[vlc-devel] Re: BeOS interface CVS Commit

[Stephan Assmus]

> > modules/gui/beos/InterfaceWindow.h/.cpp
> > modules/gui/beos/VideoWindow.h/VideoOutput.cpp
> > 
> >   - reverted saving of UI settings to BeOS way
> >     reason: I had problems with the vlc way of saving them, plus 
> > the
> >         BeOS way gives some advantages, like forward compatibility 
> > and
> >         better error checking possibilities/default values
> >         however, I did not remove the other code, maybe I make both
> >         ways work right and selectable.
> 
> Arg, we'll probably never agree on that point :p

:-}

> I see several reasons for not using the BMessage way:
>  - having 2 configuration files seems ugly to me, and may be 
> confusing
> for the user;

Not necessarily. If vlcrc was to be put in "~/config/settings/VideoLAN 
Client", everything would be perfectly clear. I had two seperate "BeOS 
way"-settings files already, not counting vlcrc.

>  - vlc way of saving configuration has no important gap AFAIK, e.g.
> it allows default values. I don't know what you mean about the "error
> checking" the BeOS way provides;

I checked on the default value issue. Just try removing vlcrc with your 
settings file code in place, and you should notice that strange things 
happen (windows one pixels wide and in top left corner of screen). I 
had the impression, that your code only worked, because you switched 
from one way of saving the file to the other, without trying what 
happens when no settings file is present. (I'm not too sure about that 
though, I didn't spent that much time ckecking it out.)

>  - vlc way is very easily usable, while the BeOS way requires some 
> more
> code.

I improved that, and now it's actually the other way arround. (While 
still having more error checking, like making sure windows are on 
screen.)

> Forward compatibility between 0.4 and 0.5 may be a problem (although 
> I
> think many users won't care), so here is what I suggest:
>  - keep the necessary code for loading the old configuration file if
> present;

Until vlc is tested more throughroughly on BeOS, it seems likely that 
users might have to revert to 0.4.6 in order to watch a certain movie 
or DVD. That's when such a feature is indeed desirable.

>  - trash the associated saving code (save_settings()) and, from now,
> only use the vlc standard configuration file.
> 
> What do you think ?

I can see that having only one config file is cleaner. My reasoning for 
having two config files was to stay seperate from vlc internals. One 
source of confusion about the settings file for me was _when_ it 
actually gets saved. And what gets saved with it. My settings file 
sometimes had entries only for the beos interface, sometimes it had the 
entries for the other plugins as well. And it was not generated 
automatically when vlc quit. So I thought, alright, I'm rolling my 
own...

Anyways, I will write some code, so we can at least easily switch 
between the two methods.

> > modules/gui/beos/ListViews.h/.cpp
> > modules/gui/beos/PlayListWindow.h/.cpp
> > modules/gui/beos/VlcWrapper.h/.cpp
> >
> > [many playlist enhancements]
> 
> 'just played a bit with it, works great. Good job !

Thanks. I found one bug yet, while starting to work on the storting 
functions. I won't have time to work on anything today though. I will 
try to commit the one fix though, even if it is only cosmetic.

Regards,
-Stephan

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