Trialling proposed new functionality

[cadcam]

Can see the possible problem re multiple versions. However, I am sure there are ways to minimise difficulties, e.g. if done centrally with the developer 'booking' a location** the associated info string could be arranged so that it is no more awkward than having multiple master, weekly, RT builds circulating.

Expectation that any location would only remain live for downloads for a limited fixed time or until a PR is made. Subsequently the page/download would be frozen with justa twoway link to the forum thread?

[Kunda1]

Theoretically a buildbot framework could be flexible to use as a testing platform for pre-PR coding.

buildbot can generate cross-platform builds (so that would include builds provided for windows and macOS simultaneously). This is what we do with conda right now
https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD_Conda
and https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD-Bundle

Generally, good sentiment, but this could easily get out of hand with multiple circulating builds causing confusion among inexperienced users.

This is easily remedied if we make our About specs more robust. Case in point, realthunder has done this with LinkStage3/LinkDaily. Aside: another example of improving About dialog:
[FEATURE] Installed Addons version info could be added to the FreeCAD Help > About dialog ticket

It would be nice to have a 'live' graph on the FreeCAD main page, linked to from forum, showing daily and cummulative numbers both for the interest of current users and as confidence raiser for potential users

Simple Telemetry like the graph you're proposing is not going to be accurate. This has been discussed elsewhere (the problem is how we're using Github releases in a way that overwrites a lot of the statistics. FreeCAD has way more users that we can assume. Especially in Linux.

[adrianinsaval]

Generally, good sentiment, but this could easily get out of hand with multiple circulating builds causing confusion among inexperienced users.

You wouldn't advertise these builds in the FreeCAD download page, newbies wouldn't come across these builds frequently. A good idea could be to always patch before building with a different icon and splashcreen that clearly show it is a testing build, maybe even change the titlebar text to FreeCAD PR #XXXXX test build

More than building the PRs I think the problem is where to store the downloadable assets, after all we are already building

[Kunda1]

A good idea could be to always patch before building with a different icon and splashcreen that clearly show it is a testing build, maybe even change the titlebar text to FreeCAD PR #XXXXX test build

Agreed

[obelisk79]

Seems like a good way to handle that.

[onekk]

Generally, good sentiment, but this could easily get out of hand with multiple circulating builds causing confusion among inexperienced users.

+ 1 for me.

There are already too much confusion around, better to be clear on what it happening behind the courtains.

There are many post about TNP and his about integrating RT build that having to manage "mine" build or "yours" build maybe many of them it it will be "a lot of unnecessary" confusion for the user.

Not speaking about that many of these builds are made only to test some functionalities, so maybe you have to make many of them and as an AppImage is around 1GB actually, it will be a great consumption of Bandwidth for the user and for FC.

Regards

Carlo D.

[Kunda1]

It may be better to try using Snap packages for testing builds. @ppd has created snaps for FreeCAD master stable/development. He also did the same for RT LS3/LDaily. The snaps are ~550MB

[kisolre]

I use Syncthing to sync the INSTALL folder from my dev VM to the host PC so only the modified files by the new build are transferred/deleted/... Is there some similar tool that would create a torrent like list that each interested user could just apply to an existing build on his system (latest weekly for example) and only the necessary files would get downloaded and updated?

[adrianinsaval]

appimages can do delta downloads and so can flatpak, not sure about snaps.

+ 1 for me.

There are already too much confusion around, better to be clear on what it happening behind the courtains.

Again, how would regular users come across these builds? they will be tied to PRs, only people interested in testing will get them. RT's releases are a very different situation, they began for testing sure, but at this point it's really a full fork and the releases are announced and people are directed to them. He even has a stable and daily versions. It's not comparable to what these throwaway builds attached to individual PRs would be. And it would be clear that's what they are, nothing behind curtains.

Not speaking about that many of these builds are made only to test some functionalities, so maybe you have to make many of them and as an AppImage is around 1GB actually, it will be a great consumption of Bandwidth for the user and for FC.

Yes the infrastructure to host these files is an issue for FC but regarding the user's bandwidth, as always downloads are a voluntary thing, if you have a metered connection just don't download test builds.

[onekk]

appimages can do delta downloads and so can flatpak, not sure about snaps.

Yes I know this, I usually use this functionality, with AppImages, it is handy.

Again, how would regular users come across these builds? they will be tied to PRs, ... And it would be clear that's what they are, nothing behind curtains.

behind the curtains, maybe it is not very good expression.

My intention was to tell that there is already too much "rumors" on some thing, like TNP mitigation and some other "RT works" that are being integrated in FreeCAD, but when they are integrated is not clear.

I know the reasons behind this apparent lag, as it is not something against RT work as someone have suggested, it is simply that this "patch" will affect some "delicate elements" of FreeCAD and it is very "invasive" so many "caveats" have to be taken to not "break anything", as if you are using an "official version" you are not expecting that all your work is vanished by some "quirks".

I think you are aware of many comments around in this forum, and you will easily see my point, even if my English is not very good when trying to explain these delicate concepts. (sorry for it)

Yes the infrastructure to host these files is an issue for FC but regarding the user's bandwidth, as always downloads are a voluntary thing, if you have a metered connection just don't download test builds.

I agree, but as above, usually people came here, ask for something and didn't even read the "IMPORTANT: Please click here and read this first, before asking for help" placed on the top of the forum Section.

Also usually they came here after having seen many video complaining that "it is not working, as expected" using a FC0.16 video with a 0.20-dev version.

Here in Italy there is a good expression "a prova di scimmia" that roughly translated as "even a monkey will be able to do" ("monkey tested" ?)

In some not so very old "army manual" there are some conventions, that resemble stupid for a skilled people, they usually put on every figure, the "rotation verse" to screw or unscrew the particular, as "not every people have clear that an usual screw is unscrewed rotating it counterclockwise".



Regards

Carlo D.