Author Topic: free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)  (Read 33245 times)

Offline tanstaafl

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2005, 08:51:22 PM »
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If PM is going to auto-fill the username, then you have to enter it - which I always do. Every Account I have has a username entered - so this should definitely be on the Main Tab.
Unless you always use the same username, in which case it doesn't need to be...
Yes, but on average, I think it makes much more sense to have the URL and username fields on the Main Tab.

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(and thinking of PM as secret-info-database, not everything will *have* a username/password... but I'm ok with it either way - really I just want a bigger description field...
Well - I don't see PM evolving into that, but who can say... I just want it to do what it is doing now - only better...

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Mainly, though, I'd eventually like to see the Encryption options separated out into their own Tab - l33t, hash, pass length and character set.
Off the first tab, yes, but if you mean a third tab (first is name&desc,etc, second is password config info, and third is l33t etc, I'd argue against it - I'd rather all the password *configuration* stuff on one tab - and put the daily-use stuff (username, password, URL - so you can click to go there) on the first tab.
Who said anything about a THIRD Tab?

Currently, even TWO tabs is a bit much, but THREE? You want an entire Tab just for the Account Name and Descrition/Comments? Why waste an entire Tab for just those two things?

Most people will want to modify the URL and/or username fields at least fairly occasionally - more often than changing their Encrytion settings, for certain. I think this is a natural dividing point - but thats just me. I have every confidence in Eric making the right choice - he hasn't let us down yet. When the Settings need Tabs, he'll add them (2 to start).

Offline Eric H. Jung

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2005, 10:16:05 PM »
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I just stuck these images on my own web server - is there a better place to put 'em?
Yes, please use an image-hosting service like imageshack, flickr, etc. Most people here tend to use imageshack.
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and are they sized ok?
yep. they look great. thanks for the suggestion; your screenshots demonstrate precisely what I was thinking, too.

This box is only going to get larger and more feature-rich; I definitely foresee the need for a third tab. For instance, the outstanding feature request re: management of custom pre-defined character sets requires its own page (whether it be a tab or a pop-up dialog, doesn't matter, but I prefer the tab). It will have essentially all the same controls as the Account tab/dialog--new group, new set, delete selection, copy/clone, a tree view, etc...quite large.

As for actual placement of which controls go on which tabs, you guys will have to trust me to do the right thing :)

FWIW, I will probably make the Generated Password appear on all tabs. That is, it would be placed off the tabbox so it's always visible. This way, you can quickly and easily see how the changes you're making affect the generated password. The whole reason Generated Password is on this dialog is because a number of people requested it. Originally, it was only on the Advanced and Basic Options. You didn't get a "preview" of the generated password until you clicked OK on the Account Settings. Quite a pain if you're experimenting with settings.

Offline ajw

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #17 on: October 08, 2005, 02:19:00 AM »
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Yes, but on average, I think it makes much more sense to have the URL and username fields on the Main Tab.
I'll agree it does right now; if PM did morph into a more general tool then it could be re-visited then.  And if it doesn't become more general, then they should be there - I agree.

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Well - I don't see PM evolving into that, but who can say... I just want it to do what it is doing now - only better...

then I'll hold my breath and stamp my feet until I get my way!  :)

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Who said anything about a THIRD Tab?
I was just confirming that *you* weren't suggesting a third tab!  I wasn't suggesting it! (remember, I'm the one for one big humongous everything-visible Really Ugly dialog!  :)

But then, in the next message, Eric said...
This box is only going to get larger and more feature-rich; I definitely foresee the need for a third tab.

(Alan pumps his chest up and tries to look rightous and important - and fails miserably...)

Hey, the tabs can always be reorganized and improved later - as long as I get my multi-line description I'm gonna be happy.
Or at least until my next feature request...  :D

- Al -

Offline ajw

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #18 on: October 08, 2005, 02:25:00 AM »
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I just stuck these images on my own web server - is there a better place to put 'em?
Yes, please use an image-hosting service like imageshack, flickr, etc. Most people here tend to use imageshack.
Ok, just did so.


And I'll trust you to to place controls on the right tabs, and you'll trust us to complain we want it differently?   :)


If you want, I can mock up a few tab examples with various layouts - use them as something to throw sticks at...

- Al -

Offline tanstaafl

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #19 on: October 08, 2005, 03:19:05 AM »
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Well - I don't see PM evolving into that, but who can say... I just want it to do what it is doing now - only better...
then I'll hold my breath and stamp my feet until I get my way!
:boxing:

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But then, in the next message, Eric said...
This box is only going to get larger and more feature-rich; I definitely foresee the need for a third tab.

