Ethereal-dev: Re: [Ethereal-dev] Suggestions related to the capture preferences dialog box
On Wed, Feb 06, 2002 at 09:26:11PM +0100, ulf.lamping@xxxxxx wrote:
> Some simple suggestions to the labels:
>
> The "File size" label could be including the unit "File size (kB):"
> The "Duration" label could be including the unit "Duration (s):" or "Duration (sec):"
> The "Capture length" label could be "Capture length max. 65535 bytes"
>
> I think, this would be better, and could be implemented almost easily.
I've checked into the CVS tree a change to add units, and also to make
those items, as well as the capture count, have both a check box and a
spin button.
If the check box is not checked, the limit in question isn't imposed
(capture length 65535 bytes - libpcap doesn't let you specify "no
maximum capture length", unfortunately; no maximum packet count; no
maximum file size; no maximum capture duration), and the spin button is
insensitive.
If the check box is checked, the limit applies, and the spin button is
sensitive.
That was inspired by the UI I saw in an EtherPeek UI tour document on
the WildPackets Web site. It's an experiment - I don't know if it's a
better UI or not. Feedback is welcome (although if somebody submits
feedback they should be prepared for others to submit the opposite
feedback, of course...).
> A more sophisticated dialog box solution would logically group the fields,
> seperated by thin borders (are these borders possible in GTK?):
If you're referring to the thin line around a collection of dialog-box
widgets, with a label, that's seen in some windows of a number of Windows and
UNIX/X applications, including the "Summary" window in an application
called "Ethereal" (read in a capture file, and select "Summary" from the
"Tools" menu; there are groups named "File", "Data", and "Capture"),
then, given that the application in question is a GTK+ application, it's
obviously possible in GTK+. :-)
In fact, I also checked that in, with groups labeled:
> - capture input/output: interface, name resolution, promiscuous mode,
> filtering ...
"Capture", although I didn't put the name resolution options into that
box (it has the interface, snapshot length, promiscuous mode flag, and
filter);
> - file: filename, file size and ring buffer settings
"Capture file(s)", but it has only the file name and ring buffer
settings;
> - display update settings
"Display options";
> - capture limits: duration, count, ...
"Capture limits", which includes the file size (if the ring buffer is
off, it is a capture limit; if the ring buffer is on, it's not a limit -
but I make it say "Rotate capture file every N kilobyte(s)" rather than
"Stop capture after N kilobytes captured" - perhaps, instead, there
should be a "Stop capture after N kilobytes captured" that shows up only
if the ring buffer is off, and a "Rotate capture file every N kilobytes"
in the "Capture file(s)" section that shows up only if the ring buffer
is on).
I put in a separate "Name resolution" section with the three name
resolution options.
I consider all of this just a first attempt, not a final shiny perfect
UI for that dialog box.
