[drats_users] D-RATS BBS feature develompent

[IZ5FSA]

Dave Cooley ha scritto:
> Oh Boy, did you leave the door open!
> 
> Leo's points are well taken.
> 
> While the functionality is more than adequate, the chat screen has become
> somewhat overloaded.  I can only offer my opinions on what I use most often
> and what might make it easier;
> 
> 1. Chat Window - I realize that when this all first started IM type chat was
> the centerpiece. I am not so sure this is the case any longer. I don't think
> you can take it away as it shows all activity and this is very important
> i.e. transfer status, ping requests, GPS plots etc. As a side note to this,
> it would be nice to be able to send text in raw format for dchat users.
> Being able to do both only makes D-RATS a better all round solution.
This is still the heart of the DV data management. Short unproto messages are 
the DV voice complement of standard D-STAR QSO café... I think it will remain 
the main window.

> 2. Stations - This tab has become the focal point for most tracking and
> transfer operations. More emphasis should be placed on this screen and the
> many functions that it provides. Also it would be very nice to have some
> sort of notifier (if it were only a window box somewhere on the screen) that
> would show when a new station comes online. I assume the logic is there as
> the last seen column populates when a new station comes up.
I think stations tab is a useful way to watch who's on line and who's reachable 
for ping, get file, get form and future features. The "Notifier" will be a 
bottom bar who must alert operator for main operations: new station, file 
transfer in act, request in act, new mail, new messages... and so on.

> 3. Auto QST - This has always been somewhat of a controverted affair as you
> have to bounce from screen to screen to build, enable and fire each one. Put
> it all in the same place. 
Yes, the autoqst tab can be also the autoqst setup form... we don't need a 
separare windows to set them up!

> 4. Form Manager - I agree with your assessment entirely. It needs to become
> more of a message management tool.
This is the core of my idea. In ARES use, D-RATS is useful for messages 
transfer... and it willbe useful to give this feature a new look and feel for a 
better usability. Have you ever seen outpost? I mean something like it:
1) messages filtering, sorting, grouping by "boards";
2) messages list (from, to, date, subject only);
3)

> 5. Map Window - Integrate this into the main application. Integrate the
> stations tab into the Map window, Its already there in part, and this would
> provide right click functionality from the map window.
Main application depends on the use you make of D-RATS... I think OMs use the 
function they prefer, so it's better to make a main windows with basic menu 
items and basic features like stations and sessions... and divide chat, map and 
messages tabs in new windows. OMs often use low profile CPUs and so they don't 
stress their equipment.

> 
> 6. Map Downloader- Incorporate this into the map window. Enable a right
> click on station (on the map screen) to bring up the mapdownloader dialog
> box. This would allow the user to select a radius around a station to
> download all levels 10-15 rather than just the level they are currently
> viewing.  This also eliminates the need to use another program to determine
> what areas to download.
Yes, nice and most usable. By the way users must be advice that all level 
downloads is not so fast if your internet connection is at low speed :)

> 
> 7. Support Link - Add a help menu item that would link to either the DRATS
> Wikisite or DRATS users group. 
Yes, this is a feature you and every user can help to grow up on wiki pages... 
and Dan can open a browser from a help button or menu item.

> 
> 8. Add a show debug log menu item to the windows start menu for recovering
> the previous debug log. This is needed when the system crashes and finding
> the log always creates a headache for those that don't know where to look.
> This way they can just click on the show debug log and email it to you if
> needed. 
look at main settings -> chat -> load tail log and enable it... than help -> 
show debug log... what else?

> 
> In Summary, my preferences are toward integrating the map window into the
> main application and run tabs from it. Most all functions deal with
> communicating with other stations and accessing these functions from a
> graphical interface would make it easy. The one exception would be the
> email/messaging portion which would need its own home. 
> 
> 
> Just as an FYI, The Southeast Weather net group has requested more D-RATs
> training. We have tentatively scheduled another session for the March 8th
> net. In preparation for this a poll was taken to get the members input as to
> what they would like to see for this session. Based upon time factors I
> split this up into 6 topics. Below are the topics and the votes for each:
> 
> 1. Mapping set up and operation 26%
> 2. Email Gateway set up and operation 21%
> 3. File Transfer and misc utilities  10%
> 4. Forms 10%
> 5. Auto QST and automated alerts 0%
> 6. GPS Plotting and tracking 31%
> 
> This may be an indication of what people are using...
> 
> For anyone interested in joining into the net, go to yahoo groups and look
> up se-wxnet or http://www.dstarinfo.com/Nets/SEWXNet.html . You can get more
> information from there. The net is a DSTAR only net and provides
> informational programs every other week on some Dstar technology.
> 
> 73
> Dave Cooley
> N4DIB
> 
Thank Dave for your ideas. I hope someone else can help us to design a new 
usable D-RATS.

Dan... if you think to develope such a new D-RATS... I think you can made a 1.0 
release before jumping to a new program adventure!


73s de Leo, IZ5FSA