[Qgis-developer] [QGIS-UX] Fwd: Re: Renaming Save Style -> Save Properties (Vector layer dialog)

[Zoltan Szecsei]

On 2014/03/02 19:13, Tim Sutton wrote:
> Hey Zoltan
Hi Tim,
Long time no chat......
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 4:59 PM, Zoltan Szecsei <zoltans at geograph.co.za 
> <mailto:zoltans at geograph.co.za>> wrote:
>
> 8<---------------------snip---------------------------------
>
>     Please consider this methodolgy:
>     Currently, when QGIS loads a map layer, certain default things
>     happen: Styles get assigned, etc etc.
>     As a maplayer is loaded (or perhaps only when the user changes
>     something (like style)), QGIS should dump a [maplayername].qgis
>     file, text format, perhaps keyword-value layout, into the
>     directory that the map is stored. This file will then contain all
>     the internal QGIS defaults, and of course updates to the current
>     (style ) status, as the user changes them.
>     The benefits of using this implementation scheme could be vast:
>
>       * For deployment purposes, users could create/edit this file
>         outside of QGIS
>       * QGIS Dev could implement a methodology whereby user scripts
>         could read and write to this maplayer specific file - for
>         example: map production information whilst capture staff are
>         creating features.
>       * This file could even be designed to live at the project level,
>         and at the user level - this way departmental level defaults
>         could be set (deployed), and for those users who need it,
>         these could be over-ridden by having that filename als local
>         to the user, but with user specific values.
>       * Should any of these filenames only have some of the default
>         keyword-values, QGIS could look for the other defaults at
>         higher filename level (ie project level if user-level does not
>         exist), or as currently, at the internally stored default actions.
>
>
> And the downsides could be (if I understand your proposal correctly):
>
> * Working on a shared file store you are going to wreak all kinds of 
> havoc with user experience as different users overwrite the same file 
> concurrently
Too true. But that's the same as if two users tried to edit the same map 
layer on a central server, from two different clients, so it would have 
to be implemented with the same locking or shared update mechanism that 
the map layer itself is enjoying.
> * Working with a read only directory it obviously wont work
duh... :-)
> * Working with remote datasources (PostGIS etc.) it won't work
Yes, there will always be situations where this won't work, but then 
QGIS could fall back to it's current methodology.

>
>     The above implementation strategy would not need a special
>     "export" menu as the information would then always be stored in a
>     user useable file.
>     If this file becomes corrupt or nonsensical, QGIS actions could
>     revert to the default internal actions.
>
>     As time goes by, I reckon QGIS developers would find many more
>     uses for this map-layer specific file mechanism, should it be
>     available.
>
>     Hope I'm making sense.
>
>
> Not completely for me :-)
True - my fault. I work with simplistic file types (mainly shape-files), 
as my clients dictate what I have to capture and deliver in. This 
mechanism would work well for Shape files, because they don't support 
concurrent editing, and thus the .qgis file I am thinking of, would also 
not have to worry about concurrent updates.
Incidentally, I implemented exactly this sort of status tracking with 
scripts in my proprietary GIS package, and it worked really well, so, 
truth be told, I am missing this facility when using QGIS.
Cheers for now,
Z
>
> Regards
>
> Tim
>
>     Kind regards,
>     Zoltan
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     -- 
>
>     ===========================================
>     Zoltan Szecsei PrGISc [PGP0031]
>     Geograph (Pty) Ltd.
>     GIS and Photogrammetric Service
>
>     P.O. Box 7, Muizenberg 7950, South Africa.
>
>     Mobile:+27-83-6004028  <tel:%2B27-83-6004028>
>     Fax:+27-86-6115323  <tel:%2B27-86-6115323>      www.geograph.co.za  <http://www.geograph.co.za>
>     ===========================================
>
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>
>
>
> -- 
> Tim Sutton - QGIS Project Steering Committee Member
> ==============================================
> Please do not email me off-list with technical
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>
> Irc: timlinux on #qgis at freenode.net <http://freenode.net>
> ==============================================


-- 

===========================================
Zoltan Szecsei PrGISc [PGP0031]
Geograph (Pty) Ltd.
GIS and Photogrammetric Service

P.O. Box 7, Muizenberg 7950, South Africa.

Mobile: +27-83-6004028
Fax:    +27-86-6115323     www.geograph.co.za
===========================================

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