Optional install: Folder Canvas plugin
Jörg Richter
Hi,
A new optional plugin is available for developers and test users.
The Folder Canvas plugin establishes a particular kind of file management: A single file system folder is represented as a DM topic map. The topic map is bound to that folder, enabling the topic map content to stay in-sync with the folder content.
The Folder Canvas plugin establishes an alternative GUI behavoir for DM's general file management feature. Thus, the Folder Canvas plugin is an optional install. It's up to the user to decide what GUI behavoir suites her habit best.
To install the Folder Canvas plugin the File Manager plugin must be deactivated.
Installing the Folder Canvas plugin:
1) Go to the terminal window that opened while starting DM. This is the "text-based Felix console", it prompts user input by showing "g!" (press Return to see the prompt).
2) Get an overview of installed bundles by invoking the (list bundles) command:
lb
3) Deactivate the DeepaMehta 3 File Manager bundle:
stop 36 (36 is supposed to be respective bundle ID)
The File Manager bundle is now inactive. It is listed as "Resolved" now.
4) Install and start the DeepaMehta 3 Folder Canvas plugin by pasting this line:
start http://www.deepamehta.de/maven2/de/deepamehta/deepamehta3-foldercanvas/0.4.1-SNAPSHOT/deepamehta3-foldercanvas-0.4.1-SNAPSHOT.jar
The Folder Canvas bundle is now installed and running. It appears as "Active" in the bundle list.
IMPORTANT:
Do not activate the File Manager and Folder Canvas at the same time.
The Folder Canvas plugin requires DM snapshot release v0.4.1-20100822 or later.
NOTE: The Folder Canvas's synchronization feature is not yet implemented.
Folder Canvas usage hints:
1) Drop a single folder from the OS's file manager to the DM canvas.
DM creates and selects a new topic map and name it according the folder. The direct folder content (files and folders) appears as respective File and Folder topics in the topic map.
2) The File and Folder topics behave like in DM's general file management feature: click a File topic to see its content in the detail panel (works with plain-text, images, audio, video, PDF). Double-click a File topic to open it in their original application. Double-click a Folder to open it in the OS's file manager application.
Let me know if it works for you
Cheers,
Jörg
x28
cause the warning popup "...drop a single folder here". This is on my
Windows 7 at home. Here I don't have access to an XP allowing me the
required modifications to run DM3.
Matthias
x28
Jörg Richter
"...drop a single folder here" appears if the Folder Canvas plugin is installed and the drop comprise of not exactly one folder. This is normal behavoir as specified in our plan. (Our specification does not talk about drops that are not single folders.)
With Folder Canvas plugin you can only drop a single folder. That folder acts as the folder canvas's synchronization target then.
=> The synchronization feature (which is not yet implemented) needs to know what is to be synchronized.
In all other drop cases (more than one folder, or mixed files and folders, or just files) there would be no unique synchronization target resp. a synchronization operation would lead to unexpected results.
E.g. if you drop files to a folder canvas that are not contained in the folder canvas's target folder, these file topics would be deleted while a subsequent sync operation.
So, if Folder Canvas plugin is installed, arbitrary drop operations are not possible anymore. That's one reason why the general File Manager plugin and the Folder Canvas plugin can not be installed together. They implement mutual exclusive behavoir.
For MUC/PKM I suggest to leave it as is because that's what we've agreed upon in our MUC/PKM planing.
I you have a proper concept for combining the File Manager plugin (arbitrary drops) and the Folder Canvas plugin functionality without loosing the Folder Canvas's synchronization feature please let us know. Possibly there is a developer who likes to implement it.
Cheers,
Jörg