[Chandler-dev] Proposal for a startup-options dialog

[Morgen Sagen]

I like the idea, and we might also want to add the ability to roll  
back the repository to a past version via the dialog -- a repository- 
based undo, if you will.

On May 15, 2006, at 11:15 AM, Bryan Stearns wrote:

> Recent Chandler issues have produced situations where a user has  
> needed to "interact directly" with his/her repository:
> - The repository is damaged and can't be opened
> - The repository isn't damaged, but the last Chandler run died and  
> left it with broken UI structures, such that Chandler gets confused  
> on startup and crashes. (I think the problem Sheila just showed me  
> falls into this case, which is why I'm sending this now.)
> - A corrupt repository needs to be sent to us.
> - Additionally, it's sometimes useful to tell Chandler to --create  
> a new repository, but the user doesn't normally start Chandler from  
> the command line -- figuring out how to do this is an extra hurdle  
> for the user to solve in a situation where we've let him/her down.
>
> I propose we add a mechanism to put up a dialog on startup if the  
> user is holding down a metakey (to be named later; we can figure  
> one out that works on all platforms and doesn't interfere with  
> basic application launching); this dialog would offer this radio- 
> group of choices;
> - Continue startup normally (the default, in case the metakey's  
> inadvertently down)
> - Keep my data, but reset the UI information in my repository
> - Discard my repository completely and start over
>
> and optionally (a separate checkbox with two editfields)
> - Send my repository to OSAF; here's my email address so OSAF can  
> ask me followup questions: [       ] and the number of the bug I  
> filed about this: [       ].
>
> I proposed something like this a long time ago, and it generally  
> got boo'd down, I think because "we should just fix the bugs that  
> leave the repository in a bad state". I agree that we need to fix  
> bugs like this, but for a while yet we'll need a mechanism to help  
> users affected by these problems, other than "Just go find your  
> profile directory and delete it. Oh, you don't know what that is?  
> Just start Chandler with the --create option. Oh, you've never used  
> a command line?"...)
>
> ...Bryan
>
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