FlightGear Qt launcher: Difference between revisions

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FlightGear Qt launcher (view source)

Revision as of 19:22, 8 May 2016

4 bytes removed ,  8 May 2016
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| changelog      = {{flightgear source|path=src/GUI|view=log}}
| changelog      = {{flightgear source|path=src/GUI|view=log}}
}}
}}
 
{{Package Management}}
The '''Qt launcher''' is an integrated launcher for FlightGear designed as a replacement for [[FGRun]]. Initially designed as a stop-gap solution in FlightGear 3.4 for the problem of support for the [[FlightGear Mac OS X Launcher|old FlightGear Mac launcher]] ending with OS X Yosemite, it has become FlightGear's main launcher for all platforms, and is shipped with all official FlightGear releases (however, users building from source may need to separately configure/rebuild FlightGear).  
The '''Qt launcher''' is an integrated launcher for FlightGear designed as a replacement for [[FGRun]]. Initially designed as a stop-gap solution in FlightGear 3.4 for the problem of support for the [[FlightGear Mac OS X Launcher|old FlightGear Mac launcher]] ending with OS X Yosemite, it has become FlightGear's main launcher for all platforms, and is shipped with all official FlightGear releases (however, users building from source may need to separately configure/rebuild FlightGear).  
In addition, this was also motivated by the plethora of 3rd party GUI launchers/frontends developed by numerous contributors over the years <ref>[[The FlightGear Front-End Situation]]</ref>.
In addition, this was also motivated by the plethora of 3rd party GUI launchers/frontends developed by numerous contributors over the years <ref>[[The FlightGear Front-End Situation]]</ref>.
There is 100% agreement that FlightGear will never require Qt<ref>{{cite web
  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34532040/
  |title  = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel]  GUI questions (again)</nowiki>
  |author = <nowiki>James Turner</nowiki>
  |date  = Oct 11th, 2015
  |added  = May 7th, 2016
  |script_version = 0.35
  }}
</ref>, the intention is we’re adding integrated convenience features but the command line / shell environment won’t change and the default mode of ‘fgfs’ even in a Qt-enabled build is unchanged. You need set an env var or pass an argument to get the launcher, even if the feature was selected at compile time. We have the advantage that the Windows and Mac pre-built builds, it’s easy to ensure Qt is available, and those users are less likely to want complex command-line control than Linux users.<ref>{{cite web
  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34532040/
  |title  = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel]  GUI questions (again)</nowiki>
  |author = <nowiki>James Turner</nowiki>
  |date  = Oct 11th, 2015
  |added  = May 7th, 2016
  |script_version = 0.35
  }}
</ref>
And even if Qt is selected at compile time, it will still be possible to disable it at run time. That’s important because /initially/ it’s likely that some window-setup features won’t work when using Qt. Especially the multi-window options for handling different projectors side-by-side. <ref>{{cite web
  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34532040/
  |title  = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel]  GUI questions (again)</nowiki>
  |author = <nowiki>James Turner</nowiki>
  |date  = Oct 11th, 2015
  |added  = May 7th, 2016
  |script_version = 0.35
  }}
</ref>
{{Package Management}}


== History and status ==
== History and status ==
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== Repercussions ==
== Repercussions ==
=== Dependencies ===
=== Dependencies ===
There is 100% agreement that FlightGear will never require Qt<ref>{{cite web
  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34532040/
  |title  = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel]  GUI questions (again)</nowiki>
  |author = <nowiki>James Turner</nowiki>
  |date  = Oct 11th, 2015
  |added  = May 7th, 2016
  |script_version = 0.35
  }}
</ref>, the intention is we’re adding integrated convenience features but the command line / shell environment won’t change and the default mode of ‘fgfs’ even in a Qt-enabled build is unchanged. You need set an env var or pass an argument to get the launcher, even if the feature was selected at compile time. We have the advantage that the Windows and Mac pre-built builds, it’s easy to ensure Qt is available, and those users are less likely to want complex command-line control than Linux users.<ref>{{cite web
  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34532040/
  |title  = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel]  GUI questions (again)</nowiki>
  |author = <nowiki>James Turner</nowiki>
  |date  = Oct 11th, 2015
  |added  = May 7th, 2016
  |script_version = 0.35
  }}
</ref>
And even if Qt is selected at compile time, it will still be possible to disable it at run time. That’s important because /initially/ it’s likely that some window-setup features won’t work when using Qt. Especially the multi-window options for handling different projectors side-by-side. <ref>{{cite web
  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34532040/
  |title  = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel]  GUI questions (again)</nowiki>
  |author = <nowiki>James Turner</nowiki>
  |date  = Oct 11th, 2015
  |added  = May 7th, 2016
  |script_version = 0.35
  }}
</ref>
When the launcher was introduced, there were significant divergences of opinion regarding whether it was appropriate to require the dependency on Qt; the core developers concluded that it was undesirable, unless it had a specific benefit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34196458/
When the launcher was introduced, there were significant divergences of opinion regarding whether it was appropriate to require the dependency on Qt; the core developers concluded that it was undesirable, unless it had a specific benefit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34196458/
|title=<nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] Policy Document and V4.X Roadmap</nowiki>
|title=<nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] Policy Document and V4.X Roadmap</nowiki>
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