Add-on Manager

[redwing]

apply all pages - apply all changes on all pages (i.e install/uninstall/update according to your marks)

No longer gets the error. But still don't get how to use. How can I mark them differently to install some items and uninstall other items?

[boroda]

if plugin/skin is not installed, then ticking item will install it. if its installed then unticking will uninstall it. if item is installed and update is available then checkbox will have 3 states: update, don't touch, uninstall.

[redwing]

if plugin/skin is not installed, then ticking item will install it. if its installed then unticking will uninstall it. if item is installed and update is available then checkbox will have 3 states: update, don't touch, uninstall.

That works, but it doesn't seem obvious nor safe and convenient to use. It's prone to a disaster to end up uninstalling lots of items unintentionally. Also users have to check every item carefully every time just to make a small change.

How about offering "install", "update" and "remove" buttons (instead of apply all pages button) for ticked items while unticked always means "don't touch"? Then users would have to run commands two times for updating and removing items instead of doing once with the current setup, but it would be safer and easier.

[boroda]

maybe your solution is more safe, but, i think, isn't more obvious. see yourself:

my solution - unticked items will either uninstalled (if they are installed) or will stay not installed (if they are not installed). ticked items will be updated (either installed or just updated). greyed out items will be untouched. but of course i should place more info in plugin's description section.

your solution - suppose user has ticked both installed and not installed items, then has clicked 'install' button. what plugin should do with installed items? just skip them? i don't think its obvious.

i don't disregard you solution, i just want that either you convict me or you agree with me.

[redwing]

The major issue with the current solution is, as I said, the user has to make sure what's ticked and what's unticked for every item every time.

your solution - suppose user has ticked both installed and not installed items, then has clicked 'install' button. what plugin should do with installed items? just skip them? i don't think its obvious.

It should reinstall them, if already installed. BTW I don't see much differences between install and update with available MB customizations. Maybe install/update can be one button, remove the other button.

Also color marking can be confusing. I would prefer tick/untick regardless of legend.

[boroda]

The major issue with the current solution is, as I said, the user has to make sure what's ticked and what's unticked for every item every time.

yes, but all boxes are ticked/unticked by defualt automatically so that nothing will be done. i.e. user has to change something manually for some action to be done.

if you still consider that your solution is better i'll implement it.

[redwing]

all boxes are ticked/unticked by defualt automatically so that nothing will be done. i.e. user has to change something manually for some action to be done.

That's what I assumed. I never said the user has to tick/untick all items every time. But the user has to make sure every item is correctly marked. Consider you want to remove some plugins. Currently, instead of selecting those, you have to unselect those, making them look the same as not-installed ones. It won't be easy to know what you have unselected so far while you're doing that.

Maybe you already saw, but check out how Notepad++'s plugin manager works. We could also wait to hear what other users have to say.

[boroda]

anybody?

[hiccup]

I am only slightly following this thread with some interest, but am afraid have not much useful knowledge or input.
The only thought that now comes to my mind is that ideally your plug-in would 'know' what plugins/skins/icon-sets etc. are actually installed.
(like the 'remove programs' functionality of Windows)
But then there probably would have to be made some changes to MusicBee itself by Steven.

It might be sensible to learn Steven's thoughts about your add-on-manager. If he is supportive, and is willing to accommodate you with some changes, it might be better to wait for that before you spend much time on things that you will might have to change later on?

But to answer your question about the discussion you have with redwing, I think I have a preference for the way how you intend the check boxes to work.

[boroda]

plugin already know which customization are installed and even which files are installed with given customization (so that files could be overlapped without any risk of accidentally deletion when you uninstall customization).

But to answer your question about the discussion you have with redwing, I think I have a preference for the way how you intend the check boxes to work.

me or redwing?

[Bee-liever]

Sorry boroda74,
Can't add anything to the discussion at the moment as I haven't had time to test out the plugin yet.

Will test it out over the weekend and post my thoughts then.

Thanks for your work so far 

[boroda]

ok, i'll wait for more opinions ))

[hiccup]

me or redwing?

I was addressing the creator ;-)

[Bee-liever]

I'm OK with how the icons and boxes ticked/unticked are currently working.
I suppose it will be easier to judge when a few plugins and skins are actually loaded.

The main drawback I find is the speed.  Very slow.
Maybe it could check in the background and open if updates are available?

Also, couldn't get descriptions/versionhistories to load.
Are they supposed to be saved as en.rtf or en.txt?

[boroda]

en.rtf's