[WriteLog] "It's broken"

[Charles Morrison]

My question is this:

If the .ini file is used for storing parameters that the application needs,
why is is necessary at all to manually modify the .ini file in the first
place?  If the most common changes are automatically entered into it when
accessed from the program, perhaps it would benefit the users if ALL of the
available changes to the ini file were accessible from within the
application, in the correct section of it?!  Perhaps a "Saving" section in
the options that allows you to chose how often you want the log saved as
opposed to having to read the help file, which is really not a help file but
a list of commands, to find that you have to manually enter the AutoSave
command and put the number you want it saved as?  To compound the issue for
new users, unless you read the help file from beginning to end, you 1. Wont
find the .ini section, and 2. Wont know what to do with it.  The results?
Everyone who's a new user asks the same question about autosavecount, cut
numbers, f1=f11, the enter sends qrz, etc.  Why?  Because unless you follow
the threads on the reflector, you don't know they exist, you wont know that
if you don't capitalize the PRECISE letter, it wont work!  The fix?  Put
these settings in the program!  I personally just learned about the 2
mentioned this morning about the C section (no pun!) and whatever else.
Didn't even know they existed!  Adding functionality to the program without
access to it directly from within the program is half-assing it.  Add the
check box, the selection field, the number entry box or whatever, directly
to the program.  Have that command or setting add the entry into the .ini
file and let WL read that setting each time.  Problem solved.

Could you imagine in the days of Windows 3.11 if everyone had to manually
edit their win.ini and system.ini files?  The ini file shouldn't EVER have
to be manually edited by the user.  Its intended purpose should be a
repository for the application's settings once they've been changed within
the application.  

Currently the best suggestion for people who're totally lost with the .ini
editing is to get that wliniedit program.  But even with that, the potential
to screw up the file beyond function is too great.  A few wrong entries, or
a bad save, and the entire program wont function.  Not too good of a
suggestion for some of the older hams trying to figure it out.  Additionaly,
unless Keith stays on top of it, new commands available ONLY in the .ini
file wont be included in his application, and thus not available to those
who don't follow the threads on every update.  There shouldn't have to be a
separate application created to edit the configuration file for another
application.  That's rediculous that its come to that.  There must be at
least a dozen or more .ini file settings that are not included automatically
in the .ini file upon install, some have little or no documentation, and new
users ask questions about each and every time they first install WL.  

My suggestion is to correctly include the available changes within the
application instead of adding the changes to the program and mentioning them
in the release notes as an available addition to the .ini file.  Also, along
Ford's lines with fresh installs, entire sections of the .ini files can
possibly be missing depending on what version is initially installed.  The
update routine should add all the available .ini changes (again so that they
can be manipulated within the program).  I've had to manually add the entire
cut numbers section, the F1=F11 section (way back when that was fixed), and
too numerous others.  Why?  If it's a function of the program, shouldn't the
install routine add this information for me?  Better yet, I could go into
the Options tab, click on the Cut Numbers configuration and select which cut
numbers I want.  That in turn adds the correct cut numbers section to the
.ini file, with the correct spelling, capitalization, etc, and then I
restart WL.  Bang, cut numbers.  Much better then me posting a message on
the reflector asking about cut numbers.  Waiting for the reply, editing the
.ini file, adding the section, finding out the section has to have capital
letters in the correct places, changing it, editing the sections to include
the cuts I want, saving the file and exiting and restarting Writelog.    

Change the program so that editing the .ini file isnt even necessary.

Charlie
KI5XP

> Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 08:55:07 EDT
> From: Georgek5kg at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] "It's broken"
> To: aj9c at indy.rr.com, writelog at CONTESTING.COM
> Message-ID: <3c1.50e9104.31de622b at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> 
>  
> In a message dated 7/6/2006 6:58:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
> aj9c at indy.rr.com writes:
> 
> I think  this is what Ford was complaining about, that none 
> of the .ini 
> adjustments  appear in any of his doumentation.  Maybe there 
> should be a 
> chapter  in the manual somewhere named "Neat things you can 
> change in the 
> .ini  file" .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There is considerable documentation of WRITELOG.INI in the  
> WL HELP file.  
> Click on HELP / HELP TOPICS / INDEX and type  in 
> "writelog.ini".  Each section 
> within WRITELOG.INI is explained in  detail.
>  
> 73, Geo...k5kg
>  
> 
>