Sessions feature change suggestion

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tus
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Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by tus »

I am using examdiff for about a week now, and i am very happy to finally having found a very decent diff tool !

On the wish list, i would like to expand the feature "Ability to associate file extensions with named sessions; auto-invoke session if compared files have same extensions" a bit with the suggestions you find below:

- Not only associate file extensions with named sessions, but display user defined session names
in "file/directories -> sessions" instead of filenames. Much easier for the user to work with/understand i think.
Session files are, to my opinion only useful for exchanging sessions with other users or backups which
i think is not the primary use of this feature for most users.

- Replace the command "save to file" with "save session" in the file/directories -> sessions menu,
and simply supply the user with a small window asking for a session name instead of a filename.
Save these sessions internally(somewhere in the examdiff install folder).

- in the menu "file/directories -> sessions" also add a link to something like a "session manager" in which the
user can rename, remove, add sessions and export sessions to files.

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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by psguru »

There appears to be a bug in the Sessions submenu that prevents ExamDiff Pro from displaying recent sessions and session files. We'll look into this and will have a fix in the next build of 7.0, after which you will see a slightly different picture of this functionality.

BTW, sessions are auto-saved, so there's no need for the command.
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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by psguru »

I spoke too soon: in our test environment we had numbers of sessions/session files set to 0. So if you have default values (4) or any non-zero values in Options | Global, you can see session functionality working as designed.

Now let me comment on your points.
- Not only associate file extensions with named sessions, but display user defined session names
in "file/directories -> sessions" instead of filenames. Much easier for the user to work with/understand i think.
Session files are, to my opinion only useful for exchanging sessions with other users or backups which
i think is not the primary use of this feature for most users.
It's already done under the Sessions submenu: you will see recent session files as well as resent sessions, from which you can select to start a new comparison.
- Replace the command "save to file" with "save session" in the file/directories -> sessions menu,
and simply supply the user with a small window asking for a session name instead of a filename.
Save these sessions internally(somewhere in the examdiff install folder).
As I said, sessions are auto-saved. Saving to a file allows you to use it on any PC.
- in the menu "file/directories -> sessions" also add a link to something like a "session manager" in which the
user can rename, remove, add sessions and export sessions to files.
All of these can done from the Compare Dialog, via the button next to the session combobox (the button's tooltip, BTW, is "Manage sessions").
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tus
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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by tus »

Hello,

Thanks for your quick reply! :-)

In my first post, i thought there were no "named sessions" for which the user
could specify a name and which would not dissapear again from the list. You
pointed me to the "manage sessions" feature which i hadn't discovered so far
so thank you ;-)
But something small(a bug i think) about the "save to file sessions":
If you enter for example 3 as the "number of recent session files" in the
options, examdiff keeps saving sessions you save using the
"file/directories -> sessions -> save to file" which is ok. But from the
moment you use the "file/directories -> sessions -> Load from file" option",
all the saved session files are gone.

About "named sessions" then:
- I think it would be very handy having a "save named session" or something
like it in the "file/directories -> sessions" menu. So that the user doesn't
always have to go back to the "new comparison" screen to save the current
session.(it's there for saving sessions to files, why not for named sessions).

- It would also be interesting to have an dedicated icon + optional "shortcut
key combination" which would give the list of all named session, just like
there is a shortcut for "load session from file", so the user doesn't have
to navigate to "directories/files -> sessions" each time

- In the "new comparison" window, which starts when examdiff starts, i am
missing a feature to "use/start" a named session compare via the session
combobox (only possible via the "directories/files -> sessions" at this point)

manage sessions -> New session option:
- The "Copy options from this sessions" can be handy, but i don't see the
need to activate this by default

manage sessions -> Save session option:
- This feature is ok, but i think it would be more "natural" to replace
the "new session" and "save session" options by a "save session as" option
as one would expect something like that here which asks for a session name.
Now, the user needs to choose "new session", give the session a name, then
specify files/folders to compare and then choose for "save session".
With a "save session as" options, the user needs to select 2 folders, choose
the "save session as" and specify a name.
I at first expected this behaviour by clicking using the "save session"
option and accidentally did an overwrite of the selected session.

manage sessions -> Delete session option:
- A small bug: When you try to delete a session, examdiff pro ask to delete
the session, if answer YES, but you use the cross in the upper right corner
of the window, or you use the ESCAPE key on the keyboard, the session is not
deleted.
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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by psguru »

But something small(a bug i think) about the "save to file sessions":
If you enter for example 3 as the "number of recent session files" in the
options, examdiff keeps saving sessions you save using the
"file/directories -> sessions -> save to file" which is ok. But from the
moment you use the "file/directories -> sessions -> Load from file" option",
all the saved session files are gone.
Correct, it's a bug, the fix is coming in the next build of 7.0.
About "named sessions" then:
- I think it would be very handy having a "save named session" or something
like it in the "file/directories -> sessions" menu. So that the user doesn't
always have to go back to the "new comparison" screen to save the current
session.(it's there for saving sessions to files, why not for named sessions).
We'll add the following suggestion to the wish list:
Ability to save/load sessions from the Files/Directories | Session menu
- It would also be interesting to have an dedicated icon + optional "shortcut
key combination" which would give the list of all named session, just like
there is a shortcut for "load session from file", so the user doesn't have
to navigate to "directories/files -> sessions" each time
This will come with the above feature.
- In the "new comparison" window, which starts when examdiff starts, i am
missing a feature to "use/start" a named session compare via the session
combobox (only possible via the "directories/files -> sessions" at this point)
Not sure I understand. Why can't you simply select a session from the combobox?
manage sessions -> New session option:
- The "Copy options from this sessions" can be handy, but i don't see the
need to activate this by default
Agreed, we'll change it in the next build.
manage sessions -> Save session option:
- This feature is ok, but i think it would be more "natural" to replace
the "new session" and "save session" options by a "save session as" option
as one would expect something like that here which asks for a session name.
Now, the user needs to choose "new session", give the session a name, then
specify files/folders to compare and then choose for "save session".
With a "save session as" options, the user needs to select 2 folders, choose
the "save session as" and specify a name.
I at first expected this behaviour by clicking using the "save session"
option and accidentally did an overwrite of the selected session.
I have to disagree here (after all, it's somewhat open to interpretations). "Save Session" does indeed save what you selected on the Compare dialog and in the options to the currently chosen session. "Copy Session" is what you describe as "Save Session As".
manage sessions -> Delete session option:
- A small bug: When you try to delete a session, examdiff pro ask to delete
the session, if answer YES, but you use the cross in the upper right corner
of the window, or you use the ESCAPE key on the keyboard, the session is not
deleted.
I can't reproduce this, unless I misunderstood your steps.
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tus
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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by tus »

