I sense a bit of, er, annoyance on behalf of WSJT-X developers with the fact that relatively few users seem to be using Configurations -- at least, the solution proposed to a fair number of user interface issues raised here recently seems to be the same: "Use Configurations".
When I first used the software, years ago, I didn't use configurations for three reasons: (1) I couldn't find a list anywhere in the manual of just what "settings" were being "configured" (the File/Settings... settings? To include the main window check boxes? Frequencies? I still don't know the complete list, even today); (2) The manual didn't explain that I could avoid a lot of UI annoyances by doing so, just that "[m]any users prefer to create and use entries on the Configurations menu for switching between modes," without saying why they have that preference; and (3) The Configurations menu picks didn't seem to do what I *thought* I would want to do to start, which was to CREATE a configuration for the settings I already had, followed by SAVE a configuration. (I knew I didn't want to CLONE anything . . . .) If one has the manual at hand, one has the single-sentence instruction to "Simply Clone the Default entry, Rename it as desired, and then make all desired settings for that configuration." But even then, one has to make an assumption on how the settings are saved, since the manual says nothing about what one has to do to save a configuration (change modes or bands? Switch to a different configuration? Exit the program?). Without an EDIT menu pick, it's also not at all clear how one might modify a configuration to correct an error, which makes experimenting with the feature a high-risk endeavor for new users. Note that, when the user has finally found a collection of settings he likes, as currently implemented the configurations feature requires the user to go back to the default settings and then change the settings back to the values he likes, *again*, in order to create the configuration. For most new users, all this does is break the software, since they likely have not made a list in advance of all the changes they've made from the default. All of these points discourage the new user from experimenting with, and eventually using, the Configuration feature, which eventually leads to a lot of threads on this reflector that end with someone writing, "Use configurations". Anyway, if I'm wrong, and the user email load has not become annoying, well, then, never mind, and I apologize for the bandwidth. However, if it has become annoying, I have two possible remedies, both leading to increased usage of Configurations over time: (1) Change the UI of the Configurations menu to the more intuitive CREATE / SAVE / EDIT model; or (2) Add a few sentences to the WSJT-X documentation, at least describing the benefits of using Configurations; how changes are saved; the importance of using Configurations/Default/Clone **before** changing settings; what functions the "Clone Into . . ." and "Reset" undocumented menu picks perform; and providing a list of the parameters controlled by the Configurations feature. 73, Ed Callaway, N4II. -----Original Message----- From: Reino Talarmo <reino.tala...@kolumbus.fi> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 2:04 PM To: k...@arrl.net; 'WSJT software development' <wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net> Subject: Re: [wsjt-devel] Hold TX Frequency Default >From: Jim Brown [mailto:k...@audiosystemsgroup.com] Sent: 19. toukokuuta 2020 20:25 >On 5/19/2020 6:35 AM, Joe Taylor wrote: >> I operate on 6m a lot, using FT8, MSK144, and recently also FT4. I > >never have the problem you describe. >Can you please tell me how your setup prevents the problem I've described? Is there a reason that you cannot >change the behavior I've described? Jim, >From User Guide: " Simply Clone the Default entry, Rename it as desired, and then make all desired settings for that configuration. These settings will be restored whenever you select that configuration. " Each configuration behaves as if you have never used any other mode and so none of the mode dependent defaults will not affect to other configurations. It should implement your wish and need, just in another fully working manner. 73, Reino OH3mA _______________________________________________ wsjt-devel mailing list wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel _______________________________________________ wsjt-devel mailing list wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel _______________________________________________ wsjt-devel mailing list wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel
