Object dock seems to be one of the SD apps that have the most question on the forums regardign "how do I install X"

Using a dockzip format would be great for the user.  I support it 100%

My problem is (with previous versions) that saving seemed confused.  Am I saving a dock, all my docks, the images, the plugins, etc?  I never knew what the end result was going to be.

Why I don't care for dockzips in it's current state.......

First off, I have to say I don't like the OD library in My Documents. I don't want 2 seperate locations to store my OD stuff. I'd rather see this library placed within the ObjectDock directory.

My problems with dockzips are....

1) I can't package backgrounds. I notice you said you could expand it to do backgrounds as well. Backgrounds (and Docklets) should have been the first thing on the list. Beginners have more trouble with those than the Dock Icons.

2) I would prefer a little more control. I would like the option to specify where the package will be extracted.

3) When opening a dockzip, I'd rather see a list of what's in the package, where it's going, and the option to allow to proceed, or deny the unpackaging.

4) In the Dockzip unpacking dialog, I see Package contents overview;
Images
Backgrounds
Miscellaneous files

Why are Backgrounds in that list? They can't be packaged as dockzips at this point, so why is it in the list. This just adds to the confusion, in my opinion.
What are Miscellaneous files?

That pretty much sums up why I haven't bothered to use dockzips.

I save each new theme I make so does zipping that include everything? Even the background, shortcuts, docklets & icons as well as all the untabbed & nontabbed docks that I used?




Jeff I would appreciate it if you acted as if I was completely new to OD and tell me exactly what an uploaded zipped theme will include & install on my desktop & what I can or cannot do with it.



IMHO it should automatically include the background...especially after seeing the # of new users that are asking for just that....how to install *THEMES with a few getting frustrated & annoyed with all the steps. I personally love creating themes.

It's My Secret

Permissions would be my main put-off. I don't mind packaging for myself but I can't spend all the time to obtain permission from a host of authors for one upload. To "streamline" the permission process I would suggest a checkoff box in the upload process that states that an icon, background, or docklet can be included in compilations

Lantec:

Well the point of the DockZip bit was to not export entire docks as the old pre-v1.5 system did, but rather to make it simple to upload individual images / sets of images / backgrounds. Forgive me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you're thinking about packing up an entire dock, and it'd be problematic to get permissions for each and every one of the things you have on your dock. Is that at all correct?



Zubaz:

With the new one, you're packing up individual icons, one at a time. And when you open the dockzip, the icons are "bam!" extracted and ready to go in your library, folder-structure of how they were on the original machine maintained. You can also include other types of files, say a jpeg preview image or a readme text file just by dropping the file into the export dialog, and it will add it to the dockzip.




Koasati:

In v1.6 I'm hoping to work in the ability for the user to change the location of their ObjectDock Library. I'm sure that'll be a welcome addition for many.


1) I will in not long time be adding backgrounds back in to the mix. It was originally designed to do them as well but I felt the dialog was starting to get too out of control so I scaled it back for the inital release.


2) Currently the package will maintain the structure you have in your ObjectDock Library, while keeping the content categorized. So if if in your Library you have a subfolder "Koasati's Icons\MyBackground1" within "Backgrounds" or subfolder/file "Koasati's Icons\MyIcons1\Icon1.png" within "Images", these substructures will be maintained completly upon extracting. (The pack-up dialog shows you the relative path of where it'll be extracted to as part of the item's name in the list when you add an icon).

Is there more control than that that you were thinking of? I guess a goal of this was to keep the content organized by type (backgrounds / images in separate folders), but still give authors ability to create subdirectories, etc as they wish.


3) Currently it does the extraction and then tells you what it extracted. It may be able to be modified to only extract the "info" part of it first and then ask before extracting the rest.


4) I would probably be a good idea to hide the listings that aren't in use (Backgrounds / Miscellanious files) when no fields are included for them. The point of why they were in there though, the system was designed to be back-compatible, so extracting of backgrounds is already possible.

Realistically, if some improvments (such as ability to move the library folder, and abililty to pack up icons) were made, and say we made a demo-video of how to pack up things, do you think this might help the initative?

Yes, my idea has been to setup dock's with different pngs for common programs linked to their default locations. I'll use my wife as an example......she is a computer user, period. She understands Folders hold files but the whole directory tree is way beyond her. I have to place shortcuts to folders on the desktop for her. If she was on her own and purchased Object Dock she couldn't do much with it. Creating links via drag and drop is a good start for someone like her, but if she could download an entire "Dock" icons and all, doubleclick for installation and then just delete the stuff she doesn't have she'd be all set. I used her as an example, but my experience is she's more the rule than the exception. I've always considered customization to be a "power users" domain, but this last couple years have brought it mainstream and now you need a way to idiot proof products like this. My 2 cents.

Zubaz agrees

Lantec: how's this for iddiot-proof! I hope to one day be able to have users drag images directly from WinCustomize-previews directly on to items onto ObjectDock, and have the associated icon automatically download and apply (allowing the user to choose from the bunch if there are several). Same for backgrounds. But I need people to use DockZip's for this to happen! If I eventually made them good enough where people weren't upset about having to use them, maybe I could make them mandetory. No way I could even think about doing that as-is though, and parsing from zips would be a mess.


Agreed in full though yeah I mean thats the direction we're going in with this. ObjectDock 2 is my target for getting in a cleaner better UI that will make it easier for novice users to pick out common shortcuts that they have on their computer and add them. Ah...i dream of a few quick 'demo/intro' videos that users could watch on how to do the basics...drag and drop from the start menu...etc...

-Jeff

I like the idea of packing up the dock backgrounds in a dockzip. This would make it easier for the user to apply said backgrounds. When will it be available and will there be instructions on how to do it?

WOW That would be cool. Even for those who are not idiots.

You start doing that and then everyone will be doing it.  WB, OB, DX, etc . . it's be anarchy!

The breakfast club...he, he  

I can live with that. I'd like to be able to add images from different folders, but have them extracted to a single folder of my choosing, but your method is probably the best for all.






That would be great.




I'm a little confused here........ moving the library folder would be a big plus, but "pack up icons" ..... that's all it does, at this point...? Did you mean pack up backgrounds?
When backgrounds (and docklets) can be packed in dockzips, I think you'll see more love.

I liked the old way of packing things up - the whole 'I have it laid out this way - now package as a theme' thing.

I still haven't figured out how to pack up now (using 1.5 freeload)

A video would be good... (maybe, depends... some of us are dialup) or a at least a tutorial/guide with pics

IMHO Island Dogs video's would work great if the images themselves were bigger than those in his current videos. After posting on this site a link could then be included with OD & or a link to 1 with pics. Avoids download issues and get the best of both worlds.

Bichur are Island dogs videos ok with dialup?

It's My Secret