Pandora PNDManager

[Neelix]

I've forgot to mention, that I have to delete the Appdata folder EVERYTIME after starting and updating the lists to see the Images. Something must have changed in the Repo since nothing has changed on my Pandora.

That sounds to me like an issue with database storage... have you tried running PNDManager from a different SD card?


- Neelix

 

[fusion_power]

I don't plan to make big experiments with the PND Manager. I hope I'm not the only one with that problem. Otherwise I may have to investigate though. First thing I should check is, if this is releated to the ONLY thing I have changed on my Pandora within the last months: I use a swap file now. h34r:

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Still not working on Slackware :/

[ START ]--- Mount the PND ----------


Mounting : mount -t squashfs -o ro "/dev/loop0" "/mnt/utmp/pndmanager"


Mounting the Union FS : mount -t aufs -o exec,noplink,dirs="/media/SD32/pandora/appdata/pndmanager=rw+nolwh":"/mnt/pnd/pndmanager=rr" none "/mnt/utmp/pndmanager"


[sUCCESS]--- Mount the PND ----------


[ START ]--- Starting the application (scripts/panorama.sh ) ----------


mkdir: cannot create directory `interfaces/CustomPNDManager': Operation not permitted


cp: target `interfaces/CustomPNDManager' is not a directory


./panorama: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libQtSql.so.4: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivate15checkWindowRoleEv


[ FAILED]--- Starting the application (scripts/panorama.sh ) ----------


[ START ]--- Restoring the frame buffer status ----------


[sUCCESS]--- Restoring the frame buffer status ----------


[ START ]--- uMount the PND ----------


[ START ]--- Waiting the Union to be available ----------


[sUCCESS]--- Waiting the Union to be available ----------


rmdir: failed to remove `/mnt/utmp/pndmanager': Device or resource busy


[ START ]--- Waiting the PND mount dir to be free ----------


[sUCCESS]--- Waiting the PND mount dir to be free ----------


cleanup done


[sUCCESS]--- uMount the PND ----------


=======================================================================================


Return code is : 3

 

[bzar]

Looks like no write permission to appdata and ABI-incompatible version of Qt.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

But many other .pnd can write to appdata...

 

[bzar]

There shouldn't be anything special about PNDManager in that regard.

 

[Mr_Loon]

Thanks for the update B-Zar, great to see the ability added to rate & comment upon apps.


Is there a guide / description anywhere on how to use this aspect?


What I did was :


Edit settings.cfg (in PndManager Appdata) with my repo username and the api key generated under My Account / Account Details on the repo, after doing this I resynched with the repo from PNDManager and it seems to work just fine.

 

[bzar]

No guide, but that's how you use it so far


I'll make it more obvious at some point.

 

[ekianjo]

I already mentioned it in the comments, but the "jerky" rotating icon on the bottom hand right corner is still not fixed Details, I know

 

[bzar]

I already mentioned it in the comments, but the "jerky" rotating icon on the bottom hand right corner is still not fixed Details, I know

As I mentioned in the following comment: priorities, priorities, priorities.

 

[Mr_Loon]

A couple of minor problems when entering Repo comments via PND Manager :


1) After adding a comment to the repo comments are duplicated when viewed by PND manager. Restarting PND Manager shows the comments correctly.


2) After submitting a comment containing an ampersand character (ampersand = &) all text following the ampersand and the ampersand itself was not added to the comments on the repo. Entering an ampersand in comments via the repo on the web works as expected.

 

[ekianjo]

I already mentioned it in the comments, but the "jerky" rotating icon on the bottom hand right corner is still not fixed Details, I know

As I mentioned in the following comment: priorities, priorities, priorities.

I know, but it's an easy fix Just re-use the rotating arcs you use for updating the comments/ratings and voila !


Your application is superbly polished otherwise, this kind of small details make the difference

 

[Cyberworm]

Hi B-ZaR, somehow PNDManager caps the download speed per PND at 176 KB/s. Is that intentional? Also sometimes the downloads just stop for no obvious reason. And PNDManager tends to completely crash, especially when Wifi connection is lost.

