Cleanup defined applications without losing settings

[GoogleCodeExporter]

A recent discussion with Chris made me think of a good compromise that could be 
very user-friendly

What feature or enhancement do you propose?
Unlike older Growl versions, current Growl 2 does not give the solution to 
remove an application from the Applications pref pane.
=> this is done deliberately to avoid that users complain of losing their 
settings when they launch again this application some time afterwards.

=> nevertheless this is not very user-friendly for other users who want a 
standard Apple way to make some clean-up in the list where there is useless 
items.

What problem does it solve/What benefit does it provide?

A good compromise satisfying both user profiles could be to add this Apple 
standard "-" button to remove an item from the list, in Applications pref pane.
But this button would not really erase it from Growl settings, it would only 
set it as hidden, not to be displayed in the list.
(The meaning would be "remove from the displayed list", not "remove from Growl" 
;-))

Then, if one day the user launch the application again, Growl could detect and 
remove the flag "hidden" to bring the settings visible back.

From a user point of view this would be perfect.
I don't know if it's hard to implement from a developer point of view.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by yann.ric...@gmail.com on 24 Jun 2013 at 3:56

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Closing as wont fix.

The reason we removed the delete button is that it simply confused most users 
(Does it delete the app from my system? does it delete the ticket? what does it 
do?).  Those who want to clean up their list still can, and yes, it loses 
settings.  But it always has, and changing that behavior now would require 
overloading whatever we do to have both, as sometimes a user wants to lose all 
their settings and restart with a blank slate (or there is a weird bug that 
caused corruption of that ticket, or whatever)

Further, this would require a database migration, and I am going to avoid doing 
one if at all possible.

Original comment by dan...@growl.info on 25 Jun 2013 at 4:06

• Changed state: WontFix
• Added labels: Product-Growl

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I share the end of the argumentation, but not the whole thing because I think 
there is an ambiguity about what motivated my suggestion:

1> The reason we removed the delete button is that it simply confused most 
users (Does it delete the app from my system? does it delete the ticket? what 
does it do?).  
OK, but tool-tips and warning confirmation windows are made for that in any 
Apple standard UI.
Growl 2.0 seems not to experiment this normal behavior: then without 
information, the user has no help and of course has a lot of chance to be 
confused. That should be the first step before concluding a feature is not 
understood: give all the possible to understand.

2> Those who want to clean up their list still can, 
It's possible, but it's not even documented on the web site. Really those ones 
wanting to have a clean install are not considered important with no help at 
all.
If the removal in the app is finally never back, then some instructions we be 
rather reasonable like this kind of information 
http://growl.info/documentation/growl-package-removal.php#otherfiles

3> and yes, it loses settings.  But it always has, and changing that behavior 
now would require overloading whatever we do to have both, as sometimes a user 
wants to lose all their settings and restart with a blank slate (or there is a 
weird bug that caused corruption of that ticket, or whatever)
Further, this would require a database migration, and I am going to avoid doing 
one if at all possible.

I do totally share that last (and long) third point.
Here may be an ambiguity: my proposal to "hide" instead of "erase" was just to 
try to find a compromise to satisfy the two previous steps and make the two 
kinds of user rather satisfied (the advanced one can make some visual cleanup 
without hacking files, the beginner won't loose its setting by mistake with the 
current GUI).

But of course, if you're speaking of behaviors that has always been this way, 
my preference would have be to change the GUI towards more Apple standard:
- keep the real erase button "-" implemented
- add a clear explanation tool-tip to this button
- add a clear warning window when the user click on it
Really, this way (which is a standard way) I find it hard to believe that a 
user would loose settings by mistake... after confirming he really wants to 
loose its settings... It has always been so in any app after confirming.
Will a user complain for loosing its setting after answering "Yes" to the 
question "Do you want to loose you setting". I can hardly believe it.

That why, my first obvious preference is to add information tool-tip and 
confirmation window, but I was told removing the setting was too dangerous for 
beginners.
(By the way, a confirmation window would clarify the questions you mentioned: 
"am I removing the app" or the "ticket"... It's up to the text window to make 
it clear, for instance this way (or something better):
"Warning!
You're about to delete all your Growl settings concerning the notification of 
app XXXX. Do you really want to loose those settings?"

Original comment by yann.ric...@gmail.com on 25 Jun 2013 at 6:55

[GoogleCodeExporter]

But suggesting to add "confirmation" and "tool-tip" may be a different 
ticket...?

Original comment by yann.ric...@gmail.com on 25 Jun 2013 at 6:56