KGrubEditor QA Testing

I can only seem to move an OS entry up or down by one. After removing unused entries and re-ordering active ones from the original menu.lst's "other operating systems" section, I am unable to move a non AutoMagic entry from its location. at all.

For example:
my original menu list has the standard entries for Intrepid's 2.6.26 and 2.6.27 kernels, recovery, and las-successful-boot mode. Then it has the Other Operating Systems section with my Hardy dual-boot entries.

I moved my main Hardy entry up one slot and removed all other Hardy entries as well as the "other operating systems" line. Now my Hardy entry is at the very bottom of my new list, and I am unable to move that entry at all, I can't move another entry down to be below Hardy's entry Either.

Editing an OS entry, creating a background image from my supplied image worked great, including the image preview. It was very easy to use

KGrubEditor's UI has a couple of inconsistencies when compared to other modules in System Settings.

The first is the header which I've marked in red at the top of the attached image. Following the convention set by the other System Settings modules which, like KGrubEditor, have an icon list down the left side for switching between their component KCMs, that header should be omitted (as depicted at the bottom of the attached image). For support of this convention see Appearance, Desktop, Notifications, Window Behavior, and many other modules in System Settings.

Another oddity is KGrubEditor's Tools KCM, which feels like it was thrown together at the last minute without much organizational consideration, and certainly isn't like any other Systems Settings module from a usability standpoint. "Tools" should be replaced in the icon list by its current sub-categories, i.e. Backup & Install, Device Naming, and Config Files, rather than having those sub-categories presented through awkward popup dialogs. The wizards for "Manage Backups" and "Install/Restore GRUB" might have to suffice as-is, although they could possibly be reworked into a series of combo boxes and lists, similar to the dynamic behavior of Bugzilla's advanced search form.

I have not yet tested the code but I am willing to do so. I now noticed first the problems with text on the configuration tool....

Does it really need to say "List of Operating Systems"? Because it just gives false information about operating systems, like Ubuntu would be different Operating System than Mandriva if both distributions are installed on machine.

Altought that is correct if there is just a one entry of Windows and Linux, because those are two different operating systems, Windows NT and Linux.

I suggest that text is changed to "Boot entries" or other that kind neutral information what can be used for different operating systems and different distributions of same operating systems.
Because it is false to call Ubuntu as operating system, when Ubuntu is the software system what includes Linux operating system. Altought I am not sure do we want to follow technical facts or follow marketing terms what makes computer science false.

Fetching and installing splash images using the add-on installer doesn't work correctly:

1. Go to Options -> Background
2. Click "Get New..."
3. Select a splash image from the KDE-Look.org source; click "Install" then "Close"
4. Click open the splash image combo box; the downloaded image isn't listed, and "No Splash Image" remains the only entry

The downloaded image is stored as /tmp/kde-your_username/foo, where "foo" is a randomly generated 10-digit alphanumeric filename with no extensions. `file` shows these files are the same type as GRUB splash images (gzipped XPMs):

$ cd /tmp/kde-goatsocks
$ ls
4Pn9seZnxz 99UWyhRoKh

$ file 4Pn9seZnxz 99UWyhRoKh
4Pn9seZnxz: gzip compressed data, was "watch.xpm", from Unix, last modified: Mon Jul 28 19:39:48 2008, max compression
99UWyhRoKh: gzip compressed data, was "Train.xpm", from Unix, last modified: Mon Jul 7 00:35:13 2008, max compression

As a workaround you can force KGrubEditor to recognize the images:

1. Rename the downloaded files to their original names (i.e. "watch.xpm.gz", "Train.xpm.gz") but keep them in the /tmp/kde-your_username directory
2. Close System Settings (or the standalone KGrubEditor) then re-launch it and go back to the Background tab
3. Click open the splash image combo box; the downloaded images should now be visible and selectable

@Clay Weber: Can you attach a screenshot of your new OS list? Do you have only one non-Automagic entry or can you not organize between two non-Automagic entries?

@Connor Kirwan: Good catch on the double header. I suspect that is an artifact left from converting the stand alone application to a KCM module. I'll have to talk about the Tools page with Artemis, AFAIK neither of us think the contents are that disruptive, but there may be a better way to organize them.

@Fri13: It actually says "GRUB Operating Systems List". Conceptually, Ubuntu and Mandriva are two different OSes to the target user, even if this isn't technically true and they are instances of the same or similar OS. The goal for the UI was to provide GRUB options to a class of users that are less technical than those who feel comfortable editing the GRUB config by hand. The point is that the idea is there. However, the title is incorrect in that it is actually a list of bootable kernels, because there can be multiple menu entries for a single installed OS. This could be confusing to users who don't know this and I wouldn't want them to think there are multiple installations of Ubuntu. Maybe "GRUB Boot List"

@Connor Kirwan: GHNS backgrounds not working is a known issue, thanks for the analysis

