Re: Autoloading of toolboxes?

[David Bateman]

John W. Eaton wrote:
> On 30-Jan-2007, David Bateman wrote:
> 
> | At the limit we could add a PKG_ADD statement to NaN, etc like
> | 
> | ## PKG_ADD: warning("*** This toolbox shadows some existing core octave
> | function ***");
> | 
> | So that at the moment the user loads the package they are warned of the
> | consequences...
> 
> We should allow users to disable the warnings, and the message should
> mention the package name, otherwise it will not point to the source of
> the conflicting functions.  So maybe
> 
>   ## PKG_ADD: warning ("Octave:shadow", "*** The NaN package shadows some 
> existing core Octave functions");
> 
> but I'm not sure that this would help.  At what point are the packages
> loaded?  The load-path is initialized before the startup files are
> executed, so if the package directories are added to the load-path
> before the startup scripts are run, the user would have no chance to
> disable the warning.
> 

Then if I've understood correctly from the above, as the user can't
disable the warning, you believe that no warning message should be given
with a PKG_ADD command?

Maybe we can use the "Problems" field of the DESCRIPTION file to
describe the issue. This is displayed on the package home page at the
moment, but we could make its inclusion more prominent. That is

1) Include the problem text in the bubble help of the MSVC installer
2) Adapt pkg so that by default if it sees the "Problems" fields it
displays the problem and waits to see if the installer wishes to proceed
3) Include the problems list other places (javascript short description
on main package page, the notes page on the sourceforge download for the
package, etc)

So many options to choose from... In any case just say how you want it
treated and we can make sure it is done..

D.