 

[bzar]

Hm. I have noticed something alike (download speed being capped around that number) myself, though I thought it was just pandora's wifi. If it's not, it's probably the download manager thread's timer that fires too seldom. Setting the interval smaller COULD raise the max download speed, but potentially make the UI less responsive during download. I could test a few alternative values the next time I do PNDManager stuff.


Downloads may stop because of bad connection or server issues. Resuming is attempted a few times, but not forever. I haven't experienced this in a while myself.


I haven't really tested how PNDManager reacts to losing network connection, but it should at least resume the download after you restart it. No idea why it would crash, however. If you could set the "loggingVerbosity" value to 3 in your settings.cfg (located in PNDManager's appdata) and post the log file from /tmp/pndrun_pndmanager_somethingsomething (or something like that, you'll know it when you see it) after it has crashed it would be helpful.

 

[Cyberworm]

Okay here is the log file. I didn't look if the crash happened during a connection loss or not, but I hope this still helps.


pndrun_pndmanager.out.txt

 

[porg]

Launching right from app listings


Currently: One must first enter the app details ( B) , from there one can launch the app (ENTER).


Suggestion: ENTER in any app listing launches the app right away. This way PNDManager gets closer to versatile launcher, with the freedom to launch apps from different sortings: By name (search), category, rating, recentness, etc. If the selected and launched app is locally installed, it gets launched, else you get a warning dialogue "The app is not installed." Ok (and dismiss) (X) | (Show me app) Details ( B) | Install (Y)


Installed apps - Sort option "by install date"


I think I already suggested this once, but once again here:


This feature would help the process "discover, install, launch, test, decide to keep/remove".


If a user tends to install mostly most recently updated apps, then the sorting "last updated" mostly suffices this process, as the newly installed apps will be on the top of this listing.


But if a user installs a series of apps for a certain interest field (search term, category), s/he may install apps with very wide spread update-timestamps. The sorting "install date" would aid here.


Persistence


At the next program launch PNDManager should leave the entered search term in the screen "Search", so that one can continue from where you left.


Rationale: The effort to clear the search term is less than to memorize and retype the last term.


Commenting - Text operations keys conflict with GUI operation keys


While you are in the text field you cannot use L-shoulder as SHIFT for capitalizing letters and R-shoulder as CTRL for text related commands such as copy/paste nor X as page-down for jumping to the end of your text block, as all these keys are already assigned to GUI functions.


If you accidentally click X, and then return to the comment again, your comment is lost. The workaround to copy from the comment field and paste into another application such as a text editor as a backup does also not work due to an Pandora OS / XFCE bug: Clipboard content of closed app gets tossed instead of being accessible to other/later started apps


Suggestions:

1. Keep typed but yet unsubmitted comments (as local drafts). If you return to such a comment screen later, your drafted comment is still there for continuation and submission.
   
   
2. If you are in the screen "Comments" temporarily deactivate the navigational shortcuts (L + R), as these are quite relevant for typing (shift + ctrl). The X is okay, because probably you really intend to abort the comment, and if comment drafts work (suggestion 1) you do not loose your typed text, but can resume anyway. For text navigation A/B (Pg-Up/Down) and the arrow keys are sufficient, as comment text is at most a few lines, so you can get over not having Y/X (home/end).
   

Rating > Additional input method > Assign rating by pressing numeral key 1/2/3/4/5


As soon as you enter the "Rating screen" pressing 1/2/3/4/5 assigns that amount of stars accordingly. B then confirms.


User submission features - GUI feedback if API key wrong


I was mislead by: "Edit settings.cfg in appdata and insert repo.openpandora.org credentials to enable features that require logging in." I had interpreted "credentials" as "username/password".


