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Re: [PATCH] Update of "size" column patch for setup (Was Re: Issetup-2.506 ready to release?)


On Mon, 5 Sep 2005, Brian Dessent wrote:

> Igor Pechtchanski wrote:
>
> > Actually, I think it makes more sense to treat it as "the amount of
> > *extra* disk space that will be occupied after the downloads" (since
> > it doesn't account for the expanded size of the tarball anyway).
> > I'll see if I can change the logic accordingly at some point soon.
>
> The problem there is that by that interpretation, the size column should
> be zero for every row except those packages which have been selected to
> download/install/upgrade.  That would be quite confusing, since you can
> no longer use the column to judge size before picking a package.

Ah, I see.  Yes, that would be a problem.  How about naming it "estimated
download size" (or 'Size to Download', just to get a reasonable cut-off),
and setting it to '0k' for packages that are already installed?

> Otherwise you get the baffling situation of clicking "Src" and seeing
> the number decrease, despite the fact that you have just added more
> bytes to download and more hard drive space to be occupied.

Using '0k' for installed packages would take care of this problem, won't
it?

> I think the notion of "amount that will be downloaded" would be better
> expressed as a running total that is displayed on a different part of
> the dialog, rather than in the size column.

We could do both.  In fact, the number of bytes to download is a better
progress indicator than the number of packages...

> > No problem.  On an unrelated note, do we want to resurrect Max's
> > colorization patch (one that color-codes the packages according to their
> > installed status, from wa-ay back when [Jan 2003])?
>
> I never saw that one.  I'll look at it, but I'm a little hesitent that
> it might add more confusion to an already confusing interface.  Plus
> when colors are involved, everyone has a different idea of what looks
> good, not to mention that end users will have varied visual themes /
> color schemes selected in display options.

Read the whole thread from that message onward (and Google for "Max
Bowsher colour patch" -- yes, the British spelling)...  This was
discussed, but never got anywhere.

> To be honest the next feature that I think needs to go in is some means
> of controlling the window size, such as saving/restoring the last window
> size/position.  I say that because with the addition of this size
> column, the default starting size of the package picker page is now such
> that the description field is nearly entirely off the screen, and the
> user almost certainly will have to resize the dialog.  Saving/restoring
> the window coordinates saves us from having to make any decisions about
> how large or small it should be - the user just resizes it once to
> whatever is desired and then it persists.

Definitely.

> I was thinking of adding another preference file, such as
> /etc/setup/last-options or something that would store this information
> as well as anything similar.  E.g. we could have the "create desktop
> icon" choice persist as well.

That would be a good idea (in fact, why not consolidate all of the
preferences files into one?).  Also, it may be time to move them from
files into the registry -- this has also been discussed previously.

Some more random ideas -- a right-click context menu in the chooser.  One
possible context menu item is "Lock" (which locks a given version and
doesn't attempt to update it).  The list of locked packages could also be
kept in the registry, or, better yet, we could mark them off in
installed.db.  I know, PTC -- I'm working on it.
	Igor
-- 
				http://cs.nyu.edu/~pechtcha/
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     |,4-  ) )-,_. ,\ (  `'-'		Igor Pechtchanski, Ph.D.
    '---''(_/--'  `-'\_) fL	a.k.a JaguaR-R-R-r-r-r-.-.-.  Meow!

If there's any real truth it's that the entire multidimensional infinity
of the Universe is almost certainly being run by a bunch of maniacs. /DA


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