Fixed: Leo's help-for-layouts command

[Edward K. Ream]

PR #4129 fixes the help-for-layouts command and improves the text of several docstrings.

I merged this PR immediately so that everyone can test the new code. I am confident that no serious problems remain. Please let me know if I am mistaken.

Edward

[Edward K. Ream]

On Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 2:05:12 AM UTC-5 Edward K. Ream wrote:

PR #4129 fixes the help-for-layouts command and improves the text of several docstrings.

There were some ruffled features between Thomas and myself yesterday. Sometimes that happens even in the best collaborations. What matters is that the result is much better than what either of us would have done separately. The PR acknowledges Thomas's crucial insight: synthesizing the text of the help-for-layouts and show-layouts commands from the docstrings of the commands themselves.

Edward

[Viktor Ransmayr]

Hello Edward, hello Thomas,

I tried to do a re-rest of the latest changes - and - noticed that there is a surprising interaction b/w the ~ final ~ layout system implementation & the help system.

NO help info is not displayed at all until I explicitly performed a 'layout-restore-to-settings' !

This behavior does not show up - IF - you test in a ~ fresh ~ installation, because for the new user the 'legacy / none' setting is pre-configured in "leoSettings.leo".

When I looked further into it I found out that in "myLeoSeetings.leo" I'm still using

• @string qt-layout-name = vertical-thirds # Qt Gui settings ...
  

while in "leoSettings.leo" it has been (recently?) renamed to

• @string qt-style-name = None # Qt Gui settings

Are both of you aware of that situation ?

With kind regards,

Viktor

[Thomas Passin]

The problem is that we don't activate VR/VR3 at first because the user might not want to see it and it's pretty distracting when you don't want it. Until the first time VR3 is shown in a layout, it's quiescent. The same thing probably happens for the F11 command.  I thought I had checked all the combinations but apparently not.  I'll work out how to make it work as intended.  VR works a little differently so when VR3 is not enabled I think that Help does show initially.

About the settings, the last I looked, the setting in LeoSettings.leo was for "legacy". I didn't know it had been changed. I also didn't know the name of the setting had changed.  Grrr. I don't like this new name because "style" could mean many things but "layout" is more specific. "Style" tends to be used more for things like color, font, etc. I want setting's name changed back, or to something else with "layout" in its name.  The name "qt-layout-name" was good because it only applies for the Qt GUI, it's about layouts, and specifically it's the actual name of the layout you want.  The new name is not about layouts any more so I don't like it.

[Edward K. Ream]

On Mon, Oct 28, 2024 at 6:29 AM Thomas Passin <tbp1...@gmail.com> wrote:

The problem is that we don't activate VR/VR3 at first because the user might not want to see it and it's pretty distracting when you don't want it. Until the first time VR3 is shown in a layout, it's quiescent. The same thing probably happens for the F11 command.  I thought I had checked all the combinations but apparently not.  I'll work out how to make it work as intended.  VR works a little differently so when VR3 is not enabled I think that Help does show initially.

Thanks for looking into this.

About the settings, the last I looked, the setting in LeoSettings.leo was for "legacy". I didn't know it had been changed. I also didn't know the name of the setting had changed.  Grrr. I don't like this new name because "style" could mean many things but "layout" is more specific.

Thomas, please, please, please be more specific. I have to assume that by "the setting" you mean:

@string qt-layout-name = legacy

Otherwise, I have no idea to what setting you are referring.

Edward

[lewis]

@string qt-layout-name = legacy  has not changed. It is in "leoSettings.leo" under the node Qt Gui settings.

@string qt-style-name = None  is just under the same node Qt Gui settings.

[Thomas Passin]

I was responding to Viktor's post just before mine:

"When I looked further into it I found out that in "myLeoSeetings.leo" I'm still using

• @string qt-layout-name = vertical-thirds # Qt Gui settings ...
  

while in "leoSettings.leo" it has been (recently?) renamed to

• @string qt-style-name = None # Qt Gui settings"

I see I should have quoted more from the post.

[Viktor Ransmayr]

Hello Edward,

In my initial reply to both of you, I had documented my finding, that in a recent change by you (Edward?) the setting that Thomas had originally used - and - which I had still saved in "myLeoSettings.leo" was changed :

• From  '"@string qt-layout-name = None" to '"@string qt-style-name = None" !
  

