pyILPER 1.7.0 beta release

[jsi]

I published the first beta of pyILPER 1.7.0 on GitHub.
pyILPER 1.7.0 introduces major improvements of the user interface.

The most important enhancements are:

• The virtual device tabs can be undocked from the main application and used as independent floating windows
• The GUI settings like font sizes can be configured individually for each device. This optimizes the application of floating windows in a multi monitor environment
• The local configuration of the devices was cleaned up and is now fast and easy accessible by cascading menus
  

See the Release Notes for further details.

I'd be happy to have beta testers for this pre release. The beta software can be installed without affect your production release. See the installation instructions for details.
Regards
Joachim

[salvomic]

(02-10-2018 05:22 PM)jsi Wrote:  ...
I'd be happy to have beta testers for this pre release. The beta software can be installed without affect your production release. See the installation instructions for details.
Regards
Joachim

hi Joachim, thanks a lot!
When I come back home (Mon or Tue) I'll download it and give a try...

Salvo

[jsi]

A .deb is available now.

[jsi]

You should remove 1.6.1dev

[rprosperi]

(02-10-2018 05:22 PM)jsi Wrote:  I'd be happy to have beta testers for this pre release. The beta software can be installed without affect your production release. See the installation instructions for details.
Regards
Joachim

Tried to take a look, but can't it working (I'm starting it in alternate location as described to not interfere with my normal 1.6 setup).

The notes suggest to do this:

Code:

  python <Path to the pyilper-master directory>/start.py

Presumably the path means to the BETA master directory, right?

On Win7Pro x64, I have extracted to:

Code:

C:\pyTEST\pyilper-1.7.0b1

And then from a command shell, do:

Code:


python C:\pyTEST\pyilper-1.7.0b1\start.py

and I get a " 'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. " error message, so clearly python is not in the default path, though this is not a problem with 1.6 since that launches by running pyilper.exe with full path.

Any python folks have a suggestion? Can I simply (and safely, meaning with no impact on 1.6) prepend the path to wherever python.exe is located?

[Dave Frederickson]

(02-11-2018 10:47 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Any python folks have a suggestion? Can I simply (and safely, meaning with no impact on 1.6) prepend the path to wherever python.exe is located?

Did you launch Python from the Anaconda Prompt or the Windows Command Prompt?

[rprosperi]

(02-11-2018 11:27 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  Did you launch Python from the Anaconda Prompt or the Windows Command Prompt?

Tried both.

Windows command prompt errors as noted above, and from Anaconda Prompt it pukes with a traceback showing a series of errors as it unwinds, then showing "TypeError: 'int' object is not subscriptable".

[jsi]

(02-11-2018 11:49 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  showing "TypeError: 'int' object is not subscriptable".

There is probably an incompatible pyILPER development configuration file. Please delete the file "%APPDATA%\pyilper\pyilper2d". Do not delete the file "pyilper" in this directory because this is the config file of the production version.

Configuration file incompatibilities may happen with development versions and should not happen with production versions.

Regards
Joachim

[rprosperi]

(02-12-2018 07:23 AM)jsi Wrote:  

(02-11-2018 11:49 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  showing "TypeError: 'int' object is not subscriptable".

There is probably an incompatible pyILPER development configuration file. Please delete the file "%APPDATA%\pyilper\pyilper2d". Do not delete the file "pyilper" in this directory because this is the config file of the production version.

Configuration file incompatibilities may happen with development versions and should not happen with production versions.

Regards
Joachim

Thanks Joachim. In that folder (in addition to penconfig2 and penconfig2d) I have:

pyilper1 - clearly from an older version, dated nearly 2 years ago
pyilper2 - this is for my current 1.6.0 production version, confirmed today by making config change and seeing file timestamp change
pyilpe2d - indeed this has timestamp from yesterday when trying 1.7.0

there is no pyilper.

So, shall I proceed to remove pyilper2d ?

Thanks in advance.

[jsi]

(02-12-2018 02:10 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  So, shall I proceed to remove pyilper2d ?

Yes, I was wrong with the filename "pyilper". "pyilper2" ist the config file of the production version.

Regards
Joachim

[rprosperi]

Thanks for clarifying Joachim, after purging that file, v1.7 starts normally.

After some basic use and driving some of the newer features around like copy/paste, dabbling with the local device configuration options, and undocking the device windows, everything seems fine. I will continue to explore 1.7 and use this client for most of my 71b chores for a while and report any trouble (or delight) here.

Having undocked device windows allowing the terminal, printer and drive windows to be seen simultaneously, each with custom size, etc. dramatically improves the UI and makes the environment much more flexible and friendly!

So far, so good!! And thanks very much for these improvements!