Had tried to submit ratings and comments, but it always failed. Kept wondering. Then I realized that in settings.cfg I filled the variable apiKey with my repo password, but not an API key! Checked pndrun_pndmanager.out, which showed:


_pndman_api_handshake_check 8: Client hash and server hash missmatch.


Then I created an API key in the web repo, and used that one. From then on it worked!

• Please change the instruction to "… insert repo.openpandora.org username/API-key …" to spare other users that confusion.
  
• Please throw a handshake error message in the GUI, not only to pndrun_*.
  

Upgrade all > Behaved strange while updating "Pidgin IM"


I had successfully used that feature multiple times, but when Pidgin was among the update candidates, it behaved buggy.


All other apps were upgraded without problems, but Pidgin's upgrade (from 2.10.4.2 to v2.10.6.1) did not work.


Sometimes no progress bar was shown, sometimes it was shown, and sometimes it was shown with negative and strange numbers, and numbers in- and de-creasing randomly...


I resorted to manually download the PND to the SD card.


Download progress not shown under certain filter conditions


Very very minor bug! Just reporting for completeness. Seems to be a problem with refreshing:

1. Go to "Installed".
   
2. Enter a search term, i.e. "clock". You get a listing with apps names containing "clock", in my case "PyClock" and "alarmclock".
   
3. Go to "Search". Search for "clock". Install an app containing the name "clock", which you yet not have. The download starts. In my case this was "PandoraClock" (~16 MB).
   
4. Switch back to "Installed". The app currently downloading shows no progress (although it IS downloading). Clear the filter by using the BACKSPACE key, and retype the filter "clock". Only now the download progress is shown.
   

 

[porg]

Installed apps - Sort option "by size"


Handy if you have to do some spring cleaning (gain space on SD card).

 

[bzar]

I'll see when I get back to this (currently doing an AI for wars), but...

Launching right from app listings


Currently: One must first enter the app details ( B) , from there one can launch the app (ENTER).


Suggestion: ENTER in any aipp listing launches the app right away. This way PNDManager gets closer to versatile launcher, with the freedom to launch apps from different sortings: By name (search), category, rating, recentness, etc. If the selected and launched app is locally installed, it gets launched, else you get a warning dialogue "The app is not installed." Ok (and dismiss) (X) | (Show me app) Details ( B) | Install (Y)

This is a conscious decision. PNDManager is not a launcher. The launch functionality is very bare bones and intended for testing new PNDs, not running them as a normal use case. If I'll do a launcher it will be separate for many reasons.

Installed apps - Sort option "by install date"


I think I already suggested this once, but once again here:


This feature would help the process "discover, install, launch, test, decide to keep/remove".


If a user tends to install mostly most recently updated apps, then the sorting "last updated" mostly suffices this process, as the newly installed apps will be on the top of this listing.


But if a user installs a series of apps for a certain interest field (search term, category), s/he may install apps with very wide spread update-timestamps. The sorting "install date" would aid here.

There are some technical hurdles here, but basically it should be possible. Might not work like you'd expect in some situations, but most of the time.

Persistence


At the next program launch PNDManager should leave the entered search term in the screen "Search", so that one can continue from where you left.


Rationale: The effort to clear the search term is less than to memorize and retype the last term.

I disagree here. It might just be me, but I very rarely search the same thing twice in a row. It would make those far-and-between cases somewhat easier, but be burden almost all the time.

Commenting - Text operations keys conflict with GUI operation keys


While you are in the text field you cannot use L-shoulder as SHIFT for capitalizing letters and R-shoulder as CTRL for text related commands such as copy/paste nor X as page-down for jumping to the end of your text block, as all these keys are already assigned to GUI functions.


If you accidentally click X, and then return to the comment again, your comment is lost. The workaround to copy from the comment field and paste into another application such as a text editor as a backup does also not work due to an Pandora OS / XFCE bug: Clipboard content of closed app gets tossed instead of being accessible to other/later started apps


Suggestions:

1. Keep typed but yet unsubmitted comments (as local drafts). If you return to such a comment screen later, your drafted comment is still there for continuation and submission.
   

