Unify file/folder names in ~/config/settings

[diver]

Could we prettify ~/config/settings? Currently there is no standard settings names for apps/prefs some of them capitalized/underlined or have settings postfix. Maybe would be better to have a standart naming, such as for ex: "$app_name$_settings" or just "$app_name$" in the lower case or 1st letter in upper case like "$App_name$". screenshot of current name hell will follow.

Some folders could also do with a unified name, e.g. in Tracker there's DefaultFolderTemplates and DefaultQueryTemplates, but "Tracker New Templates".

Some folders are lower case, which should be upper case, e.g. deskbar, expander, pe.
What about boot, global, kernel, mime_db, printers, system?

[diver]

settings hell

[axeld]

I would like that, too, but we'd need to "break" compatibility for that, ie. when upgrading to Haiku, you'd lose all your settings. Of course, we could make all apps be able to read old settings, but write their settings to a different place afterwards - but that's not very nice, and probably also just not worth the effort.

[wkornewald]

Do we want to do this, at all? This looks more like something for R2 when we define a real settings API which does this job, automatically.

[nielx]

Change the milestone according to the type change of the ticket.

[diver]

I would agree with you 3 years ago, but since it already took 7 years for Haiku, I don't think this would "break" compatibility for that many people, but from consistent POV it would make more point to rename those settings.

[diver]

Ping. Thoughts?

[jonas.kirilla]

A settings class/API could create settings files of a specific type. This filetype could have attributes for the application name, version and the file's purpose, which the app would supply through the class.

To lessen the risk of name conflict the files' names would be based on the application signature, minus the "application/". Hide the filename column if you like and show only the attribute columns.

A single settings file might not be ideal for every application, so one could allow multiple files (adding a filename suffix) or opt for a folder with contents instead, using the same API.

If the class is made to look up the app name, signature and version on its own, then programmer "lazyness" (not supplying values, not having to invent a filename) might actually help create order.

[waddlesplash]

What's the status of this with the PM merge and all?

[humdinger]

I don't think PM has changed anything about this "settings hell". The issue is still the same only 5 years have gone by... :)

FWIW, while we're repackaging apps for haikuports, I'm all for cleaning up where we can and go with "$app_name$_settings".

[humdinger]

(In #2836) Merged with #344 that deals with similar things. Thanks, Diver!