22 Apr
2012
22 Apr
'12
3:26 a.m.
Um, golly gee willikers, Mr. Wilson. I actually got
the
module to build!
For the moment I am building as a separate package that
would get merged to the applications tree. I started to
fiddle with merging directly into tdebase/kcontrol but then
got unsure about what to strip from the original sources.
Further, I wondered whether everybody would want this
module, although we could add a -DWITH-AUTOSTART build
option. Anyway, I figure we can merge to tdebase later, but
for now we need to ensure the sources build and develop a
usability test plan.
According to the original kde-look.org descriptions
(http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=45975),
there does not seem to be much to this module. Just a
graphical way to add or remove apps, which is a notch better
than the previous methods KDE3 required.
I used the Ubuntu sources, which came with a large
Ubuntu/Debian patch, which merged without error (after
updating one line for TDE). I don't know whether that patch
fixed any of the known bugs listed at kde-look.org.
Therefore the test plan includes testing those reported
bugs.
The docbook file is merely a template.
Test plan:
* Installs correctly to TDE Components. Check!
* If the user's Autostart directory is already populated, verify those items appear in
the modules list. Check!
* Can add new apps to the list. Check!
* Those newly added apps actually start with the next new session. Check!
* Previously populated apps still start with the next new session. Check!
* Can remove apps from the list. Check!
* Apps not removed still start with the next new session. Check!
* Alleged Bug: When launching apart for kcontrol, clicking "Cancel" with a
properties dialog open will generate a crash. Can't reproduce.
* Alleged Bug: When launching inside kcontrol, option "Reset" does not work.
Button does work --- sort of: read the next item.
* Alleged Bug: Clicking "Reset" with a properties dialog open inserts a
duplicate entry into the list of the entry which has the properties open. Reproduced.
Checking the contents of the Autostart directory shows the items are not really
duplicating. Toggling out of the Autostart manager module and returning immediately clears
the list of duplicate entries. Not a blocker bug but not professional looking.
I could not replicate this bug: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=150439.
I discovered a new bug: I monitored my Autostart and shutdown directories in Konqueror
while testing the module. When adding or removing items they are added or removed
immediately --- before selecting the Apply button. Probably not good.
Overall, we have a nice user-friendly addition with this module. As far as I can see, only
two minor bugs.
Reading the discussion at kde-look.org, one person suggested a "Disable" option,
which seems handy. Another possible enhancement is mentioned here:
http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-devel&m=116924533130243&w=2 --- basically provide a
portal to override anything in the global autostart locations.
Yet even as is, this module provides a handy way of adding and removing items to the
Autostart, shutdown and env directories. Yes, shutdown too.
What next? Fixing the two bugs probably is beyond my noob C++ skills, although I'll
take a gander. Does this new module sound like a good addition? If yes then do we want to
keep this as a separate optional module or merge into tdebase/kcontrol or tdeadmin?
Darrell