Why are native app developers not using Settings - Apps?

asked 2014-01-11 01:45:55 +0200

Neo

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updated 2017-10-17 21:20:26 +0200

misc11

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https://together.jolla.co...

I was wondering why only a few native apps I have downloaded (six to be precise - all from Jolla) use the possibility to put some app settings in "Settings - Apps"?

None of the other native apps I have downloaded from Jolla store use this possibility for app settings. If they have "settings" or "options", it is put in the Pulley menu of the app.

It seems to me that the idea was to have "settings" or "options" in "Settings - Apps" (otherwise why would this part of the Settings exist?).

Update by @anandrkris: There is a strong case on why we need it for certain (utility) apps without any app page. Below apps have their setting pages are not easily discoverable unless you read the App Description page. ;)

ScreenTapshot
Battery overlay

Also, now that Android apps are shown, it makes sense for native apps to be available here.

update: years later in SFOSv2.0.2.51 the situation has not changed

update: years later in SFOSv2.1.2.3 the situation has not changed

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the reason probably is that there is very little documentation on how to do that, and devs are used to making their settings in the app itself. if you know how your suggestion can be done, please elaborate or add link to the documentation.

Acce ( 2014-01-11 03:41:17 +0200 )edit

1

The info how to do it is in my answer, problem being that harbour-requirements don't as of yet allow it.

foss4ever ( 2014-01-11 04:15:48 +0200 )edit

1

@Neo I think you shouldn't have closed this question as we still don't know whether the harbour requirements are to be relaxed so as to allow this. IMO apps really should be using System.settings for their configuration.

foss4ever ( 2014-01-11 12:05:41 +0200 )edit

Reopened it.

Neo ( 2014-01-11 13:31:20 +0200 )edit

Thank you ;)

foss4ever ( 2014-01-12 04:08:09 +0200 )edit

42

answered 2014-01-11 03:41:54 +0200

foss4ever
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updated 2014-01-11 04:06:22 +0200

This question was asked in SailfishOS Devel mailing-list awhile ago by some developers (me included). The current situation seems to be that the mechanism to do it would require apps to have privileges that the harbour requirements don't, as of now, let them have. There are some QML-files in the root-filesystem that the apps would need to modify for applications settings to be exposed in System.Settings > Apps section.

Check out e.g. this conversation: https://lists.sailfishos.org/pipermail/devel/2013-December/002140.html

In fact setting it up in applications is not that difficult (reply by "Andrey Kozhevnikov")

you should create json file in subdirectory inside /usr/share/jolla-settings/entries then add qml page, preferable inside /usr/share/jolla-settings/pages subdirectory

But, in the end of that conv on 24.12.2013: https://lists.sailfishos.org/pipermail/devel/2013-December/002164.html there is response by Jonni Rainisto (@rainisto) stating:

Unfortunately there is a problem that they cannot be accepted on harbour, as Jolla system settings have privileges that 3rd party applications cannot have. So until we figure out how to drop those privileges from 3rd party apps, that path will remain blacklisted.

Hoping this will be possible later cause from a development point of view System Settings would really be the optimal place for application-spesific settings.

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sorry for the duplicate answer, i had not refreshed the page. and thanks for the detailed answer, which helped me learn something new :)

Acce ( 2014-01-11 04:50:35 +0200 )edit

6

No probs, the most important thing IMO is to suggest.Jolla to enable this for 3rd-party SailfishOS apps so that their settings can be managed with System UI. Let's hope we get this question roadmapped soon.. ;)

foss4ever ( 2014-01-11 05:03:01 +0200 )edit

On the other hand, if you ignore Harbour and publish your application on OpenRepos that has no such limitation you should be able to add application into Settings just fine. :)

MartinK ( 2014-01-11 20:16:15 +0200 )edit

@MartinK Yes, sure but ultimately we do want this in apps released via harbour, right?

foss4ever ( 2014-01-11 22:45:19 +0200 )edit

@jjaone: What about backup of own app settings and data through Settings->Apps? Would that be possible today without privilages?

axaq ( 2014-01-23 20:11:05 +0200 )edit

2

answered 2015-08-13 12:14:22 +0200

anandrkris

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http://twitter.com/anandr...

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