drowe67 / freedv-gui

GUI Application for FreeDV – open source digital voice for HF radio
https://freedv.org/
GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1
210 stars 52 forks source link

Avoid modifying the audio device configuration without the user explicitly doing so. #735

Closed tmiw closed 4 months ago

tmiw commented 4 months ago

Resolves #734 by doing the following:

  1. Remove the logic that changes the audio device configuration after a failure. This was originally intended to force the analog side to use the system's default audio devices (i.e. if a USB headset was removed) but is likely still confusing to users.
  2. Slightly update the error message to "Your %s device cannot be found and may have been removed from your system. Please reattach this device and go to Tools->Audio Config... to confirm your audio setup." (Note italics for new/modified text.)
barjac commented 4 months ago

Resolves #734 by doing the following:

1. Remove the logic that changes the audio device configuration after a failure. This was originally intended to force the analog side to use the system's default audio devices (i.e. if a USB headset was removed) but is likely still confusing to users.

2. Slightly update the error message to "Your %s device cannot be found and may have been removed from your system. _Please reattach this device and_ go to Tools->Audio Config... to confirm your audio setup." (Note italics for new/modified text.)

This is still confusing as it tells users who have simply unplugged a device to go to (scary for some) Tools->Audio Config... when all they need to do is re-plug the device, close the message dialog and hit Start (modem) again.

I tested this as follows:

  1. Confirm I have a running system
  2. Stop modem and program
  3. Un-plug audio device
  4. Re-start FDV
  5. Hit Start (modem)
  6. Got message

Screenshot_20240715_204239

  1. Tried to go to Tools->Audio Config but of course can't as the message dialogue is still open.
  2. Now I was unsure - do I re-plug the device before or after OKing the dialogue?
  3. I re-plugged after and then went to Tools->Audio Config.
  4. All was good, I know what looks good and what does not having had to re-configure over and over. Some users will hopefully only configure once so will not easily know.

Rather than go straight to Tools->Audio Config I tested the following:

a. I again followed 1..6 b. On getting the message I re-connected the USB audio device c. Closed the dialogue with OK d. Hit Start (modem) and all was back to normal.

I tested using both USB sound devices (audio to/from radio and USB headset) with the same results. I then tried removing both together and on receiving the message I purposely inserted the wrong one (not in the message) first. I then got the correct message for the second one and again closed the dialogue before again hitting Start (modem) which worked fine.

I think the message should read:

"Your %s device cannot be found and may have been removed from your system. Please reattach this device, close this message box and retry. If this fails go to Tools->Audio Config... to check your settings."

tmiw commented 4 months ago

I think people would typically know to push the OK button first, but I guess the proposed message doesn't hurt. Updated.

barjac commented 4 months ago

I think people would typically know to push the OK button first, but I guess the proposed message doesn't hurt. Updated.

Many thanks as always.

I appreciate that most people would know that, however considering that hitting OK previously screwed up the settings I thought that precise instructions would provide some reassurance to anyone who does not read release notes.

Looks fine now for me :)