[Bitpim-devel] Users feedback dialog implementation

[d***@netzero.com]

While developing BITPIM support for the Samsung SCH-A650/A310, I came across a need to provide/display feedback info to users of various get/send phone data operations. As a result, I added a simple mechanism that allows individual com_* phone classes to record/report text messages to gui, which would then display them in a simple MessageDialog.

To use this feature, in the beginning of get/save routine, call:

reportinit(<operation name>, <result dict>)

where
<operation name>: text name of the current operation, for ex: 'Save Phonebook'. This name is for display purposes only.
<result dict>: the result dict normally being passed from gui to Phone and back.

Subsequently, to add text to be displayed, just call:

report(<text to be displayed>)

After all get/set ops are done, gui would then display all of these texts in a MessageDialog. This mechanism is compatible with existing code since if your routines do nothing, nothing will be displayed afterward (current behavior).

I submitted the code to Stephen and he suggested that I put some info out the list. All comments & suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

-Joe Pham


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[Roger Binns]

Post by d***@netzero.com
While developing BITPIM support for the Samsung SCH-A650/A310, I came
across a need to provide/display feedback info to users of various
get/send phone data operations.

Can you give some examples of what the feedback is?

In the name of usability, also point out why users would care the second
time they see the same feedback :-)

Roger

[d***@netzero.com]

One example is to inform users of resetting their phones when switching between BREW and non-BREW mode. For this particular case, I don't know if the users care to see it again or not, but I think it's definitely very helpful to beginners. Another example includes informing users that a phone/calendar entry they just entered is invalid and give them a chance to correct and resend. Hopefully, they wouldn't see the same message again. Currently, as far as I could determine, we have no way of communicating such info to the users except for "printing" it out to the Log tab, or generating an exception; both of which are geared mainly toward developers IMHO.

-Joe Pham

Post by d***@netzero.com
While developing BITPIM support for the Samsung SCH-A650/A310, I came
across a need to provide/display feedback info to users of various
get/send phone data operations.

Can you give some examples of what the feedback is?

In the name of usability, also point out why users would care the second
time they see the same feedback :-)

Roger


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[Roger Binns]

Post by d***@netzero.com
One example is to inform users of resetting their phones when
switching between BREW and non-BREW mode.

We just send that to the log when doing the reboot. It may be
of interest the first time to people, but after that they won't
care. For example this is in the vx4400 code:

self.log("Your phone has to be rebooted due to the speed dials changing")

We were planning on some log messages bringing up a message box
with a tickbox saying "don't show me next time". I can't find
where I posted about it in the archive.

Post by d***@netzero.com
Another example includes
informing users that a phone/calendar entry they just entered is
invalid and give them a chance to correct and resend.

In what way are entries invalid? In general they should just be
skipped. For example the LG code skips any entries that don't
have at least a phone number or an email address. Again the
intention is that will be logged as part of the stuff mentioning
fields being truncated etc. I certainly don't want people to
edit during the upload process.

Post by d***@netzero.com
they wouldn't see the same message again. Currently, as far as I
could determine, we have no way of communicating such info to the
users except for "printing" it out to the Log tab, or generating an
exception; both of which are geared mainly toward developers IMHO.

Correct. The "data mangling" messages do need to be generated all
together and ranked as we previously discussed.

Roger

[Roger Binns]

Post by d***@netzero.com
report(<text to be displayed>)

In general what you suggest is fine, but I would prefer that methods
be called on the helper object so it knows what is actually happening,
for example which entry the text pertains to and the severity. For
example it needs to decide if the dialog that is displayed should
have a cancel button.

Roger

[Vic Heintz]

Post by d***@netzero.com
One example is to inform users of resetting their phones when
switching between BREW and non-BREW mode. For this particular case, I
don't know if the users care to see it again or not, but I think it's
definitely very helpful to beginners. Another example includes
informing users that a phone/calendar entry they just entered is
invalid and give them a chance to correct and resend. Hopefully, they
wouldn't see the same message again. Currently, as far as I could
determine, we have no way of communicating such info to the users
except for "printing" it out to the Log tab, or generating an
exception; both of which are geared mainly toward developers IMHO.

Could be just a Mac OS thing but the Results dialog window is not
working for me. I've done "Get Phone Data" for Ringtones and Wallpaper
separately. In both cases I could see the progress at the bottom where
I saw the individual filenames. Then a dialog window popped up. For the
former the window was blank. The latter reported something about BitPim
rebooting the phone with an OK button that seemed to be non-functional.
In both case I had to force quit Python to kill BitPim. It didn't look
like the phone had been rebooted. I saw no evidence that any files had
been transferred.

Vic

[Vic Heintz]

Post by d***@netzero.com
Another example includes informing users that a phone/calendar entry
they just entered is invalid and give them a chance to correct and
resend.

Should have tested this before I sent the last note. BitPim does indeed
flag the fact that I typed more than 22 chars for a name on my Samsung
A670. However, the dialog box reporting this on my Mac has an OK button
which does not appear to be functional. I had to force quit the app.

Vic

[d***@netzero.com]

Agreed per our previous discussion wrt your long term view. This is more of a temporary next best thing, which may longer be useful once the long term goal is achieved.

-Joe Pham

Post by d***@netzero.com
report(<text to be displayed>)

In general what you suggest is fine, but I would prefer that methods
be called on the helper object so it knows what is actually happening,
for example which entry the text pertains to and the severity. For
example it needs to decide if the dialog that is displayed should
have a cancel button.

Roger


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