This mostly comes from how the view system works. To keep things responsive and at least somewhat memory-efficient views are removed from memory as you move backwards.

1. If you are in the screen "Comments" temporarily deactivate the navigational shortcuts (L + R), as these are quite relevant for typing (shift + ctrl). The X is okay, because probably you really intend to abort the comment, and if comment drafts work (suggestion 1) you do not loose your typed text, but can resume anyway. For text navigation A/B (Pg-Up/Down) and the arrow keys are sufficient, as comment text is at most a few lines, so you can get over not having Y/X (home/end).
   

Yup, agree here.

Rating > Additional input method > Assign rating by pressing numeral key 1/2/3/4/5


As soon as you enter the "Rating screen" pressing 1/2/3/4/5 assigns that amount of stars accordingly. B then confirms.

Nice idea. Shouldn't be a problem.

User submission features - GUI feedback if API key wrong


I was mislead by: "Edit settings.cfg in appdata and insert repo.openpandora.org credentials to enable features that require logging in." I had interpreted "credentials" as "username/password".


Had tried to submit ratings and comments, but it always failed. Kept wondering. Then I realized that in settings.cfg I filled the variable apiKey with my repo password, but not an API key! Checked pndrun_pndmanager.out, which showed:


_pndman_api_handshake_check 8: Client hash and server hash missmatch.


Then I created an API key in the web repo, and used that one. From then on it worked!

• Please change the instruction to "… insert repo.openpandora.org username/API-key …" to spare other users that confusion.
  
• Please throw a handshake error message in the GUI, not only to pndrun_*.
  

The relevant setting in settings.cfg is called "apiKey". But yeah, could instruct it better I guess.


There's a small bunch of error messages that should have better handling. What can I say: one guy, a couple dozen projects, a few dozen requests . This project probably needs more man power than just me. Or me full time, but I want to do other stuff too.

Upgrade all > Behaved strange while updating "Pidgin IM"


I had successfully used that feature multiple times, but when Pidgin was among the update candidates, it behaved buggy.


All other apps were upgraded without problems, but Pidgin's upgrade (from 2.10.4.2 to v2.10.6.1) did not work.


Sometimes no progress bar was shown, sometimes it was shown, and sometimes it was shown with negative and strange numbers, and numbers in- and de-creasing randomly...


I resorted to manually download the PND to the SD card.

That sounds a bit like there was multiple downloads going on at the same time :S. Wonder how that happened.

Download progress not shown under certain filter conditions


Very very minor bug! Just reporting for completeness. Seems to be a problem with refreshing:

1. Go to "Installed".
   
2. Enter a search term, i.e. "clock". You get a listing with apps names containing "clock", in my case "PyClock" and "alarmclock".
   
3. Go to "Search". Search for "clock". Install an app containing the name "clock", which you yet not have. The download starts. In my case this was "PandoraClock" (~16 MB).
   
4. Switch back to "Installed". The app currently downloading shows no progress (although it IS downloading). Clear the filter by using the BACKSPACE key, and retype the filter "clock". Only now the download progress is shown.
   

Probably a missing case of updating the installed view. Well defined and repeatable bug report though. I like these a lot more than the "something wonky happened" kind

Installed apps - Sort option "by size"


Handy if you have to do some spring cleaning (gain space on SD card).

Probably not an issue to add.


Anyway, as I mentioned in the beginning I'll see when I work on this the next time. I must say, my motivation to work on this has decreased steadily as PNDManager has started to work for my own use cases (selfish, yeah I know ). I should probably do something like a PNDManager weekend to cram as many bug fixes and improvements (no new features to keep it productive) in a short dedicated time as I can.

 

[porg]

I'll see when I get back to this (currently doing an AI for wars), but...

Launching right from app listings


Currently: One must first enter the app details ( B ), from there one can launch the app (ENTER).


