Difference between revisions of "Equinox p2 UI Plan"

Revision as of 16:20, 10 December 2008

This page describes the work planned for the next release (3.5) of the p2 UI. This includes improvements for the p2 UI in the Eclipse SDK, as well as issues that have to be addressed for alternate UIs (such as RCP app requirements). Important fixes will be examined for inclusion/backport to 3.4.x maintenance stream.

The overall p2 plan for 3.5 is located at Equinox_p2_Plan

The milestone plans for 3.4 have moved to Equinox p2 UI Eclipse 3.4 Plan

3.5 Milestone Plans

M5 - Jan 30, 2009 - Major Feature Freeze

• UI/Usability
  • improved error reporting and explanation of problems between the planner and the UI Bug 218055
  • better presentation of repositories
    • Need to do a better job of deciding which repos to look up against Bug 234213
    • Access to sites from all workflows Bug 250316
    • user repo naming (regression of UM function) Bug 194224
    • improve presentation of enabled/disabled repositories Bug 218534
    • discovery mechanisms
  • Implementation for available view affordances Bug 216032 - remaining work is mostly artwork
  • Revert UI improvements
    • history view integrated into about dialog Bug 250316, see Mockups
    • background job/progress reporting/UI freeze issues
  • investigate streamlined license UI Bug 217944
• API
  • product configures user access to repos Bug 231039
  • should UI be the one coordinating provisioning operations vs. having scheduling rules Bug 218216

M6 - Mar 12, 2009 - API Freeze

• API
  • convert actions to handlers for UI pluggability
  • javadoc, package.html, and API scrub
  • automated test cases for all API contracts
  • examples or work with clients to demonstrate/verify that we provide appropriate level of reuse

M7 - May 1, 2009 - Development Freeze

Past 3.4.x Maintenance Streams

3.4.1

• Improved progress reporting and honoring cancellation requests
• Improved presentation of errors (resizability, formatting)
• Fix confusing restart language
• Annoying /low risk bugs
  • Refresh artifact repos when metadata repos are refreshed

3.4.2

• Enable a site when a user adds a disabled one (workaround until core fixes in 3.5)
• NLS formatting fixes (awaiting NL team verification)

Past 3.5 Milestones

M1 - Aug 8, 2008

• UI/Usability
  • Usability review of general strategy (modality, overall organization, etc.)
    • Walkthrough with Eclipse UIWG
    • Solicit usability and user persona input from product teams
    • Write concrete user personas to guide use cases
  • Bugs
    • Bring 3.4.1 fixes into 3.5 stream

M2 - Sep 19, 2008

• UI/Usability
  • Develop use cases based on user persona input
  • Investigate integration of installed view with about dialog
  • Develop mockups for new workflows and solicit feedback
• Performance/Stability
  • revisit checkbox/filter/deferred fetch strategy Bug 233269 (continuing in M3)
  • investigate resolution in the background Bug 236495 (continuing in the scope of new workflows in M3)

M3 - Oct 31, 2008

• UI/Usability
  • Complete new workflows (installed view may not yet be integrated with about dialog)
  • Begin improved implementation of installed view Bug 224472
    • Allow drill-down in installed view of requirements that are visible as groups
    • Identify any necessary metadata changes to make this simpler/better (see Bug 227675)
• Performance/Stability
  • finalize checkbox/filter/deferred fetch strategy Bug 233269
    • Better/faster filtering without graying out filter box (postponed to M4)
    • Eliminate "duplicate nodes" problem on first repo read
  • resolution in the background to be provided as part of new workflows Bug 236495
  • Investigate repo adding/loading performance issues and identify necessary changes to core Bug 236485

M4 - Dec 12, 2008

• UI/Usability
  • Finish up installed view changes
    • Complete integration of installed view with about dialog
    • Install drill-down info also shown in install/update wizards Bug 250862
    • Investigate the ability to provide optional/related content Bug 247342. (Decision is not to do anything at this time)
  • Investigate better affordances in available view to show already installed, available updates, etc. Bug 216032
    • Complete initial model/collector work needed to distinguish status and improve "already installed" filtering Bug 210583 and Bug 232632
• Performance/Stability
  • finalize checkbox/filter/deferred fetch strategy Bug 233269
    • Better/faster filtering without graying out filter box
• Usability+Performance
  • More selective loading of repos when sites are added Bug 236485
• API
  • Separation of contributions from the rest of the code Bug 221760
  • Ability to reassemble groups (available, installed, history, repo management) into new locations (pref page vs. wizard, etc.)

Items not yet assigned to milestones

UI/Usability

• Ability to install/uninstall user-named groups of IU's
• Separation of product base vs. "add-ons" Bug 215398
• Fast-path install scenarios Bug 223264

API

• Investigate other levels of detail provided by API (listed from most general to most granular)
  • One callable, preconfigured UI with pluggable policy (query providers, policies, etc.)
  • Expose all building blocks for RCP apps
    • Individual wizards, dialogs, actions
    • Content and label providers
• Ensure code is structured for managed scenarios (minimal UI that is required)
  • Silent/automatic updating, user never sees the update UI, it just happens (but may need confirmation, restart dialog, etc.)
  • User's environment is defined explicitly by someone external (administrator)
    • Upgrade or install to a new specification
    • Compare current installation to required one