[Kde-hardware-devel] Tokamak4 Network Management notes - progress update

[Will Stephenson]

On Thursday 04 March 2010 15:24:38 Sebastian Kügler wrote:
> Hey Network Managers!
> 
> I've done many of the UI changes over the last week, and I'm actually quite
> pleased with the result so far.
> 
> On Wednesday 24 February 2010 11:19:55 Will Stephenson wrote:
> > At Tokamak 4 yesterday myself, Sebastian Kügler and Alexander Naumov got
> > together to plan what we want to achieve with Network Management,
> > especially the plasmoid.
> > 
> > * Layout - AI: sebas, distribute mockups.  Roughly: continue twin pane
> > approach.  LHS shows interface status overview and alternately interface
> > details on click.
> 
> This is done, pending interface details on Alex' table. (Alex, if you won't
> get to this shortly, I can pitch in here as well, should be fun code to
> write. Just let me know wether I should touch it or not. It's the largest
> part of the UI that's unfinished at this point)

I just discussed this with Alex face to face, I think he should be clear about 
what is needed and where the code to get the details comes from 
(monolithic/tooltipbuilder.*).

> > RHS shows available connections and alternately all connections(wireless
> > networks for which no connection exists) in list.
> 
> Done, the two tabs are gone, everything's merged into one list, there's a
> show all button now.

This works but the layout looks a bit naked.  There is no separation between 
the left pane and the right pane, and there's no indication of what the panes 
contain.  When an interface is selected (in details mode), it isn't obvious 
that the right is showing that interface's connections.  

Connections are not sorted, I think this should be by activity and then by 
type.

Is the yellow blob on an active system Ethernet connection icon indicating it 
is active or that it is a system connection?  Oh it's a badly rendered smilie 
:( indicating default route.  So active Ethernet connections need to be bolded 
too.

> > * Hidden networks - broken down the stack. AI: will to fix
> > * Connection sharing - show 'Share this connection' when an active
> > Ethernet or 3G interface is selected
> > * Adhoc - will be presented as 'Create new network' in networks list
> 
> Will, are you putting something suitable on the bus as RemoteActivatable,
> or is this purely in the UI? (just calling activatable->activate() and
> then having everything else happening somewhere else sounds finest to me.

I'll put something on the bus for you.

> > * Enable networking - missing in knetworkmanager, present in plasmoid
> > * Artwork/icons - Martin Zilz now working on these.  We need to show vpn
> > status in the tray icon.  Default route icon to be replaced by bold text
> > on interface owning the defaultroute.
> 
> I've actually changed the idea here a bit. Active connections are now
> indeed bold, the default route has a smilie icon (no heart, Alex ;)).
> Looks and works nicely.
> 
> > * NetworkManager 0.8 - since openSUSE 11.3 will have this, all major NM
> > distros are on it, therefore developers should target 0.8
> > * Mobile Broadband - AI: will to integrate libqmbca this week
> > * Tethering/Bluetooth - AI: will to investigate
> > * Connection details - to be presented modally in the plasmoid popup left
> > hand pane.  Initially this pane shows each interface's status, when an
> > interface is clicked the pane shows details of that interface and its
> > connection(s)  AI: anaumov
> 
> See above.
> 
> > * Polishing - AI: agateau to continue to fix paper kuts.
> > * Tooltip - no tooltip on popup, existing plasmoid tray icon tooltip
> > nearly good enough but should show active connection names.
> 
> Next on my plate.
> 
> > * VPNs - AI: sebas to get himself a VPN to use and offer VPN connections
> > in the connection list right hand pane
> 
> Next-next on my plate. ;-)
> 
> > * System connections - AI:will to add support for these in KCM.

Otherwise, great work!

Will