[Kexi-devel] [Kexi] Some bugs and suggestions

[Jarosław Staniek]

>> On Saturday 21 January 2006 08:13, Custodis wrote:
>>   
>> Robby, thanks for these tests. Below I will try to add some more info. For any 
>> non-trivial defect you found, please consider reporting it on the 
>> bugs.kde.org web site (registering needed) so others will be able to track 
>> the overall progress.
>> I'll refer to Kexi 1.0 beta1 (aka 2006) if there's a given bug fixed "almost 
>> for sure".
>>
>>   
> I've Googled, but couldn't find this version to download. So I can't 
> confirm it. But good work! It will help to give Kexi trustworthy image.

Thanks; the "2006" version is not yet available on win32. About 3 weeks left.

By the way, are you able/interested in testing Linux version in the meantime 
on in the future?

>>> Bugs

[..]

>>> - When creating a new data table; the length of the text variables are
>>> not remembered. The all go back to the default value 200
>>>     
>>
>> It appears to be fixed in 1.0. Anyway the property in not usied in Forms yet 
>> and we're not restricting user input in table view yet as well.
>>   
> Oke. (By the way 200 is a very high default number. 50 would do fine also).

200 is not random number. For database engines, most notable file-based 
database, setting 50 you probably won't save memory. I may be wrong for 
current version however. I agree that we should provide setting for this 
default to the user. Added as TODO.

>> This depends on your system settings. On Windows, IIRC we're not mapping 
>> system settings to Kexi (KDE) settings yet, that's because international 
>> win32 version is in fact english version and I've not planned to support more 
>> languages in the DEMO.
>> On Linux, Control Center settings are used for displaying , or . Eg. I am 
>> using polish settings that's similar to yours with no problem.
>>   
> Sorry, don't understand this. Other application can handle this, so my 
> general settings seems to be fine. I understand it's not wise to support 
> all languages (yet). But it would be nice when a user can choose this 
> setting (apart from the language settings). Same thing for the way it 
> handles dates (mm/dd/yyyy --> dd/mm/yyyy).

This is improved in 1.0 beta1 now (and even more in forthcoming RC1). I am 
still not mapping windows settings to KDE settings (Kexi just looks at KDE 
settings). This is related to KDE libraries on windows. TODO.

For 2006 international version (not yet available) you could edit 'documents 
and settings/.kde/share/config/kdeglobals' file and add or find [Locale] 
section and add:

[Locale]
DateFormatShort=%Y-%m-%d
TimeFormat=%H:%M:%S

..alter these settings using variables described here:
http://developer.kde.org/documentation/library/3.5-api/kdelibs-apidocs/kdecore/html/classKLocale.html#a59


Don't forget to execute "Refresh KDE configuration info" command from your 
Start->Kexi submenu.
This is temporary solution on win32 only.

>>> - When entering a database it isn’t possible to “save as” (for nothing
>>> has changed jet).
>>>     
>>
>> What's "entering a database" here? Do you mean "save table as" function?
>>   
> I mean opening it. And then "save table as" (you first have to change 
> something before this option can be used).

The issue is that currently "Save as" action is not avaiable at all. So Kexi 
asks you about the name for the object (table, form, etc.) onyl when the 
object has not yet been saved. TODO for 2006-update.

>>> - Data entered is not always stored (but this may be my lack of
>>> experience with the program).
>>>     
>>
>> In your version, there are chances that query design can be saved with a bug. 
>> In case of data, you have a guaranteed saving it properly (at record level) 
>> or not saving it at all (moving to another row or pressing Shift+Enter saves 
>> the data immediately). The latter can be (almost) only if you forget to save 
>> the currently edited record and turn the computer immediately.
>>   
> What I did was entering a record in a form and than save. Than going to 
> the table and seeing the data isn't there. I'll try to observe further 
> when this happens. It may have to do something with wrong data type; for 
> they were all entered by hand. No error message occurred.

This can be bug, so reproducing it will help a lot. At least an error message 
should be displayed. Let's wait with this test for 2006 version, as it may be 
fixed already.

> While I'm working on...
> - it seems to me the possibility to use a input box in witch you can 
> choose several input values, would be nice to.

Combo box is indeed the hottest feature users want. TODO for 2006-update.

> - will it be possible to add extensions to the program? It might attract 
> developers to do program small parts without insight in the total 
> program code, and without the need to compile for every new option.

There are many ways to create such extensions in Kexi, as almost every 
"window" type in a plugin in fact. In particular we're looking for database 
drivers developers. Other planned extensions are form widgets: barcodes, media 
(video, graphics, sound), graphs, plots... There is alraedy code ready to use, 
"just" wrapping it into plugin is needed. Some of this may come in 2006.

-- 
regards / pozdrawiam,
  Jaroslaw Staniek / OpenOffice Polska

  Kexi Developer:      http://www.kexi-project.org | http://koffice.org/kexi
  Kexi Support:        http://www.kexi-project.org/support.html
  Kexi For MS Windows: http://kexi.pl/wiki/index.php/Kexi_for_MS_Windows
  KDE3, KDE4 Libraries For Developing MS Windows Applications:
                       http://www.kdelibs.com/wiki