Progress dialog for starting applications?

[hmc]

For Panmame, I simply use gtkdialog to display a splash while loading.


As it displays a normal gtkwindow, it is visible until sdl initializes its video and switches to the new layer.

Such a concept would work for all applications, in the way that the "loading" dialog would be hidden behind the main window. But it woul dbe strange to have a "Loading" window open for each already loaded application. It eats ressources. And what, if user switches between applications using Alt-Tab or minimizes the program window. So this would not be a suitable approach in general, I guess.


Daniel

 

[hmc]

Use the spoiler tag?

Thanks - done


I didn't know that this tag exists. I tried to find a button for this feature in the editor tool button pane.

 

[mcobit]

A fullscreen splash displaying loading... Would be easy with sdl, but you don't want that with desktopapps. Even a loadingwindow would be distracting while multitasking for those. With games or other fullscreenapps like pndmanager it would be neat though.


Of course libpnd can't distinguish them. You could add an element in the pxml though, that if set to yes, makes the app display the loadingscreen. That would make it optional for programs where it makes sense.


Maybe somehing like <splash>true/false</splash> in the application section.

 

[hmc]

A fullscreen splash displaying loading... Would be easy with sdl, but you don't want that with desktopapps. Even a loadingwindow would be distracting while multitasking for those. With games or other fullscreenapps like pndmanager it would be neat though.


Of course libpnd can't distinguish them. You could add an element in the pxml though, that if set to yes, makes the app display the loadingscreen. That would make it optional for programs where it makes sense.


Maybe somehing like <splash>true/false</splash> in the application section.

Not sure, if we should limit the options to fullscreen loading or no loading at all. For windowed applications, a simple window dialog (without window decorations preferably) saying "loading..." would be desireable.


What about a PXML element in each <application> environment, which has three options:


<loading_indicator>[fullscreen|window|off]</loading_indicator>


Daniel

 

[mcobit]

As said, If I browse in firefox and then start maybe abiword to copy paste somehing, I don't want to wait for the loading window to disappear before I can see my browserwindow again.

 

[hmc]

No, hence it should not be an always-on-top window, but one, which is put to background, once you click the firefox window.


Or would you prefer another variant?

 

[mcobit]

To make it userconfigurable would be nice, but that is not easy for linux noobs.

 

[Binky]

Maybe a task manager icon in the xfce panel that turned into a circling dots pattern when any of wifi, bluetooth, SD card read, SD card write, CPU, RAM were at full capacity, with the dots circling the icon for whatever is eating system resources


clicking on this icon would give a standard list detailing which programs were doing what.


This would provide feedback on several different things that could be taking a while, and is instantly recognizable

 

[mcobit]

Yes, or simply a popup in the notification area with qtnotify or something, that shows the appname next to loading... In the taskbar or in a small window above it. That should be enough to indicate a loadingprocess. A small popup like a tooltip.

 

[hmc]

qtnotify: Excellent idea, I haven't thought of that.


(notify-send would be the one, which pops up a message in XFCE)


Should be very easy to implement.


For a starter, or in general, if this won't be implemented in a central place in the pnd system, any PND author packaging an application that needs some time to load, can put the line

notify-send -t 5000 -i /usr/share/icons/elementary/actions/16/gtk-media-play-ltr.svg "Loading [appname]...."

into the application's run script.


(suggestions fro a more suitable standard icon welcome! ;-)


However, it seems that the -t parameter is broken, since when I try this here, the notification does not disappear after 5000ms.


Daniel

 

[mcobit]

Well, it won't be possible in minimenu or other non xfce windowmanagers. I think it would be better, if you package the program with the pnd.

 

[Neelix]

I think the best form for this would be a notification triggered by libpnd just before starting to mount the PND.


I do think it should be possible to disable it fairly easily though.


- Neelix

 

[ShleeDragon]