@Celeste: Yes, for user who does not know the truth, believe that Ubuntu and Mandriva are two different operating systems. But that believing just brings more problems for them in long run when they start learning the computers. I believe that no one should give misinformation for new users because it just makes the conversations harder with advanced users. The problem is that the "GRUB Operating Systems list" does not actually say that the list options would be different operating systems, neither it does say they can be same.
Currently there is lots of problems with definition "Operating System" because it has be used so much lately for marketing.
And there spreads so much false believeings that Ubuntu is the operating system, so the Mozilla Firefox and OpenOffice etc are part of operating systems. I just hope that when we are talking about computer science, we should use correct definitions.
You are right that we cant have "GRUB Kernel list" because it is more technical, even it is same as "GRUB Operating Systems list". (Linux is the operating system, you know? ;).
And when avarage Joe wants to edit the boot options, he does search information about "boot" or other similar thing. I dont think does GRUB say anything but again, we cant hide that infomation because it is needed for documents and computer books mention GRUB or LILO, so it will come familiar for them.

So we actually cant have words "Operating System" or "Kernel" (both means almost same thing depending kernel structure http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0130313580/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-7158569-1619062#reader-link check page 2 and 3) because it just brings problems for novice user in future, while the advanced user would know what they mean and what is the complete software system (Ubuntu or Mandriva) and Distribution. Just like you said, you can have multiple entries of same operating system to boot different systems or boot the operating system with different settings. Problem is actually that many user has false believe that operating system == system what you operate.

So I am voting for the "GRUB boot list" text for there. It is neutral and does not spread misinformation among users. The point is still there. I think it is vital to not spread misinformation for novice users, even it would be with good faith. Because isn't it usability, that you take care not to make problems for user in later use? The words can be even more problematic than just the GUI or functionality etc ;-)

@Clay Weber: A screenshot would be nice along with some more details.

@Connor Kirwan #1: Indeed, it isn't that nice, but I'm not sure if this double header can be removed. I'll take a closer look.

@Connor Kirwan #2: Actually this issue with GHNS is new. The old one is different. Could you please check the following: when you click "Install" is the splash image downloaded at /boot/grub/splashimages or only under the /tmp/ directory?

@Fri13: I'll talk with Celeste and act accordingly. Thanks for the notice.

This is my "stock" menu list, with Intrepid entries at the top, Hardy entries at the bottom

And where does moving fail? Which entry do you try to move and towards which direction (up/down)?

Here is my modified setup. In attempting to move the Hardy entry higher on the list, this is as far as I can move it. Also, I cannot move any AutoMagic entries below my Hardy entry, and I cannot move a non-AutoMagic entry any higher than just below the lowest AutoMagic entry.

This is the expected behaviour. Check the tooltip which pops up when trying to do this action. You'll see that moving out of/in the AutoMagic list of entries is not allowed so as to prevent your system from breaking when you install a new kernel in the future.

I wasn't seeing the popup :(

I do see it now. The arrow button was greyed out so I didn't think of trying to click on it. Didn't occur to me to try, honestly :)

Artemis Fowl: "Could you please check the following: when you click "Install" is the splash image downloaded at /boot/grub/splashimages or only under the /tmp/ directory?"

I don't have a splashimages/ subdir under /boot/grub so the only place I find the downloaded image files is under /tmp/kde-username. After doing `mkdir /boot/grub/splashimages` then fetching some images again, everything gets properly saved to /boot/grub/splashimages instead of /tmp/kde-username and the downloaded images are instantly visible in the Background tab's combo box as they should be.

So KGrubEditor makes a bad assumption that /boot/grub/splashimages exists on the user's system. It needs to create that directory if it doesn't exist.

Celeste: "I'll have to talk about the Tools page with Artemis, AFAIK neither of us think the contents are that disruptive, but there may be a better way to organize them."

To clarify, I feel the Tools page needs improvement not just to its organization but also to layout. On organization I don't have much to add to what I've already said; Tools feels to me more like a "Miscellaneous" dumping ground than a well-thought-out top-level category.

Regarding layout, every function provided through the Tools page is presented through popup dialogs. Dialogs are a nuisance when used improperly, so while they can be used for wizards or for yes/no ok/cancel type interactions without generating much user resistance, in almost every other case UI elements should be embedded in panels or tab pages. The information conveyed by some Tools dialogs ("View Devices Info" for example) should be immediately viewable in Tools (or a sub-tab) without the user having to click a button to produce it (and wrestle with the resulting popup dialog). In the case of "View Configuration Files" the popup dialog itself contains a tab book -- there's even less justification for not embedding that in the main page IMO.

@Conor Kirwan: The splash image bug concerning the non-existent directory is almost resolved and will be soon commited. Another issue was also resolved along with it and now the previews are created almost instantly.

The splash image bug fix was committed, along with many other improvements. The current look is like this: http://dc88.4shared.com/download/61810596/debbf70c/KGRUBEditor55.png?tsid=20080905-050415-5ba82e99

I still have no idea how to remove the double header. I am not sure if this is possible without breaking something.

So, the only bug left is the Tools page, about which I will have to talk with Celeste.

Shouldn't this bug close? I think we are well past the Intrepid release.