(Alan pumps his chest up and tries to look rightous and important - and fails miserably...)
:lol:

:cheers:

Offline Eric H. Jung

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #20 on: October 08, 2005, 04:44:55 AM »
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If you want, I can mock up a few tab examples with various layouts - use them as something to throw sticks at...
This would be most helpful if you did it in XUL using the accountsettings.xul file in PasswordMaker because your code would actually make it into the extension. IOW, you'd be contributing to the code. I know you are a programmer (checked out your website and you mentioned it previously). If you're interested, here's what to do. It's quite simple.
  • Download accountsettings.xul and store it somewhere on your hard drive
  • Drag-and-drop this file onto Firefox or Mozilla to view it (or use File->Open File) edit: alternatively, type java script:openDialog("file:///C:/accountsettings.xul","","all=no,resizable") into Tools->Javascript Console->Evaluate
  • Learn the straightforward XUL presentation language at XUL Planet. Specifically, read about <tabbox/>, <tabs/>, <tab/>, <tabpanels/> and <tabpanel/>. If you know HTML or another presentation language (like Palm web clipping apps), you should have no problems!
  • Make changes to accountsettings.xul in your favorite text editor; use refresh in the browser to see your changes
You'll be acknowledged for your work if you do this in the About box and everywhere else. You'll also be well on your way towards writing your own custom extensions!

-Eric
edit:To get the styles looking correct, add
Code: [Select]
<?xml-stylesheet href="chrome://global/skin/" type="text/css"?>to the top of the file.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2005, 05:03:40 AM by Eric H. Jung »

Offline ajw

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #21 on: October 09, 2005, 12:40:33 AM »
I started playing with the XUL stuff last night (so it's *your* fault I didn't finish the stuff I told my client I would!)

I've got a deep learning curve there - I know just enough HTML and CSS to be dangerous, and the XUL is obtuse in some ways - I find object-oriented to be great once you understand what everything does, but steep to learn at the beginning; too many things defined in terms of itself or others.   (attributes for hbox/vb script:openDialog("file:///D:/projects/PasswordMaker/playground/accountsettings.xul","","all=no,resizable")",
I *do* get a popup, and I can drag-resize it fine.
But I can only do the execute once - if I close the account settings dialog, and hit Execute again, nothing happens.
I have to close the Javascript console and re-open it before I can execute java script:openDialog again.
Is that normal too?  seems to me it shouldn't be...

The console also reports various errors - I assume that's normal because it's using CSS (and .js ?) from the installed PasswordMaker, right?

If I have to reinstall Firefox to do development, I'll do that - I've been meaning to for a while but just too many other things to do...   Just not sure when I can do it though.  May try another FF profile and see if that's enough.

Ok, now to the changes:

at line 43, change from:
Code: [Select]
 <hbox><label id="accountDescrLabel" value="Description" style="margin-top: 0.4em;" tooltiptext="Description for this account"/>
      <textbox id="accountDescription" tooltiptext="Description for this account" flex="1"/></hbox>

change to:
Code: [Select]
 <vbox flex="99">
    <hbox flex="99">
        <label id="accountDescrLabel" value="Description" style="margin-top: 0.4em;" tooltiptext="Description for this account"/>
        <textbox id="accountDescription"   multiline="true" tooltiptext="Description for this account" flex="1" />
    </hbox>
  </vbox>

(changes being:  add vbox before, /vbox after, add flex="99" to hbox)


See what you think of the dialog this way - except for the jitter during resize, I like it...

I'll play with changing it to tabs soon - got lots more reading to do...  (and gotta get the changes for my client before I can continue this  :)


Now, about...

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I know you are a programmer (checked out your website and you mentioned it previously).
You saw my website and you still want me to work on this!?!?  Man, you *are* desperate!!    :lol:

I *am* definitely interested in working on Palm synchronization too, btw; I could see an advantage to having a Palm conduit so everything's sync'd at "normal Palm HotSync" time, in addition to any FTP-type sync with PC and PDA  (and I forget where tanstaafl wrote it - he's right; PDAs are getting more wireless, so PDA to FTP sync does make sense  - but I'd also argue that since HotSync (on Palm) or ActiveSync (on PocketPC) is expected to sync all the data both ways, that'd be good to support too)   Probably needs to wait for PDA version though.

