selection of external progams under OSX [was Re: [ptx] Re: Renewing hugin OSX Distribution]

[Pablo d'Angelo]

Ippei UKAI wrote:
> On 2006-08-10, at 00:18, Pablo d'Angelo wrote:
> 
>> So the behaviour would be (as it is under unix today):
>>
>> In short: if no absolute path given: search bundle and then usual 
>> directories
>>
>> II. if an absolute path is provided (example:
>> "/users/home/my/localprogs/bin/enblend" under unix), no search is 
>> required
>> and the program is just started from there.
> 
> Pablo,
> 
> Do you expect normal users to understand this? I seriously doubt it.
> Why don't we just give them a simple choice between "System is in 
> control of this component's location" and "I'm in control and it is 
> here"? That's my point in short. If it wasn't clear in the first place, 
> my apologies.

Maybe I got confused by all these bundles, domains and other places where 
files are usually stored on Mac.

So lets recapture:

Your suggestion (If I understood correctly)

[x]  Use default
[ ]  Enblend program: _____________   [browse]

First option: hugin searches for program named enblend, reports failure
if it doesn't find anything and asks the user to install enblend somewhere
in the system.

Second option: hugin tries to open the program "/wherever/enblend", and 
complains if it is missing.

Current state (at least UI wise):

Enblend program: _enblend______   [browse]

If just "enblend" is written in the entry box (default value), behaviour 
would be equivalent to "[x] Use system default". Otherwise it would be the 
second option.

If it isn't found either way hugin would complain about it and asks to 
install enblend.

There is no need to understand the difference between absolute and relative 
paths, because if enblend is bundled with hugin, it will automatically be 
found without any user interaction. The same if an (not yet existing) 
autopano-sift bundle is placed somewhere.

If they want to revert to the bundled enblend, they would just press "reset 
to defaults". (Maybe this is the real problem for OSX users, pressing reset 
to defaults button instead of selecting the "[x] Use default" radio button ?).

Can some other users please comment on this?

> On Mac, to normal users, application bundle looks like just a file, 
> "/usr /var /tmp" are some hidden folders that they've never heard of, 
> and "Command Line" is a tool for geeks. To them, the question "Where is 
> your enblend?" would have only two possibilities: "I don't care" or 
> "Here, in the folder called 'New Enblend'". Now, does the current 
> approach sound alright to you?

I still fail to see the problem (honestly, I guess I'm too geeky). If 
enblend is not found today, they are asked to select the new enblend 
(navigate to folder where enblend is located, and press "Ok"). If they 
cancel, bad luck, no enblend available.


So where is the difference to the solution you suggest?

ciao
   Pablo