- In the "new comparison" window, which starts when examdiff starts, i am
missing a feature to "use/start" a named session compare via the session
combobox (only possible via the "directories/files -> sessions" at this point)
Not sure I understand. Why can't you simply select a session from the combobox?
Sorry, i wasn't very clear on this one. As far as i can see, the only proper way to load a named session
would be via the "new comparison" window, and not via the "file/directory -> session"
menu because in this menu the list of named sessions is limited to 16(via tools->options) but via
the manage sessions, you can declare more than 16 sessions. (My intention is to use this feature with
more than 16 sessions ;-) )
I would suggest that when the user selects a certain "named session", the saved "first" and "second" values would be
shown and the user could just click on the "compare" button to load the named session.
manage sessions -> Delete session option:
- A small bug: When you try to delete a session, examdiff pro ask to delete
the session, if answer YES, but you use the cross in the upper right corner
of the window, or you use the ESCAPE key on the keyboard, the session is not
deleted.
I can't reproduce this, unless I misunderstood your steps.
Wasn't explained very clear indeed, Another attempt ;-) :
1. start examdiff
2. create a named session
3. exit examdiff
4. start examdiff
5. Choose "delete session" via the "manage sessions" button and choose "yes" to really delete the file
6. press the escape key on the keyboard
7. go to "files -> new comparison" : Now you see that the named session you just deleted is still there.
(Same behaviour when you press the "cross button" in the upper right corner of the "new comparison" window. instead of pressing the escape key in step 6)

Another suggestion for the "new comparison" window: Order the named sessions in an alphabetical order, because if you have lot's of named sessions, it's really hard to find your named session you want. (I want to let the session names start with 001_..., 002_... )
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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by psguru »

I would suggest that when the user selects a certain "named session", the saved "first" and "second" values would be
shown and the user could just click on the "compare" button to load the named session.
This is already how it works (you may want to check the "Retain file/directory pair when changing session" option under Options | Global).
Wasn't explained very clear indeed, Another attempt ;-) :
1. start examdiff
2. create a named session
3. exit examdiff
4. start examdiff
5. Choose "delete session" via the "manage sessions" button and choose "yes" to really delete the file
6. press the escape key on the keyboard
7. go to "files -> new comparison" : Now you see that the named session you just deleted is still there.
(Same behaviour when you press the "cross button" in the upper right corner of the "new comparison" window. instead of pressing the escape key in step 6)
You are right, it's confusing. Note that it only happens if you delete the session that was used for the current comparison. In a way it a clumsy attempt to make things right: if you cancel the Compare dialog, you want to keep the status quo, which means reverting to the original session. There are two ways to fix this: (1) disallow cancellation of the Compare dialog if the current session is deleted or (2) disallow deletion of the current session. I'm leaning towards (2).
Another suggestion for the "new comparison" window: Order the named sessions in an alphabetical order, because if you have lot's of named sessions, it's really hard to find your named session you want. (I want to let the session names start with 001_..., 002_... )
We can have this as an option under Global; I'll add this as a new feature suggestion.
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tus
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Re: Sessions feature change suggestion

Post by tus »

psguru wrote:
I would suggest that when the user selects a certain "named session", the saved "first" and "second" values would be
shown and the user could just click on the "compare" button to load the named session.
This is already how it works (you may want to check the "Retain file/directory pair when changing session" option under Options | Global).
Ok, after unchecking this option it works indeed.

Wasn't explained very clear indeed, Another attempt ;-) :
1. start examdiff
2. create a named session
3. exit examdiff
4. start examdiff
5. Choose "delete session" via the "manage sessions" button and choose "yes" to really delete the file
6. press the escape key on the keyboard
7. go to "files -> new comparison" : Now you see that the named session you just deleted is still there.
(Same behaviour when you press the "cross button" in the upper right corner of the "new comparison" window. instead of pressing the escape key in step 6)
You are right, it's confusing. Note that it only happens if you delete the session that was used for the current comparison. In a way it a clumsy attempt to make things right: if you cancel the Compare dialog, you want to keep the status quo, which means reverting to the original session. There are two ways to fix this: (1) disallow cancellation of the Compare dialog if the current session is deleted or (2) disallow deletion of the current session. I'm leaning towards (2).
After installing the new build, this works perfectly, thanks !
Another suggestion for the "new comparison" window: Order the named sessions in an alphabetical order, because if you have lot's of named sessions, it's really hard to find your named session you want. (I want to let the session names start with 001_..., 002_... )
We can have this as an option under Global; I'll add this as a new feature suggestion.
Ok thanks !
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