Re: Integration of new types of volumes

[Andrei Yurkevich <urruru ru ru>]

Yaron Tausky wrote:

> > There is alreasy a gnome-vfs module that would let you browse your PDAs 
> > filesystem (synce:///) - all that needs to be done is just some API that 
> > would let this and other gnome-vfs modules to show their icons in the 
> > Computer folder. I don't know, however, if any such API exists in 
> > gnome-vfs/nautilus or whether the desktop developers are interested in it.
>
> Such API does exist in GNOME VFS -- in fact, there is an implementation
> in the synce-gnomevfs package, it's just not getting installed with the
> rest of the package. The reason is that it's very hackish -- you have to
> run a certain programme on connection and disconnection to take care of
> that. I think this is something that should be done by the DE, with the
> help of device-specific code.

Well, the icon should not necessarily disappear when the PDA disconnects
- you'll just get an error message if you try to click the icon.
However, with synce-hal a hint is available in the HAL device list
whether the device is connected or not. Moreover, I am planning to add
some D-BUS code to the current implementation of dccm that would let you
know the details about the device currently connected.

> > As for g-v-m: I don't think that it is supposed to take care of the 
> > PDA's filesystem or whatever other device that is not a storage device. 
> > My guess that a PDAs device representation on the desktop is something 
> > like a remote network share or ftp connection or something like that. So 
> > I guess nothing should be done except for showing the PDA in the 
> > 'Computer' folder.
> A PDA is storage, in the same sense that an iPod is a storage device
> (work is being done to add iPod support to g-v-m). They both have
> user-accessible filesystems, and when a user plugs the device in s/he
> probably want to access those filesystems. Placing an icon in Nautilus
> and on the desktop is the best way to access them.

Well, in my opinion a PDA is just another computer that is connected to
your desktop, but that isn't the issue to discuss here. However you're
absolutely right for the desktop/computer icon - user should definitely
be able to access the PDAs filesystem just by clicking its icon.

> I think g-v-m should provide an API for devices, that will let them add
> icons, etc. in all relevant places throughout the desktop in a
> consistent way.

This means that it g-v-m should know about every possible device that
has a filesystem. This is not the right way I think. Instead, the
daemons/whatever that provide connection with devices such as PDAs
should place a hint for g-v-m in the HAL device list about how to use
these devices. I can imagine two cases: 1) the device can be mounted as
a regulas block device; and 2) the device is accessible with a gnome-vfs
module at some URI, this will be "synce:///" for Pocket PC PDAs. g-v-m
can then see if such hints are present in the new/removed devices and
either mount/dismount them or place/remove a link on the desktop or in
the computer folder.

cheers,
Andrei