[Geany-devel] Unhide preferences

[Dimitar Zhekov]

On Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:46:23 +0100
Nick Treleaven <nick.treleaven at btinternet.com> wrote:

> On Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:01:10 +0300
> Dimitar Zhekov <dimitar.zhekov at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > What do you think about creating a firefox-about:config-like interface
> > for the hidden preferences? For example, a "Various" tab in the
> > preferences dialog, with a "name value" list, a check button or a
> > text entry (depending on the currenttly selected element), and a
> > link to www.geany.org/manual/current/#hidden-preferences.
> > 
> > That'll take some time to write, for example to check that all changes
> > are applied immediately, but I'm willing to do it, if you think it's a
> > good idea. The stash provides a good base for such an interface.
> 
> It would be nice for the user. However, it would mean all hidden prefs
> would need to be made reloadable. I don't want to do that really.

Yes... Some settings will probabbly work automatically, for example
editor ones, and others may be easily reloadable, but I too don't want
deep changes just to make _all_ prefs "appliable".

> The feature could still be implemented, but require that the user
> restart after editing a setting. An info area could be shown reminding
> the user to restart.

Quite reasonable, IMHO.

> Perhaps the feature should be implemented as a plugin, but could be
> shipped with Geany.

A plugin implies that the hidden prefs will both be visually editable
and retain their "hidden" status... Having it both ways seems confusing
to me, not simpler.

Such a plugin will either have to include it's own list all hidden
prefs, synced with Geany, or rely on specially exported functions,
useful only for this particular plugin. A tab in the Preferences
dialog, OTOH, is much more straightforward to implement.

-- 
E-gards: Jimmy