Prefs->Url, dumb it down

Why do we have a Prefs program, URL, that needs to be set to open different kinds of web sites (http:, https:, etc), with different browsers? Same for email.

I see posts all thew time: web links aren't being opened correctly again.

Why would you use one browser for http: sites, but another for https: sites? Why not use the same for everything?

So why don't you dumb the program down?

Pick your browser and set how to pass it the link.

Pick you email program and how to pass it a mailto:xxx@yyy.com.

Done. One time. One setting each. Not 4+.


At the same time, I use Odyssey. Why does it have such a hard time opening links from within a program's About window, for example? Usually opens to it's default page.

If anyone wants to create a simplified url prefs program then I'd be happy to help set up a project for it on OpenAmiga

@mritter0

Gecause it gives the user a CHOICE. some sites work better with some browsers, some users prefer a browser eg. ibrowse that all sites don't work with etc.

Once configured it's no different from androinds open with requesters, apples popup menu open with function.

It sounds to me that you'd prefer the horrible windows method os a 'default browser' which is basically for the uncaring masses.

URL prefs is also programmed to be 'future proof' allowing the user to add or remove programs at will instead of a 'simple for the user' program that stores all possible settings for every ptogram and would need to be updated every time a new program wes released or had had a minor change to it's arexx interface etc.

@mritter0
Quote:
Actually, if the OS4 devs would keep the URLOpen default prefs (ENV:launch-handler/URL/Defaults) up-to-date with each OS4 release or with AmiUpdate; users could just click a button in each tab to activate the browser or mailer they want to use. You couldn't get much dumber than that. I think the main reason there is confusion over URLOpen prefs is the failure to keep the default prefs up-to-date.

I've updated the default config files to have these...


ClientName="Odyssey" ClientPath="APPDIR:OdysseyLauncher2"
CMDFORMAT="*"http://%s*""

ClientName="IBROWSE" ClientPath="APPDIR:ibrowse"
CMDFORMAT="URL=*"http://%s*""

ClientName="AWEB" ClientPath="APPDIR:AWEB"
CMDFORMAT="URL=*"http://%s*""

ClientName="NETSURF" ClientPath="APPDIR:NETSURF"
CMDFORMAT="URL=*"http://%s*""

@colinw

OdysseyLauncher2 was released on os4depot as OdysseyLauncherPE So I would leave it as OdysseyLauncher so it won't break anyones system and the user can add the PE if they have both launchers, although I expect most users just removed the PE and replaced the old with the new.

@colinw
As mritter0 pointed out in his request to simplify the OpenURL prefs, It's more complicated than that. We need seperate entries for FILE, HTTP, HTTPS, WWW & MAILTO. I think OWB (Reaction OWB) and Timberwolf should have entries in all 4 browser categories too. For the MAILTO category I think we need "YAM" and "Simplemail".

Of course, all the entries need to be tested to be sure they work. Also, the entries can be 'active' or 'inactive' and I don't know what happens if they are all active and some entries can't be found.

@mritter0
After adding Timberwolf to my URLOpen prefs, I have to admit that the URLOpen prefs are a little more complicated than I would like. However, the only simplification that I can think of that doesn't involve rewriting the launch-handler would be to eliminate the HTTPS & WWW tabs and have the prefs program automatically substitute "https://" and "http://www." for "http://" in the HTTP & WWW prefs files. In other words, whatever you enter in the HTTP tab would automatically update the HTTP & WWW files. I think thats what "OpenURL does.

If Colin adds Timberwolf and OWB to the URLOpen prefs there would be little that a user would need to do other than unselecting one browser and selecting another.

@Severin
There are other minor complications like the fact that Netsurf installs an ARexx script that can be called to avoid opening a new window for URLOpen calls. Others have custom scripts to accomplish the same thing.

@All

As you have now experienced, it is just a little too much work to add a browser to the list. I don't know what the solution is, I haven't given it much thought. But it shouldn't require doing it 4 times.

@xenic

Quote:

Actually it's more to stop it re-loading the executable, the tabs thing is more of a side-effect.

You can make NetSurf open links in a new tab rather than a window from the command line, by setting tab_new_session:1 in Choices.

@Severin Quote:
Ummm, no it wasn't. You've got it back to front:
http://os4depot.net/index.php?functio ... wser/odysseylauncher2.lha

@mritter0
My suggestions for improving Prefs/Url are to get rid of the need to double-quote stuff, as it just causes masses of confusion. It should be pretty easy to automatically add/remove escaped quotes (and an extra enclosing quotes). Also, provide %u which contains the whole URL (i.e. not missing the http:// etc bit).

The multiple HTTP/HTTPS/WWW sections is also a real pain for the common case. However, it is occasionally useful. e.g. I added option for direct playing of YouTube videos ONLY to HTTPS, since that's always used for YouTube. Not sure there is a perfect solution, without breaking backwards compatibility...

edit:
Probably there should be only ONE web browser section, BUT with support for pattern matching. Then you can have something like this:
https://www.youtube.com/* -> AppDir:YT "%u"
* -> AppDir:OdysseyLauncher2 "%u"

Not backwards compatible though...

edit:
I guess it could be made compatible though. Have a new prefs format, and then upgrade the old one, converting the HTTP tab to use the http://* pattern, FILE tab to use the file://* pattern, etc. End result would be a bit ugly, but at least would work unchanged. (And a new prefs format could completely get rid of the need to escape quotes, etc.)


P.S. The "YT" executable was included in the last YT release, but sadly hidden in Tools/YT_launcher.lha, so most people won't even notice it's there :(

@ChrisH

Oops, looks like my single brain cell isn't working again, maybe I need to reboot it after replacing the onboard battery