a ton of documented examples to look at, 
and we got no other programs inserting their own tabs or other secondary 
dialogs, so fully controllable in theory.

> a. What do we intend for "undo" to actually do? Should it undo all the changes
> on every page or just the current page? Should it close the dialog or leave it
> open for additional changes?

I find it most intuitive what the WPS does (except on tabs inserted and thus 
controlled by Peer, DragText, DSS, etc...). It also follows the CUA guidelines 
(I can look up the exact passages later on):

-All changes are applied immediately, but are only saved on closing the notebook.

The idea above is, you keep trying out stuff as you play with controls -- it 
doesn't get any more direct. Once you are satisfied, just close (and thus save 
the settings) and move on. Before closing, you get rid of any and all changes 
made in the last session (Undo), or simply restore system defaults.

-Undo sets all controls *on the current tab* to the values set when the 
notebook was opened.
-Default sets all controls *on the current tab* to the "factory" values.
-Neither button closes the notebook, to avoid saving involuntarily.

The idea above is to let you keep whatever you have done in other tabs since 
you opened the notebook, and focus on what you are doing with the currently 
selected one. You can always open any other tab and press Undo or Default 
there before closing to save all.

The only problem with it all is, sometimes the notebook just gets in the way. 
In that case, a hide/minimize button must also be present, so you can get rid 
of the notebook without saving, and get it back and close+save when ready.

> b. How do we handle exclude lists do I undo the last entry added/removed or do
> I need to determine all the entries made in this session for removal or adding
> back perhaps some of each kind.

Lists, as atomic controls holding a value (an array), should have a defined 
default (empty, or with a few entries we like, like f.e. "*XCenter*"), and 
that's it. Pressing Default, a list should be set to its own default as 
defined. Unless you close to save them, pressing Undo should restore whatever 
entries were listed before/when the notebook was opened, so you're safe.

> c. Significant changes of this kind add complexity and as such more opportunity
> for defects. Is having what will probably be a little used option worth this?

Depends on your take. I would have tried to make it all work like the WPS from 
the get go, but I wasn't there back then. I can live with the other ways to 
save settings, so I would probably not change it over if I were doing the 
coding now.

> d. This must account for the differences between the taskbar and the widget.
> (2 sets of code to get out of sync)

As long as you keep two alternative taskbars you will have two sets of code to 
get out of sync, whether dealing with settings or whatever else.

> C. Remove the hide button and change Save to Ok.

This is the quickest and safest, even if a bit ugly or odd with only one 
functional button at the bottom. Keep Help down there :)

However, in this case you probably mean remove the Save button (you are saving 
everything on the go / on close anyway), and (maybe) change "Hide" to "Close" 
(little to no difference if always saving).

> D. Fix the help to match the choice made if needed.

The only way to not need this is to go A like before.

> 2. Add "close" to xCenter context menu for the Taskbar

Sorry I started a more in-depth discussion in my other email re: 2.93 rc4.

> 3. Determine the effect of the codepage and font changes for Russian etc
> when lSwitcher is run on a Russian etc system.

Will be checking tomorrow, now that I am at it for a while.

Thank you,
Alfred.