Btw, I'm Using Win7 Pro x64.

[rprosperi]

Suggested small changes for the PRINTER device tab:

1. Add the color scheme of 'Black on White' (I guess called Black in the menu), so it looks like real printer output.

2. When turning-off log buffering, open a Save as... dialog to allow user to save what they just collected to a text file wherever they choose, rather than needing to go hunt through folders to find the 'home' folder for pyLIPer to locate the printer log. I would also keep the file in the home folder as expected even if also saved elsewhere. Canceling the Save-as dialog also keeps the log file in the home folder.

And btw, what is the pyILPer home folder for the BETA configuration?

[jsi]

Thank you for feedback!

(02-18-2018 05:47 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Add the color scheme of 'Black on White' (I guess called Black in the menu), so it looks like real printer output.

Adopted for 1.7.0 production. The scheme will be called "paper".

(02-18-2018 05:47 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  And btw, what is the pyILPer home folder for the BETA configuration?

All log files are created in the pyILPER working directory which you can set in the pyILPER main configuration dialog. If not specified, pyILPER uses the Home directory which should be <root>\Users\<username> on Windows 7.

At the moment all log file output is appended to a single file that belongs to a virtual device. A timestamp in the file identifies a particular output. Other solutions are possible - but not for 1.7.0 any more - like:

• create a new file in the working directory every time when logging gets enabled and put the timestamp in the filename
• ask the user to enter a new filename
  

I'd like to implement a solution which fits the needs of the majority of users so suggestions are welcome.

Regards
Joachim

[rprosperi]

(02-19-2018 07:55 AM)jsi Wrote:  All log files are created in the pyILPER working directory which you can set in the pyILPER main configuration dialog. If not specified, pyILPER uses the Home directory which should be <root>\Users\<username> on Windows 7.

Wouldn't <root>\Users\<username>\pyilper be a better default? I think the root of the user folder is a dangerous place for folks to be handling files. One accidental deletion could cause lots of trouble.

(02-19-2018 07:55 AM)jsi Wrote:  At the moment all log file output is appended to a single file that belongs to a virtual device. A timestamp in the file identifies a particular output. Other solutions are possible - but not for 1.7.0 any more - like:

• create a new file in the working directory every time when logging gets enabled and put the timestamp in the filename
• ask the user to enter a new filename
  

I'd like to implement a solution which fits the needs of the majority of users so suggestions are welcome.

I think the most flexible and helpful solution would be as follows:

• Maintain the current .log file scheme, appending each (Start/Stop) session with start/stop timestamps inserted, but also
• Create a new file when logging is enabled, with 'Save As...' dialog open with default filename of PrintLog_timestamp in the current default folder
• User can click OK to accept default or modify filename before OK
• User can navigate to alternate folder before saving (and/or renaming) by OK
• Canceling the dialog skips writing new session file, but global log is updated
• File(s) closed when logging is stopped or program ends
  

The reason for saving both logs (the master growing file as well as the current log session file) is that often when exploring new media or working on a project, one wants to save various BASIC or TEXT files as they are explored, but also retain the full log of what was done for the full pyILPer session.

I have not encountered any problems with 1.7.0beta. I've not used the Plotter or Scope devices at all so can't comment on them, but the Terminal, Printer and Drive devices all were stable. I have not tried every possible combination of settings, but all that I did try did behave as expected, though I would describe my time as simply using rather than testing.

Also, I should note my all use was with a '71B. No time yet for trying the '75C, and no patience for 41C HP-IL.

[jsi]

Thank you very much for testing, I'm rolling out the new release by now.

(02-21-2018 01:37 AM)rprosperi Wrote:  Wouldn't <root>\Users\<username>\pyilper be a better default? I think the root of the user folder is a dangerous place for folks to be handling files. One accidental deletion could cause lots of trouble.

I'll put this item on the backlog for the next release.

(02-21-2018 01:37 AM)rprosperi Wrote:  I think the most flexible and helpful solution would be as follows:

• Maintain the current .log file scheme, appending each (Start/Stop) session with start/stop timestamps inserted, but also
• Create a new file when logging is enabled, with 'Save As...' dialog open with default filename of PrintLog_timestamp in the current default folder
• User can click OK to accept default or modify filename before OK
• User can navigate to alternate folder before saving (and/or renaming) by OK
• Canceling the dialog skips writing new session file, but global log is updated
• File(s) closed when logging is stopped or program ends
  

The reason for saving both logs (the master growing file as well as the current log session file) is that often when exploring new media or working on a project, one wants to save various BASIC or TEXT files as they are explored, but also retain the full log of what was done for the full pyILPer session.

This is an interesting proposal. How do other pyiLPER users think about that?

Regards
Joachim