KGlobalSettings::completionMode() can be read, is not consistent in KDE though

[Aaron J. Seigo]

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On April 24, 2004 11:36, Dawit A. wrote:
> > On Friday 23 April 2004 21:58, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> > this is why i suggested what i suggested in the first place. sure, we
> > have a "Default" option but then there is no way to easily adjust that
> > default.
>
> I think you are missing the point. The reason why there is no way to change
> the global default from individual lineedits or comboboxes is intentional.
> Not an oversight...

even though it was intentional, it presents a usability issue. not a HUGE one, 
thankfully, but not an optimal situation either =)

> > if instead the option was "Use Desktop-Wide Setting" (or something
> > similar) then the user would still be able to select from the list of
> > option,s which would then set either the global setting or the
> > app-specific setting depending on the state of this entry. this would
> > allow making a change to one lineedit affecting ALL others in KDE, while
> > also preserving
> > app-specific behaviour as an option.
> >
> > here are the four use cases:
>
> [snipped]
>
> Too complicated. I had to read this several times to see all the different
> combinations.

don't confuse "hard to understand all the implications of the implementation" 
with "hard to use". often it's quite complex to create something that appears 
simple. humans have extremeley complex "natural" expectations =)

> It is just asking for trouble if the ability to modify the 
> global default is added directly to individual widgets. 

why? you can always easily change it back (the same way you changed it in the 
first place, no less!)

the idea is to make lineedits follow a common global setting unless stated 
otherwise ("make this one edit an exception to the common rule"). i often 
don't want the default value, and when i change it in one place it's a bit 
odd for it not to change everywhere elsewhere. haven't i alreayd stated my 
preference?

the need/desire to have different sorts of completion in different lineedits 
is likely the exception rather than the rule. to the user, having all the 
lineedits follow their own completion settings by default probably makes it 
seem rather disconnected and tiresome to tweak each single one.

i haven't done any specific testing on this, so i'm just relying on common 
sense here. =) i do know it often catches me by surprise =)

> Specially one that 
> is labeled "Use Desktop-Wide Setting". It conveys nothing about modifying
> the default. 

the user doesn't need to know that it's modifying the default. that's an 
implementation detail. all they need to know is that when they change the 
completion mode, it changes everywhere unless they specifically request that 
it be localized to the current context. how that happens is not relevant.

> I rather see some sort of GUI that allows you to modify all 
> the global settings in a central manner if possible.

well, we (will) have KConfigEditor ... but that's not really a solution here. 
and placing this somewhere in KControl is unecessary when it is completely 
possible to do it from the context it matters: the Completion Mode menu.

> The last thing I want 
> to see is things becoming like KURL where everything including the kitchen
> sync gets added...

huh? all it does is change where the setting is written to and read from 
(kdeglobals vs <application>rc) and add one action to the menu. that's not 
exactly a substantive change, though it is a substantive improvement IMHO.

- -- 
Aaron J. Seigo
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