Move "Show Replicants" from Deskbar to Tracker Preferences

[jonas.kirilla]

While Replicants is a system-wide feature, the Deskbar option "Show Replicants" only means something for those replicants that display on a shelf, the most prominent being Tracker's desktop. It seems appropriate to move the setting "Show Replicants" from Deskbar, where it gets a lot more attention than it needs, to Tracker Preferences, where it fits better.

See patch.

I'm not aware of any simple way to subscribe to dragger on/off, so if Deskbar's option is to remain, Tracker Preferences may show a stale dragger on/off setting if Deskbar's option is used while Tracker Preferences are open - unless Deskbar notifies Tracker Preferences somehow. But I recommend removing the option from Deskbar anyhow, for the simple reason of not being a prominent enough feature to show there.

(It might seem appropriate to give Replicants a dedicated preferences application if there were more settings to them. For now I think Tracker is a good place.)

About the code, the setting isn't stored by Tracker so it deviates some from the other Tracker options. The code on defaults and reverting changes could use a second opinion.

[jonas.kirilla]

tracker.diff - changes to 4 files

[aldeck]

Well, i'm not sure what would be the best place for this setting, but i'm a bit biased :) While working on fixing replicant issues, i've using ShelfTest for a few weeks and i could very well see more great uses of bshelf besides Tracker's desktop.
In the end, i'm not even sure that showing/hiding the draggers should be done with a setting at all.
What do others think?

[humdinger]

In the end, i'm not even sure that showing/hiding the draggers should be done with a setting at all. What do others think?

I'm not sure losing the setting altogether is the right way. Sure, there's nothing to be ashamed of, I show my Replicant draggers proudly. :) There could be however, usages that could need that for aesthetical reasons.
That said, get it out of the Deskbar, no matter where it ends up.

Maybe there'll one day be a two-tabbed Tracker&Deskbar preference panel, so the setting is near to both components.
Well, hello Jonas! Fine suit. You work out? :)

[anevilyak]

IMHO, if anything it belongs in appearance prefs, since as previously stated it does not affect only Tracker's desktop, much though that might be the most prominent BShelf anyone sees.

[aldeck]

Replying to humdinger:

I'm not sure losing the setting altogether is the right way.

That's not what i meant, i was thinking about other ways to do the same thing, like a momentary toggle or something appearing when your mouse is over it. The problem is that i didn't find any elegant solution yet :)

I'm ok to just move it to some preflet for now, but i agree with deadyak, if it has to be changed, maybe appearance prefs is more suitable.

[stippi]

IMHO, one could just leave it where it is. But if it absolutely has to be moved, I agree Appearance would fit best.

[axeld]

However, I absolutely agree with Alexandre that the current way this is handled is not really acceptable. While a mouse over could be problematic for some functionality, maybe one can show them conditionally when some modifier (like the command key) is pressed. Not sure if that wouldn't be a bit annoying visually, though.

Hm, maybe replicants should just make sure that mouse over would always work with them, ie. that they are careful not to put anything important in that corner that has to be used with the mouse.

Then, we could still have that setting to make the replicant handle always on (in Appearance, because then it's actually only about appearance, and not functionality), and have it work via mouse over else.