I hope this clears up the confusion.

With kind regards,

Viktor

[Thomas Passin]

On Monday, October 28, 2024 at 3:20:40 AM UTC-4 viktor....@gmail.com wrote:

I tried to do a re-rest of the latest changes - and - noticed that there is a surprising interaction b/w the ~ final ~ layout system implementation & the help system.

NO help info is not displayed at all until I explicitly performed a 'layout-restore-to-settings' !

Checking the behavior on my system, the help system does make VR3 visible when used right after startup.  Specifically, with the initial layout set to "vertical-thirds", F11 opens VR3 before showing the help  and the "Help" menu items also display in VR3.

You mentioned a "fresh" installation.  Would you explain more detail about the case where Help did not display?

[Thomas Passin]

It seems that the "qt-style-name" is indeed meant for something other than layouts, possibly the window "look and feel".  If that's right, it's a good name for the setting IMO.  I thought from Viktor's post that qt-style-name"  had replaced "qt-layout-name" but it hasn't.

[Viktor Ransmayr]

Hello Thomas

The help system did display the expected was for the 'fresh' installation - but - did not display as expected in my 'default / working' installation.

I'll perform another round of tests & report back.

With kind regards,

Viktor

[Thomas Passin]

Thanks!  Please include what layout you are using, whether the issue happens immediately after an outline has been loaded, or otherwise when you notice it.  Also include, if you would, what help command you tried and how you dispatched it (minibuffer, menu, etc.).

As you can imagine, I did a lot of testing to make sure the help system commands would display in VR3 even it it wasn't visible.  I don't have some candidate edge issue in mind to look into, so if I can get a way to duplicate what you see it will be easier for me to troubleshoot.

[Viktor Ransmayr]

Hello Thomas & Edward,

tbp1...@gmail.com schrieb am Montag, 28. Oktober 2024 um 15:10:30 UTC+1:

Thanks!  Please include what layout you are using, whether the issue happens immediately after an outline has been loaded, or otherwise when you notice it.  Also include, if you would, what help command you tried and how you dispatched it (minibuffer, menu, etc.).

As you can imagine, I did a lot of testing to make sure the help system commands would display in VR3 even it it wasn't visible.  I don't have some candidate edge issue in mind to look into, so if I can get a way to duplicate what you see it will be easier for me to troubleshoot.

On Monday, October 28, 2024 at 8:55:37 AM UTC-4 viktor....@gmail.com wrote:

Hello Thomas

tbp1...@gmail.com schrieb am Montag, 28. Oktober 2024 um 13:34:03 UTC+1:

On Monday, October 28, 2024 at 3:20:40 AM UTC-4 viktor....@gmail.com wrote:

I tried to do a re-rest of the latest changes - and - noticed that there is a surprising interaction b/w the ~ final ~ layout system implementation & the help system.

NO help info is not displayed at all until I explicitly performed a 'layout-restore-to-settings' !

Checking the behavior on my system, the help system does make VR3 visible when used right after startup.  Specifically, with the initial layout set to "vertical-thirds", F11 opens VR3 before showing the help  and the "Help" menu items also display in VR3.

You mentioned a "fresh" installation.  Would you explain more detail about the case where Help did not display?

The help system did display the expected way for the 'fresh' installation - but - did not display as expected in my 'default / working' installation.

I'll perform another round of tests & report back.

I have tried everything to reproduce the reported results: I failed - and - have no idea what has changed b/w then & now :-(

The help system is now also working as expected in my  'default / working' installation.

I can explain the reason, why I falsely reported the changed names: I had a copy of "leoSettings.leo" from /home/user/PyVE/PyPI/Leo/lib64/python3.12/site-packages/leo/config/ already open from a previous session - and - did not notice that I was looking at the wrong content ...

Sorry for the false alarm !

With kind regards,

Viktor

[Edward K. Ream]

On Tue, Oct 29, 2024 at 2:53 AM Viktor Ransmayr <viktor....@gmail.com> wrote:

The help system is now also working as expected in my  'default / working' installation.

...

Sorry for the false alarm !

 

There is no need to apologize! Mistakes happen.

I am grateful for your thorough testing and reports.

Edward