Suggestion: ENTER in any aipp listing launches the app right away. This way PNDManager gets closer to versatile launcher, with the freedom to launch apps from different sortings: By name (search), category, rating, recentness, etc. If the selected and launched app is locally installed, it gets launched, else you get a warning dialogue "The app is not installed." Ok (and dismiss) (X) | (Show me app) Details ( B ) | Install (Y)

This is a conscious decision. PNDManager is not a launcher. The launch functionality is very bare bones and intended for testing new PNDs, not running them as a normal use case. If I'll do a launcher it will be separate for many reasons.

Even if "launcher" is just a sub feature, it would be nice if it was available anywhere, at least secretly: ENTER works, but no hinting "ENTER to launch" icon there. If the selected app is locally installed, it launches, if it is a remote app, nothing happens. PLEAZE !!! :rolleyes: Honestly this is an egoistic wish. But as an interaction designer I can argue: Launching is necessary for the process "discover, install, test, consider to keep/remove" and not generally, thus within the detail vie, it is sufficing. Don't overload the UI with it. Nevertheless, if your pro users can access it with a direct key command, which does not interfere with the general logic or cause confusion, then why not give it to them?!

Installed apps - Sort option "by install date"


I think I already suggested this once, but once again here:


This feature would help the process "discover, install, launch, test, decide to keep/remove".


If a user tends to install mostly most recently updated apps, then the sorting "last updated" mostly suffices this process, as the newly installed apps will be on the top of this listing.


But if a user installs a series of apps for a certain interest field (search term, category), s/he may install apps with very wide spread update-timestamps. The sorting "install date" would aid here.

There are some technical hurdles here, but basically it should be possible. Might not work like you'd expect in some situations, but most of the time.

Installed apps - Sort option "by size"


Handy if you have to do some spring cleaning (gain space on SD card).

Probably not an issue to add.

Fine, that these sorting options will get available.

Persistence


At the next program launch PNDManager should leave the entered search term in the screen "Search", so that one can continue from where you left.


Rationale: The effort to clear the search term is less than to memorize and retype the last term.

I disagree here. It might just be me, but I very rarely search the same thing twice in a row. It would make those far-and-between cases somewhat easier, but be burden almost all the time.

Have no energy for reasoning the benefits. I simply humbly accept your reasoning. ;-)

Commenting - Text operations keys conflict with GUI operation keys


While you are in the text field you cannot use L-shoulder as SHIFT for capitalizing letters and R-shoulder as CTRL for text related commands such as copy/paste nor X as page-down for jumping to the end of your text block, as all these keys are already assigned to GUI functions.


If you accidentally click X, and then return to the comment again, your comment is lost. The workaround to copy from the comment field and paste into another application such as a text editor as a backup does also not work due to an Pandora OS / XFCE bug: Clipboard content of closed app gets tossed instead of being accessible to other/later started apps


Suggestions:

1. Keep typed but yet unsubmitted comments (as local drafts). If you return to such a comment screen later, your drafted comment is still there for continuation and submission.
   

This mostly comes from how the view system works. To keep things responsive and at least somewhat memory-efficient views are removed from memory as you move backwards.

Ok, so be careful what you type guys! You may loose it otherwise. Hope this nasty mentioned OS copy/paste bug will be solved somewhen.

1. If you are in the screen "Comments" temporarily deactivate the navigational shortcuts (L + R), as these are quite relevant for typing (shift + ctrl). The X is okay, because probably you really intend to abort the comment, and if comment drafts work (suggestion 1) you do not loose your typed text, but can resume anyway. For text navigation A/B (Pg-Up/Down) and the arrow keys are sufficient, as comment text is at most a few lines, so you can get over not having Y/X (home/end).
   

Yup, agree here.

Rating > Additional input method > Assign rating by pressing numeral key 1/2/3/4/5


As soon as you enter the "Rating screen" pressing 1/2/3/4/5 assigns that amount of stars accordingly. B then confirms.

Nice idea. Shouldn't be a problem.

