lynx-dev Re: [patch] LYNXMESSAGES:/ without temp-files

[Klaus Weide]

On Mon, 18 Oct 1999, Leonid Pauzner wrote:
> 17-Oct-99 08:17 Klaus Weide wrote:
> > Another reason for "status-line history would be better if
> > it was using non-tempfile approach"...
> 
> > (Well it would be nice, but it's not a big problem.)
> 
> Well, not a big problem but seems time to implement. The patch follows.

Thank you!

I haven't tries it so far (just looked through your diff).

> One problem found: this page should be updated every time, even when we
> choose it from the history page. Unfortunately, anchor->no_cache isn't enough.
> Currently worked out in getfile()...
> Klaus, please look for proper no_cache solution -
> try to follow LYNXMESSAGES:/ link from the history page,
> 'd'ownload it, etc.

I have to ask, why?  I think nothing special should be done in this
respect, other than what anchor->no_cache already does.
The fact that there is no obvious way for it probably means it isn't
such a good idea...

I don't agree that the "page should be updated every time, even when we
choose it from the history page".  That's just the idea of the history
page, to give you back the version that you last looked at (if it is still
there), not the most up-to-date version.  I think there should be as little
exceptions from this as possible...

(The VLINKS page is different: following links from there acts just like
a normal forward link.  LYNXMESSAGES: should probably be reachable from
the VLINKS page now, I see no reason why it shouldn't.  As well is being
bookmarkable if one chooses so.)

Note that "always updated" would also apply when you come back to the
page with Left Arrow.  It even applies when you are on the LYNXMESSAGES:
page, and type 'G'oto + invalid URL from there (not a http: URL which
returns an error response).  It even applies if you 'P'rint from the
LYNXMESSAGES: page (say you want to mail the messages to someone), when
you come back to the LYNXMESSAGES: it will be different from what you
just printed (if something you did from the 'P'rint Menu caused a
statusline message that gets tracked).  I would find these effects
more confusing than helpful.
(As I said, I haven't tested it, but the behavior described would occur
as far as I can see.)
And a RELOAD ob the LYNXMESSAGES: page should work now as expected
if one wants to force that (it doesn't with the current tempfile
solution).

What the code does for other similar pages: prevent that they get
pushed on the history list "unless forced", by returning FALSE from
LYwouldPush().  I think that would be the most straightforward way,
with no LYforce_*/LYoverride_* in getfile.

The pages recognized in LYwouldPush() so far all all of the "file:"
type, but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way.  In this case,
just checking strncmp(docurl,"LYNXMESSAGES:",11) should be enough.
(Don't check the title at all, it's not necessary - it's just a
crutch that can fail in some charset situations, no need to introduce
that possibility.)

Doesn't this approach make more sense?
If you disagree and really want special _always_-the-latest behavior
I won't insist that it's wrong, but I feel it is inconsistent with
other UI pages' behavior.  It reminds a bit of Web page authors that
feel _their_ pages are so importan that they never must be cached... :)

I wouldn't take LYNXKEYMAP: as the UI page to exactly copy here, I think
that one really does have some special requirements (always try to show
the key mappings in place NOW).  Similarly LYNXCOOKIE: needs special
treatment, since actions can be performed on the Cookie Jar page that
_should_ be reflected immediately (without returning to a previous
page).

   Klaus