Re: Custom headers RFE WAS: Re: [Evolution] RFE: ability to add headers to "standard" display.

[Not Zed <notzed ximian com>]

On Tue, 2002-04-23 at 09:57, Jeffrey Stedfast wrote:
> This is where I say "Evolution is not a console client" and point out
> that this is a hell of a lot more work than it is worth. Not to mention
> it will severely increase the complexity of the display code, and it's
> already nasty enough as it is without adding to it.

Personally, the display code is the simplest of the lot.

See mail-format.c:write_headers()

However, if the header set was fully customisable, you'd have to have
some mechanism to track the format of a given header so it can be
displayed properly (rfc2047 decoded etc).  Still, pretty straighforward,
simple code to write neatly, it would probably even make the existing
code simpler (nothing would be a special case).

> There has to be a line drawn somewhere where it makes sense to say "no"
> and I believe this feature to be over the line.

However, a well written patch might make it.  Although the GUI part will
be the hardest to code, and probably the hardest to maintain and port,
so Jeff certainly has a point.  Even if someone gave us a good patch (i
dont think we have the time to do it, unless we're commanded from high
to), we'd have to justify the maintenance time putting it in would add.

> > > > > Should you have multiple custom views? Again, how would it work?
> > > > Good questions...
> > >
> > > The hard part is the design. If you can adequately spec what you want,
> > > the coding shouldn't be that tough.
> > >
> > > > > Of course, patches are welcome. ;-)
> > > > Again, with how big and multicomponent evolution is, and my extreme LACK
> > > > of experience with GUI and Evolution programming, this probably won't
> > > > happen. (unfortunately). 
> > >
> > > No need to specify the X/Y coordinates of the controls, but you can say
> > > what controls go in each dialog, and how the logic should work, and what
> > > goes on which menu. Someone who knows the GUI framework can then churn
> > > that into code.
> >
> > I will take a stab at this.  If I totally miss the mark, say so.