- Al -

Offline Eric H. Jung

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #22 on: October 09, 2005, 06:04:06 PM »
Hi Al,
I'm on vacation at the moment--don't have time to write an extensive reply. Most of what you're experiencing should be expected, though. You  can get the .openWindow() bit to work w/o having to open/close the JS console by changing the window's name eveytime you hit execute. Right now the name is just "". Do a google on javascript openWindow() to find out which parameter is the window name--I can't remember off-hand.

As for the Palm conduit, just remember that if the PDA version is written in java, it doesn't have access to palm conduits (i've done some palm programming myself, actually wrote about in one of my books--but strictly java--not using the Palm C API).

will write more Monday night,
eric

Offline ajw

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free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
« Reply #23 on: October 09, 2005, 06:17:00 PM »
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I'm on vacation at the moment ...

Hmmm...   You and Tyr are both on vacation this weekend - sounds suspicioius to me!!  :)

Have a great time - I missed my family's annual vacation in Myrtle Beach this year due to illness (long story - and getting longer day by day...  :(

It took meeting my wife to find out that vacations are a Good Thing - she's smarter than I am, but:
    I think I'm really smart,
    and my wife is really dumb.
    'Cause I married her,
    and she married me.
    [/li][/list]No problem - I've got lots to learn with all this; I'll try not to be too big a pest with newbie questions!

    I know Palm took Java conduits away for a while, but I believe they're supported again.    Although the conduit is syncing the database; shouldn't matter if the app itself is C or Java - should it?  Gah - more stuff to read - haven't touched the conduit docs in ages...

    see ya post-vacation!

    - Al -

    Offline Tyrantmizar

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    free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
    « Reply #24 on: October 10, 2005, 10:50:09 PM »
    Added to the FRL.
    Tyrantmizar
    - <a href="http://tyrantmizar.blogsome.com/">Check out my blog</a> (shameless plug :P)
    - Lord of the Feature Requests / Enhancements Forum - BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!
    - Lord of the other one, the [url=http://forums.passwordmaker.o

    Offline Eric H. Jung

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    free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
    « Reply #25 on: October 16, 2005, 10:18:46 PM »
    Al,
    Sorry, only saw this reply now!

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    I know Palm took Java conduits away for a while, but I believe they're supported again.
    They are? If you find any docs on how to do this with Java, please let me know.

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    I think I'm really smart,
    and my wife is really dumb.
    'Cause I married her,
    and she married me.
    UNDERSTOOD! Ditto.

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    I've got lots to learn with all this; I'll try not to be too big a pest with newbie questions!
    Please continue to ask. It's keeping me busy. :)
    « Last Edit: October 17, 2005, 04:58:37 AM by Eric H. Jung »

    LkonKbd

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    free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
    « Reply #26 on: October 17, 2005, 01:04:57 PM »
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    Bring up the New Account dialog now, then stretch it vertically - you get all the options at the top, then this big grey area, and the ok/cancel buttons at the bottom.  Looks pretty silly...   At least if the description expands it makes the dialog look reasonable.

    - Al -
    OK, if I may?

    On your suggestion for "...then stretch it vertically -..." is available with PWM, just click the edge of the window when the double-headed arrow is visible and drag it down.  Just do not have the 'Notes' box available at this time.  You can also drag it horiz. and this works with the 'BasicOptions' and 'AdvancedOptions.'

    Here is my $0.002 worth on this subject, if the 'Description' box, if it is expanded to "Description/Notes" then maybe it should not be at the top of the window, maybe the bottom would be best, and for the window for 'AdvancedOptions'/ 'Accounts' move it to the last entry for the little box you have in the Upper/RightHand corner for selectable displays.

    The above should have read, ". . .if it is expanded to "Description/Notes" then maybe it should not be at the top of the 'Settings' window, maybe the bottom would be best.  For the window for 'AdvancedOptions'/ 'Accounts' move it to the last entry for the little box you have in the Upper/RightHand corner for selectable displays."  In other words if data is entered in that area then it is going to dominate the tab window for 'Groups' unless it will be restricted to the first 20 characters so the description will be in that area.

    Just a thought, as if you needed more?

    "Eric,"

    Do you have enough PROPS for your head with all of these ideas collected here along with the ones you already have?

    TIA, CU L8R,
    « Last Edit: October 17, 2005, 06:39:32 PM by LkonKbd »

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    free-form text field on accounts (and groups?)
    « Reply #26 on: October 17, 2005, 01:04:57 PM »