User submission features - GUI feedback if API key wrong


I was mislead by: "Edit settings.cfg in appdata and insert repo.openpandora.org credentials to enable features that require logging in." I had interpreted "credentials" as "username/password".


Had tried to submit ratings and comments, but it always failed. Kept wondering. Then I realized that in settings.cfg I filled the variable apiKey with my repo password, but not an API key! Checked pndrun_pndmanager.out, which showed:


_pndman_api_handshake_check 8: Client hash and server hash missmatch.


Then I created an API key in the web repo, and used that one. From then on it worked!

• Please change the instruction to "… insert repo.openpandora.org username/API-key …" to spare other users that confusion.
  
• Please throw a handshake error message in the GUI, not only to pndrun_*.
  

The relevant setting in settings.cfg is called "apiKey". But yeah, could instruct it better I guess.


There's a small bunch of error messages that should have better handling. What can I say: one guy, a couple dozen projects, a few dozen requests . This project probably needs more man power than just me. Or me full time, but I want to do other stuff too.

Just changing the 1-line-instruction in the repo will already do great effect!

Upgrade all > Behaved strange while updating "Pidgin IM"


I had successfully used that feature multiple times, but when Pidgin was among the update candidates, it behaved buggy.


All other apps were upgraded without problems, but Pidgin's upgrade (from 2.10.4.2 to v2.10.6.1) did not work.


Sometimes no progress bar was shown, sometimes it was shown, and sometimes it was shown with negative and strange numbers, and numbers in- and de-creasing randomly...


I resorted to manually download the PND to the SD card.

That sounds a bit like there was multiple downloads going on at the same time :S. Wonder how that happened.

Just forget about it. Should a similar bug happen, then it's at least documented, to look for commonalities.

Download progress not shown under certain filter conditions


Very very minor bug! Just reporting for completeness. Seems to be a problem with refreshing:

1. Go to "Installed".
   
2. Enter a search term, i.e. "clock". You get a listing with apps names containing "clock", in my case "PyClock" and "alarmclock".
   
3. Go to "Search". Search for "clock". Install an app containing the name "clock", which you yet not have. The download starts. In my case this was "PandoraClock" (~16 MB).
   
4. Switch back to "Installed". The app currently downloading shows no progress (although it IS downloading). Clear the filter by using the BACKSPACE key, and retype the filter "clock". Only now the download progress is shown.
   

Probably a missing case of updating the installed view. Well defined and repeatable bug report though. I like these a lot more than the "something wonky happened" kind

Anyway, as I mentioned in the beginning I'll see when I work on this the next time. I must say, my motivation to work on this has decreased steadily as PNDManager has started to work for my own use cases (selfish, yeah I know ). I should probably do something like a PNDManager weekend to cram as many bug fixes and improvements (no new features to keep it productive) in a short dedicated time as I can.

Good luck and a lot of power & enthusiasm for that weekend.


Let you be told, that you have a lot of fans & admirers in the community.


Hope that helps with motivation


I think, in the next OS version, PNDManager shall be integrated.

 

[porg]

Upgrade all > Behaves strange if large files are among upgrade session


It happened again with "OpenJDK Java Runtime", while the other upgrades of that session ("Super Geometry Dust" and "Mupen64plus") worked seemlessly.


Seems to me that large files cause troubles.


Progress bar was stuck, then showing wrong numbers.


Had to restart from its detail view.


There the progress bar showed "X of 0 B" (X changed accordingly. Numbers made sense)


Back to the "Installed view" it showed as "Infinity%".


EDIT 1:


Tried a sync (START key) after that, but nothing happened for an eternity.


Restarted PNDManager. Synced again. "OpenJDK Java Runtime" was still in the list, although the download had stopped, seemingly complete.


Attempted to trigger "Update all again" (Y). Entire download started again! (If you quit PNDManager with ESC, can it not resume partial downloads???)


EDIT2:


While that download I read the miraculous "30.10 / 6.66 MiB 461%".


Nevertheless eventually it finished after that multiple attempts.