[kdepim-users] New computer

[ianseeks]

On Saturday 14 August 2010 22:07:20 Ingo Klöcker wrote:
> On Friday 13 August 2010, ianseeks wrote:
> > On Friday 13 August 2010 19:52:49 Ingo Klöcker wrote:
> > > On Friday 13 August 2010, ianseeks wrote:
> > > > On Friday 13 August 2010 09:44:01 O. Sinclair wrote:
> > > > > Got a new laptop and am busy installing it. So far so good.
> > > > > Next step is to move data from old to new.
> > > > > 
> > > > > This time I am not going for the easiest solution, to copy
> > > > > everything under /home/myname, but I want an as clean as
> > > > > possible solution. BUT want my mail, my mail accounts, my
> > > > > contacts, notes and information such as replied-to, filters
> > > > > etc copied over.
> > > > > 
> > > > > I am aware of this info:
> > > > > http://userbase.kde.org/KMail/FAQs_Hints_and_Tips#Transfer_mail
> > > > > _and _setting
> > > > > s_to_another_computer_.28or_another_user_account_on_the_same_ma
> > > > > chi ne.29
> > > > > 
> > > > > but is it still up to date after KAdressbook started using
> > > > > Akonadi?
> > > > > 
> > > > > I also found this in an old email:
> > > > > Substitute the appropriate path below.
> > > > > 
> > > > > You need the following config files:
> > > > > 
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/emaildefaults
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/emailidentities
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/kmail.eventsrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/kmailrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/kaddressbookrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/kresources/contact
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/korgacrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/korganizerrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/knotesrc
> > > > > 
> > > > > and the following directories:
> > > > > 
> > > > > .kde4/share/apps/kmail
> > > > > .kde4/share/apps/kabc
> > > > > .kde4/share/apps/korganizer
> > > > > .kde4/share/apps/knotes
> > > > > 
> > > > > If you use Akregator within Kontact, you will also need:
> > > > > 
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/akregator.eventsrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/akregatorrc
> > > > > .kde4/share/config/kopete.eventsrc
> > > > > 
> > > > > and the whole .kde4/share/apps/akregator directory.
> > > > > 
> > > > > is that a more "complete" list and has something changed since
> > > > > migration to Akonadi (this was pre-Akonadi Contacts)
> > > > 
> > > > Wouldn't it be nice to have a ".kontact" folder that included
> > > > links to all the kontact data scattered all over your home
> > > > directory then you could just type one "cp" command.
> > > 
> > > Nice idea. But this would only allow you to backup the data easily.
> > > On the new system you still would have to put all files into the
> > > correct locations.
> > 
> > Yes, i think this is a big problem that goes wider than kontact.
> > There seems to be no standard that all the apps should follow where
> > data and config files reside.  They all seem to make it up as they
> > go along.
> 
> No. They don't.
> 
> For KDE applications this is pretty much standardized:
> - settings are stored in ~/.kde/share/config
> - data is stored in ~/.kde/share/apps/<appname>
Except kmail is ~/Mail in my home directory and the home directory is littered 
with "." files.  Its all a matter of making things self-explanatory e.g. why 
is the data directory "~/.kde/share/apps/<appname>" not called 
"~/.kde/data/<appname>"
All "." files should be under a directory called ".config" (or similar) Home 
directories should not be littered with files, it looks like the very old 
MSDOS days where people should file in the route directory until it filled up.

> It gets a bit more complicated because of background components used by
> many KDE applications, e.g. kabc (the old KDE service for accessing
> address books) or Nepomuk.
Yes, thats why its got to be rationalised to make it more user friendly and 
self explanatory.  Its probably a task for for a Usability team to create a 
simple template structure that all KDE programs should follow and not get into 
the main stream until the adhere to the standard.
  
> And then there is Akonadi which is not a KDE background component.
> Therefore Akonadi uses the standard locations for non-KDE components,
> i.e.
> ~/.config/akonadi - for settings
> ~/.local/share/akonadi - for data
I understand that Akonadi is not a KDE component but as it is being integrated 
into main KDE programs and is now by association, an absolute KDE app 
dependency as certain apps will not run without it. In my opinion, it should 
follow the KDE config and data structures.
> 
> So, the problem is not that we use random locations for settings and
> data (they are not random). The problem is that you need to know which
> background components are relevant for Kontact.
Thats more or less my point.  They may not be random to a developer but as a 
user i shouldn't need to know this sort of developers detail. I should just be 
able to "cp/rsync" a single directory for the whole of kontact or if i want 
just to back up kmail then its "cp/rsync" "kontact_dir/kmail" - i shouldnt 
care if the data is stored in old or new formats 
> 
> Regards,
> Ingo
I hope you see this as constructive criticism and not an attack on KDE.  
Obviously a comprehensive backup app would help.

regards

Ian
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