10-03-2002, 06:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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App developers - Get together on using 'My Documents'
I am seeing a trend in apps that has an upside and a downside. The trend is some developers are storing application settings in \My documents\. This is great news for me for one simple reason. I can simply do a hard reset or get a new device and when I copy the docs back over from the desktop, those apps are configured exactly as I like them. I don't have to go looking for my icon files or customized templates. In the case of Pocket Informant, I no longer have to spend 30 minutes setting everything just so. Install PI, sync, and everything is exactly the way I like it.
The downside is they seem to be putting these settings in custom non-configurable folders.  So now I have TEN app specific folders that I am reminded of and must sort through when I am opening and browsing files! The other 4 are for me. 
Perhaps MS should step in with some standard folder that all apps use or add a configurations folder that ActiveSync keeps on the PC but normally hidden from the user. At the very least, allow the user to configure the folder name and allow more than one subfolder in your structure. I would love to have only one folder visible called zSettings that was always at the bottom of the list and then all of these folders from various apps would be below that. What do you think? I definitely want the trend of moving these settings and files to My Documents to continue, but not exactly the way it is being done today. How many folders do you have that one or more of your apps placed there?
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10-03-2002, 06:06 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 384
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Solution ...
The solution is two-fold.
1) Microsoft needs to develop robust support for managing user settings. This includes OS and App level, user configurable settings. Capabilities are Transfer, Backup, Restore, Import, Export, etc....
2) App developers must place their settings underneath a standardized registery directory.
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10-03-2002, 07:05 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 321
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This drives me crazy. Especially when using Notes and trying to select what folder I want notes from. I have to keeping tapping 'more folders' at the bottom. I have seven folders for 'Notes' and twelve for 'Programs'
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10-03-2002, 07:43 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 40
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I'll preface this comment with the fact that I am a developer myself. I actually find it more annoying when developers do this. Why do I need to see all of the application settings in My Documents? That's what the Windows registry is designed for... A simple backup is all that's required to get all of your settings back. I don't understand the need for reinstalling all of your applications every other month or however often you do it. The only time I've done that since I got my iPAQ was when I upgraded to PPC2K2 since the backup wasn't compatible.
P.S. - Shameless plug for my stuff (all of it free): http://www.s-church.net/projects.htm
__________________
Check out Stirling Weather, Pyramid, Clock Solitaire, and Four Corners at http://www.s-church.net! |
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10-03-2002, 07:50 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by CUShane
That's what the Windows registry is designed for... A simple backup is all that's required to get all of your settings back. I don't understand the need for reinstalling all of your applications every other month or however often you do it.
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It isn't that simple.
� Some of these are icon files - doesn't go in the registry
� Some are ebook place holders (annotations) - doesn't go in the registry
� Restore only does full device, so if you had to hard reset due to a corruption issue, a restore puts the corruption back on.
� Restores only works on the same device at the same ROM level. New device or a 1.1ROM backup won't work on a 1.2ROM device.
MS has figured out that the registry isn't all it was cracked up to be, hence the move files and settings wizard in Windows XP. Until such a wizard exists for Pocket PCs, this is the next best thing. It just shouldn't take so many different folders to do it. :roll:
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10-03-2002, 08:48 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 486
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We got rid of all registry access two versions ago because we store a lot of settings there that people want to move from one machine to the next.
And actually there are MANY plusses to using config files over the registry....frankly, the registry needs a completely overhaul and rewrite. And on the PPC - without having regedit or any built in utils, its even worse.
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10-03-2002, 09:43 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 171
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I strongly feel that the My doc.... should be used as little as possible since MS imposed this restriction.
However, most of these programs can "see" only one level deep, so one solution would be to put the config files two or more levels deep which would put them out of sight in the mess of Word/Excel folders and they would be synced.
I've done this with a \MY DOCUMENTS\BAK folder with subfolders that contain things that I want to assure that get copied if I fail to backup
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10-03-2002, 09:44 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 119
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My 1 cent:
I love your idea Ed, especially since putting the settings under My Documents makes it painfully easy for the user to understand what needs to be backed up.
It'd be easy for developers to agree on a subdirectory. The biggest single obstacle to implementing this is that MS has crippled the PPC's file explorer to only allow 1 level of folders below "my documents". :cry:
CUShane simile: http://www.patricktrentsullivan.com/products.htm
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10-03-2002, 10:03 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 171
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PPC'S FILE EXPLORER
That's a common misunderstanding
The 1 level deep limit occurs only in the default app "file picker" interface.
The PPC's file explorer can see any additional levels below this, and, as indicated in the previous post, these additional folder levels in the main memory are _do_ sync with a file sync.
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10-03-2002, 10:13 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 119
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Sorry Bev, you are correct. I didn't mean to trivialize the issue and say it isn't possible to have folders deeper than 1 level.
My point was, the 'average' user and program CAN'T access folders deeper than one level (without downloading special apps of the internet or copying files up and then back down; neither of which joe corridor warrior is going to want to figure out).
I'm of the opinion that the beauty of Ed's suggestion is that the 'Average' user CAN understand what needs to be backed up, IF it's stored ina standard location they are already comfortable with accessing.
Anyway, I'm up to 2 cents now so I'll shut up for the duration. 8O
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