KControl port

KControl port

Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:24 am

Hi, i've compiled and tested almost every version of KDE4 (from 4.0.1 to 4.1.3), and i feel unconfortable with systemsettings. There's no way to have KControl, which is far more usable, ported to KDE4?

[msoeken]

RE: KControl port

Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:52 am

I already took a look at it. And it is not so hard to implement, because most of the parts are already there. You just have to switch the list view into a tree view and display the configuration pages right beside it. But I ran in some problems. I will definitvely have a look at it for the KDE 4.3 release or as a standalone application for kde-apps.org. Is anyone out there, who is also working on it or interested?

[bcooksley]

RE: KControl port

Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:08 am

I could lend a hand msoeken. Now that my Solid Actions KControl Module is nearly finished ( some final testing then to kdereview )

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 2:40 pm

Definitely Kcontrol is better! I confirm, agree, and REQUEST , to port Kcontrol to KDE 4.2 as soon as posible! Default sistem settings are at least ugly... as ubuntu:-@
Kcontrol is best I allways used it.

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:02 pm

I would like to see KControl back, it's far easier to use than the OSX copy that the kubuntu guys has forced us to use. Sadly my skills in QT suxx, otherwise I would gladly help.

[msoeken]

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:25 pm

Ok, think I have some code for the tree view model. I will check this into trunk/playground soon.

[Hans]

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:37 pm

@msoeken:
Are we talking about a port of KControl, or a tree view in System Settings? I think you mentioned that you might try the latter, or maybe I'm mixing you up with someone else.

I would be interested, but don't think I have enough C++/Qt skills. This summer I'm going to study both like mad! However, that's probably too late for 4.3. ^.-

By the way, after using System Settings for a bit, I actually don't hate it as much as I initially did.
By the way 2, wasn't KControl always considered "messy", "hard to navigate", "confusing to new users" etc. in KDE3?

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:09 pm

I don't know if it was like that, but something that was thought as messy was the Gnome control center, and then they made even worse in Gnome2 which didn't allow users to do what they were used to do and included a dependency that forced you to have metacity installed even if you didn't use it.

I really hope we will have the option to configure things without using a register editor like they do in gnome2 and microsoft windows.

[TheBlackCat]

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:16 pm

I think integrating a second view into the existing systemsettings, rather than an entirely separate program, may be the better option. Like msoeken said it is essential a sort of two-pane tree view. That means you could just have a button to change between the two views (and perhaps others down the road). I do not think there is any need for a second program.

[TheBlackCat]

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:18 pm

I don't know if it was like that, but something that was thought as messy was the Gnome control center, and then they made even worse in Gnome2 which didn't allow users to do what they were used to do and included a dependency that forced you to have metacity installed even if you didn't use it.

I really hope we will have the option to configure things without using a register editor like they do in gnome2 and microsoft windows.

i heard some talk about a graphical tool to modify text-only config file options, essentially the Linux version of a registry front-end like Tweak UI. I know there are a few options in KDE 4.2 that require manually editing a text-file, but these are temporary limitations of experimental features rather than a long-term plan.

[msoeken]

RE: KControl port

Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:31 pm

Yes, I was also thinking about a switch in system settings. System settings is just a wrapper for kcm modules, so most of the work is already implemented, it is just a question about displaying the data.

[bcooksley]

RE: KControl port

Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:03 am

msoeken: Where is the source code for the treeview located in playground?
( I think putting them into the same program would be a good idea, but it would require substantial changes to system settings )

[msoeken]

RE: KControl port

Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:15 am

It is not there now. Hope I remember to commit it after work later in the evening.

[bcooksley]

RE: KControl port

Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:55 am

Thanks.

[msoeken]

RE: KControl port

Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:41 pm

You can find the source at trunk/playground/base/kcontrol4.