226408 - Need simple "set charset" command for current view

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Other Applications :: ChatZilla, defect)

Description

[Max Alekseyev]

Chatzilla 0.9.45 [Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.6a) Gecko/20031029]

I'm totally disappointed by Chatzilla charset related commands and think that
their design should be changed. Let me state my point of view.

1. Default charset command (currently "/charset") is by nature is very rare
command. Usually it's given only once and "default codepage" will be saved in
config forever. So this command should have other form rather than take a short
and elegant command "/charset" (see below). I'd suggest for this command to be
"/default-charset".

In my vision, "/default-charset" should not affect already opened tabs but be
applicable only to newly created one. Say, if I opened a number of tabs and set
up own charset for each one, then I wouldn't like if single command destroyed
them all.


2. There is should be a short and easy command for changing charset in the
_current_ tab (no matter what it is). Currently there is no such universal
command, but specific commands like  "/channel-charset", "/user-charset" etc.
may play its role for specific tab types. 

But I'd suggest to have single simple command like "/charset" for changing
charset in the current tab. It would free the user from thinking what tab she is
dealing with, and will simply perform charset change for _any_ tab. 
I think this command should recode current content of the tab. See related bug
225950 Say, if some user contacted me through personal chat but used different
charset from my default, I simply give proper "/charset" command and recode what
the user said to me.

Comment 1

[Max Alekseyev]

Bug 226410 is somehow related to this one.
There is an idea how to improve a choice of codepage for a personal chat tabs.

Comment 2

[James Ross]

I sort of agree with what you're saying, but there's a slight correction needed.
If I set a channel, network, or user's charset (with the appropriate command),
then they no longer depend on the default (channels depends of the network's
which depends on the default). I have, for example, one network set to
ISO-8859-15 - changing what my default is had no effect on this network, it
stays entirely as ISO-8859-15, unless I override individual channels or user views.

There is a bug, however, that changing the default charset *does not* update the
views that depend on it (i.e. ones that haven't been overriden) until you
restart. I think this problem does need to be fixed, though probably in a
different bug/independantly.

I agree entirely with the need for a single command to change the current view,
though. :) (obviously the recode issue is left for bug 225950)

Comment 3

[Robert Ginda]

yeah, this sounds like a good idea, and shouldn't be too hard either.

Comment 4

[Robert Ginda]

actually, how about rename /charset to /default-charset, have /charset list the
available charset commands and associated help text, and leave everything else
as is.  I could picture users frustrated by the fact that they "have to" issue a
/charset command for each view, just because they don't know about /default-charset.

Comment 5

[James Ross]

I would still like to see a simple, easy-to-tab-complete, command, such as
/charset. Perhaps "/charset" could list the commands, and "/charset <code>"
would just set it for the current view anyway?

Comment 6

[Max Alekseyev]

Yes, if specific network/channel/user was assigned a charset via
"/network-charset", "/channel-charset", or "/user-charset", then NO generic
charset change will affect that network/channel/user. On the other hand, there
should be a command to remove a charset assignment, or a special charset value
like "none" for that. Say, "/network-charset none" will remove charset
assignment to network.

Yes again, "default charset" should NOT change anything except some variable in
memory/config. This value will be used by newly created object in future.

Comment 7

[James Ross]

Max, there is a special value, "-". Setting it on a user or channel makes it
default to the network, and makes a network default to the global default.

Comment 8

[Max Alekseyev]

James, oh yeah, now I remember I even used it once. Just fine!

Comment 9

[Eugene Kazarinov]

Yes. I need this too.
And I think the best choice is a simple /charset

PS Mozilla must think itself where user is and that does he mean and want. ;-)

Comment 10

[James Ross]

Attachment: Replace charset commands with just [default-]charset.

Removes network-, channel- and user-charset commands, and adds default-charset.
/charset acts on the current view, /default-charset the global charset.

I'm not sure this makes sense, as it's not the *default* it's the *global*
charset. Perhaps networks should only pick up the global charset when initially
creating them? (does the network list actually create CIRCNetwork objects?)

Comment 11

[Max Alekseyev]

> I'm not sure this makes sense, as it's not the *default* it's the *global*
> charset.

What is the difference between "default" and "global" here? I think, "default"
name is ok since this charset will be in all cases when Chatzilla is uncertain
about the charset. In other words, "default" charset will be used by default ;)

Comment 12

[James Ross]

The difference, at least how I think of it, is that "global" affects everything
that doesn't have it's own value already, whereas "default" only defines the
value other things get initially (i.e. global affects already open stuff,
default doesn't).

ChatZilla currently does charsets using the "global" way, meaning if I change
the global setting, anything open that doesn't have it's own charset is
affected, so I'm not sure /default-charset matches the behaviour.

Comment 13

[Max Alekseyev]

Is it hard to change current "global" behavior to "default" one? I think no
command should affect all the already opened stuff.

Comment 14

[James Ross]

In general, ChatZilla's prefs use the "global" system. Things like the motif
really work better like this, as you normally want the same motif change on all
windows (though ones with their own setting are left alone). Having the charset
inherit from the server to channels dynamically is *very* useful, but the global
--> server inheriting probably isn't. Changing it is as simple as this:

-          ["charset",          defer],
+          ["charset",          client.prefs["charset"]],
(http://lxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/extensions/irc/xul/content/prefs.js#189)

Comment 15

[Robert Ginda]

Comment on attachment 141204 [details] [diff] [review]
Replace charset commands with just [default-]charset.

r=rginda

Comment 16

[James Ross]

Comment on attachment 141204 [details] [diff] [review]
Replace charset commands with just [default-]charset.

Checked in.

Comment 17

[James Ross]

This is been in cVS and hacksrus.com releases for over a month. FIXED. :)