[Pan-users] Re: few questions about new design of Pan

[Duncan]

Zygfryd Homonto <address@hidden> posted
address@hidden, excerpted below, on  Sun, 15 Jul 2007
21:18:55 +0300:

> 1-while going to group with new messages and pressing then N it goes to
> new message but it does not display it - being in this group already and
> pressing N again it goes to next new message and now it reads it -
> strange right ?

That's a bug.  I think someone else mentioned it already.

> 2-while there is already thread and new message is inside it then first
> message in this thread is not bold (font) so it is difficult to find
> where the new message is

The number on the end tells how many unread messages are hidden below a 
collapsed thread.  However, I vastly prefer expanded threads by default, 
so have that option checked and see the bolded messages right away anyway.

> 3-in old pan version (stable) there was a key binding to collapse thread
> (left arrow) - now in new pan I cannot find it

That I think may be an oversight.  I usually don't worry about it since I 
have threads expanded by default (with the show only unread messages 
filter ON) so don't worry about it, but the other day I was trying to 
collapse thread with the keyboard and getting frustrated.  Check bugzilla 
and file a bug if necessary.

> 4-there was possible to get pop up window while filter was matched - now
> it does not exist

More info please.  I can't quite parse that one.

> 5-where is the "sent" message going to ? old pan was in Folder
> "pan.sent" - where are such folders now ?

Charles killed that feature, as it caused a lot of headaches with 
tracking and etc due to how pan tracks messages (with message-ID, which a 
message doesn't necessarily have until posted).

There is save draft, with load draft too, but you have to remember to do 
that for each message you want to save.  I like the save draft feature, 
but do miss the sent messages feature too.  Someone mentioned it might be 
back post 1.0.  I don't know, but if so, it'll probably be implemented 
somewhat differently.

> 6-saving message should have some options like: a-saving always to
> same/chosen folder WITHOUT confirmation (although it should be
> configurable)
> b-saving complete thread - not only one message - by choosing first
> message in thread while it is collapsed (now it only works while
> selecting all messages inside thread one by one)

a. Yes, a direct save without prompt would be useful, and has been bugged.

b. One by one isn't absolutely necessary.  You can select ranges, with 
the standard ctrl click to get one-by-one multi-select, and shift-click 
to get ranges.  Or, just shift-arrow.  The thread must be expanded, 
however.

A workaround for (a) is to select a bunch you want to save to the same 
spot, and save them all at once.  Also, you can set the default save 
location, so you don't have to change it.  That way, you see the dialog, 
but only once per selected save-bunch, and can just save straight away, 
without changing the location.

> Last question: is Pan still under development ?

Very definitely so.  There have been weekly betas, altho Charles seems to 
be taking a break ATM.

...

The biggest changes you'll note are the auto-multi-server handling (only 
if you use more than one server, of course, tho a lot changed in the GUI 
to make that work) and the VASTLY smaller memory footprint.  Note that 
pan now combines multiparts into a single displayed line.  You don't see 
all the pieces like you used to, and won't necessarily even be aware of 
them unless some are missing.  Pan now scales well to groups with 
millions of posts.  It didn't before.

Still waiting to be added but set for post 1.0, is something to replace 
what was formerly rules.  Charles is going to simplify it, acting on 
scores to optionally auto-download (useful for watched), auto-mark-read 
(negatives), and auto-delete (ignored).

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman