[R H Steele]

YoRyan, on 22 November 2020 - 03:31 PM, said:

Before we suggest any more saved preferences, let's think about where we want to store them. There are several choices:

• In the global settings store, which applies to all sessions across all installation profiles. This is the mechanism my current work is concerned with. I've already placed the states of the Ctrl+1, Shift+F4, Shift+F6, and Shift+F7 toggles here. I'd argue that window positions should go here, too.
• In the save file, which is saved and restored across a single session. To my mind, settings that are encoded here should be directly related to the simulation and the activity at hand. I think you could plausibly make a case that the Shift+F6 and Shift+F7 labels could go here, but I'm not convinced it's the correct place for saved window positions.
• As part of the installation profile, so players can have different graphical settings for different routes and equipment. This is a longstanding and popular feature request. In general, it's something I'd like to see too, with the caveat that I'd be worried about over-complicating the preference system. In addition, James has expressed a preference for doing away with installation profiles. Not sure how that would play with this idea.

The funny thing is, we already have a "Dispatcher Window" checkbox. I wonder if, rather than having the player press Ctrl+9 to open the window he or she has already opted in to enable, it might be better if we just opened the Dispatcher Window automatically if it's been enabled?

1. Replying to the above emphasis...how about saving route preferences with the actual route...OR would look for a specific file -- in an OpenRails folder? -- to read and configure options according to those saved preferences found the the ROUTES\"route name" file\OpenRails folder.
2. "Doing away with installation profiles": not aware of this, what does that mean and how would it work?

[YoRyan]

Okay, so how about this: Eliminate the "Dispatcher Window" checkbox. Just make it always on by default. You still press Ctrl+9 to open the window.

Until we get the ability to close the window, too, I think it's best that we not open it back up when resuming from a save.

[YoRyan]

R H Steele, on 22 November 2020 - 08:19 PM, said:

1. Replying to the above emphasis...how about saving route preferences with the actual route...OR would look for a specific file -- in an OpenRails folder? -- to read and configure options according to those saved preferences found the the ROUTES\"route name" file\OpenRails folder.

I would hesitate to put this kind of information into the route folder. I believe that if it's data that you wouldn't share with other players (by zipping up the folder and distributing it), it shouldn't go there.

R H Steele, on 22 November 2020 - 08:19 PM, said:

2. "Doing away with installation profiles": not aware of this, what does that mean and how would it work?

James last mentioned it in the recent discussion on content file structure. He said he'd like to see profiles "be less visible" as we start implementing OR ways of storing things. I'm not entirely sure what the end result would look like either - it's clear that profiles can't be done away with entirely, since there will always be conflicts in GLOBAL\ and other such locations - but it's something to keep in my mind.

[pwillard]

AS long as there is a "restore defaults"

[cjakeman]

YoRyan, on 22 November 2020 - 03:31 PM, said:

In the save file, which is saved and restored across a single session. To my mind, settings that are encoded here should be directly related to the simulation and the activity at hand. I think you could plausibly make a case that the Shift+F6 and Shift+F7 labels could go here, but I'm not convinced it's the correct place for saved window positions.

Perhaps I'm being dense but I don't see the problem here.

Surely Resume puts you back where you were when you saved? Is there anything that you would not want to restore if OR could do it for you?

[YoRyan]

I'm saying, yes, restore the window positions, but do we do so as part of the save file (so you still have to reposition your windows when starting a new game) or do we do so as part of the global settings store (so your windows will always spawn in the last position, regardless of the current activity)?

[markus_GE]

YoRyan, on 23 November 2020 - 12:11 PM, said:

I'm saying, yes, restore the window positions, but do we do so as part of the save file (so you still have to reposition your windows when starting a new game) or do we do so as part of the global settings store (so your windows will always spawn in the last position, regardless of the current activity)?

Thinking of how I used to use those windows, when I used them, they went to different positions on the screen depending on what the specific locomotive's cab-view looked like - so they didn't cover and hide operational elements of the cab-view.

That said, I personally would always re-arrange them at the beginning of a new session (unless it used the same loco as the session I had run before), which in turn means, saving the windows positions within the save file should be a viable option. Plus, it would still enable the user to define default positions for the widows, that should fit most cases.

Only my two cents, though, which can well be ignored seeing how long it's been since I last seriously ran a train in ORTS ;)

Cheers, Markus

[Weter]

Yes, the resize of this window is actual.
My opinion, as low-grade PC owner: to have possibility not to engage excessive load-producing features, when them are unnecessary.