Release PNDManager

[bzar]

You can use PNDManager to check which version of PNDManager you're running


If you have it set to full screen you shouldn't see the task bar. If not, you can resize the window, though funny stuff can happen in the UI if you do. It's desigend to be flexible, but the scalability has not been tested much.


Log is available in the usual pandora location (under /tmp).


You could put one on the desktop and another in the menu, I guess. Haven't really thought about that kind of usage scenario. Why do you use two?

 

[thatgui]

feature suggestion:


Add a (per game option) "remove appdata directory before update"


As currently can be seen with scummvm, often problems arise if a new version of a pnd has to cope with files in the appdata directory that were created by an older version of it.


Btw. how about a dialog that asks wether the appdata directory should be also removed after removing a pnd?

 

[porg]

Hey B-Zar! Once again some feedback from me after a long time of silence.


Checked out your newest version, liking the new UI.


Optimizing previewpic performance by loading the SAME pic only once:


If you go to a PND detail view, its previewpic loads at the right. The loading percentage is shown, if it reaches 100% the pic shows up.


If you choose "show more", in order to get to the previewpic gallery, the same previewpic, which has already been loaded, is noticeably loaded again!!!


If the gallery contains only 1 pic, the effect is most irritating, but also for more pictures you realize it, and ask yourself, why a pic must be loaded from the network again, if it already was just shown in another context.


For performance reason it would be better if a picture gets cached for usage in all possible further instances.

 

[bzar]

Picture loading is handled by Qt, which keeps its own cache. Can't really do much about it.

 

[porg]

Can't Qt be passed some behavioral rules? (Programmatically I mean)

 

[EvilDragon]

Another weird issue I was encountering:


The preview pics only appear when you're online. If you're offline, the preview pics are not loaded - even though they should be available when I got the PND installed.

 

[bzar]

Porg: The QML subsystem is not as configurable as the rest of Qt due to still being so young. Hopefully fixed in Qt5.


ED: Not a weird issue, but a not implemented feature. Libpndman doesn't provide access to the insides of PNDs and I haven't implemented any kind of ripping and caching due to several reasons. Icons are easier since they don't require mounting the PND. Getting stuff from inside a PND without mounting it is apparently not simple. Mounting on the other hand is slow (and ugly on code side) especially if done in batches.

 

[porg]

1) Understood. So let's see what the future will bring!


Offline icon+previewpics would have the advantage, that PNDManager would be an even more complete PND management app.


2) Compliments to you B-ZaR!!!


Meanwhile PNDManager really fulfills most of the functions,


which I stated in my assessment/initiative PND management workflow:

• overview
  
• test
  
• discover
  
• install/update/remove
  
• launch
  

The only remaining missing function:

• tag
  

Will update the wiki, that great progress has been made, much of it implemented in PNDManager.

 

[EvilDragon]

Some other thing that would be great:


The possibility to remove the appdata-directory to reset the PND to the default configuration

 

[Tenka]

Some other thing that would be great:


The possibility to remove the appdata-directory to reset the PND to the default configuration

This would paranoid me into thinking I'm going to press it by accident. I hope that if this option is included it takes at least three clicks.

 

[NoeleyC]

How about if the "remove associated appdata" was an extra option that had to be selected like a tick box before upgrading? that might stop accidental deletions.

 

[_wb_]

Getting stuff from inside a PND without mounting it is apparently not simple. Mounting on the other hand is slow (and ugly on code side) especially if done in batches.

Somebody should take some time to study squashfs to see how to partially extract stuff from it without doing an actual mount. It shouldn't be that much harder than extracting a single file from a .zip or .tar.gz file, right?

 

[milkshake]

unsquashfs -d <DESTDIR> -f <PNDFILENAME> "<EXTRACTFILE>"

 

[pmprog]

This is probably going to be a really silly question, how do I batch update apps from this?


Also, yesterday, I pressed start to sync, then I went into SunVox and it said launch or uninstall, however, when I opened up the old PNDStore, I could upgrade it.


Cheers

 

[porg]

My Pandora is currently in repair, thus my answer is just out of my memory, possibly blurred.

1. Sync database (via START key)
   
2. Go to the tab "Downloaded apps".
   
3. There you should have the option to update all apps at once, or just selectively.
   

 

[pmprog]

On the Installed tab, all I get are "Sorting" by select and to show the selected app?





Also, from a usability PoV, [X] is currently to go back but it's "down" if you look at the gamepad buttons. Maybe switching to [A]. Then button positions follow the flow

 

[bzar]

If you don't see upgradable stuff at the top then you have nothing to upgrade.


B as "OK" and X as "back" or "cancel" is kinda standard among pandora software. In addition in PNDManager X and B are "safe buttons" used for navigating (closer to your fingers). A and Y in contrast are "change buttons" that actually change the state of your pandora (further away from your fingers). There's a host of other rationale as well, I can explain if you really want me to, but suffice to say the button layout has been carefully considered.

 

[pmprog]

If you don't see upgradable stuff at the top then you have nothing to upgrade.

Okay, I'll double check the next time something needs updating

I can explain if you really want me to, but suffice to say the button layout has been carefully considered.

No, that's fine


Cheers

 

[porg]

The button layout has been carefully considered.

Those who are interested in PNDManager's usability considerations & genesis,


just read through this thread (beta testing) from the beginning and through bug tracking & feature requests.


You'll find a lot!

 

[PowerGod]

PNDManager keeps showing me "Dino Defense" in the repo even if its not there !! (You can also start the download but it will be downloaded as a 215 B file, instead of 7 Mb) I already deleted appdata dir, and even redownloader PNDManager itself, but nothing changed...


PNDStore correctly doesn't show that game in the list.


Does PNDManager saves the list in some other location ?