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<!-- The actual name of your feature page should look something like: Features/YourFeatureName. This keeps all features in the same namespace --> | <!-- The actual name of your feature page should look something like: Features/YourFeatureName. This keeps all features in the same namespace --> | ||
= | = System Wide Desktop Notification <!-- The name of your feature --> = | ||
== Summary == | == Summary == | ||
<!-- A sentence or two summarizing what this feature is and what it will do. This information is used for the overall feature summary page for each release. --> | <!-- A sentence or two summarizing what this feature is and what it will do. This information is used for the overall feature summary page for each release. --> | ||
Currently there is no standard way for system (or LAN) wide messages to be delivered to users in a desktop environment. The traditional utilities "wall" and "rwall" only work for users who have open shell windows. While there are a variety of ways of delivering desktop notifications, none of these are convenient for system level notification. | |||
== Owner == | == Owner == | ||
<!--This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are--> | <!--This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are--> | ||
* Name: [[User: | * Name: [[User:iandall| Ian Dall]] | ||
<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your feature, status is requested, or technical issues need to be resolved--> | <!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your feature, status is requested, or technical issues need to be resolved--> | ||
* Email: < | * Email: <ian@beware.dropbear.id.au> | ||
== Current status == | == Current status == | ||
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== Detailed Description == | == Detailed Description == | ||
<!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate. A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. --> | <!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate. A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. --> | ||
The traditional "wall" works by trawling through utmp and finding the tty's of logged in users, then writing a message to that tty. The same mechanism is apparently used by "shutdown" and "syslog". There needs to be a way for shutdown, syslog and admin scripts to send a message which is almost guaranteed to be seen by all logged in users. | |||
== Benefit to Fedora == | == Benefit to Fedora == | ||
<!-- What is the benefit to the platform? If this is a major capability update, what has changed? If this is a new feature, what capabilities does it bring? Why will Fedora become a better distribution or project because of this feature?--> | <!-- What is the benefit to the platform? If this is a major capability update, what has changed? If this is a new feature, what capabilities does it bring? Why will Fedora become a better distribution or project because of this feature?--> | ||
Currently "wall" is effectively broken in all unix based systems due to the paradigm shift from terminal interaction to graphical desktops. This deficiency has been hidden to some extent by the common practice of having leaving terminal windows open. However as this becomes less common, the impact of the deficiency becomes greater. | |||
This feature will allow users of graphical desktops to see critical messages which they might currently miss. The need to deliver this messages is especially relevant in multi-user or enterprise environments, which might include multiple users on graphical desktops via thin clients. | |||
== Scope == | == Scope == | ||
<!-- What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release? Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?--> | <!-- What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release? Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?--> | ||
Many of the elements exist. There are several ways of actually displaying a message on the desktop, but xfce4-notifyd works pretty well and is used for desktop notifications within a session. | |||
Currently xfce4-notifyd only listens to the d-bus session bus. If it listened to the d-bus system bus as well, and libnotify were modified to optionally use the system bus then the feature would mostly be implemented. Additionally the "notify-send" utility would need an option to use the system bus. The "shutdown" utility and the "rsyslog" daemon would need to be modified to send notifications on the system bus as well. Possibly "wall" should be modified as well so that scripts which already use wall can reach graphical desktop users without change. | |||
== How To Test == | == How To Test == | ||
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3. What are the expected results of those actions? | 3. What are the expected results of those actions? | ||
--> | --> | ||
# Log in to a default fedora desktop | |||
# Ensure /etc/rsyslog.conf has the line "*.emerg *" | |||
# Enter "logger -p emerg "Just Testing" | |||
# Observe graphical notification message | |||
# Enter "shutdown -k now "Just Testing"; shutdown -c" | |||
# Observe graphical notification message | |||
# Enter "notify-send --system "Just Testing" | |||
# Observe graphical notification message | |||
# Enter "wall "Just Testing"" | |||
# Observe graphical notification message | |||
== User Experience == | == User Experience == | ||
<!-- If this feature is noticeable by its target audience, how will their experiences change as a result? Describe what they will see or notice. --> | <!-- If this feature is noticeable by its target audience, how will their experiences change as a result? Describe what they will see or notice. --> | ||
Users will, when critical system events happen, see an alpha blended message box, which fades as it times out. | |||
== Dependencies == | == Dependencies == | ||
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== Comments and Discussion == | == Comments and Discussion == | ||
* See [[Talk:Features/ | * See [[Talk:Features/SystemWideDesktopNotification]] <!-- This adds a link to the "discussion" tab associated with your page. This provides the ability to have ongoing comments or conversation without bogging down the main feature page --> | ||
Revision as of 05:05, 12 December 2009
System Wide Desktop Notification
Summary
Currently there is no standard way for system (or LAN) wide messages to be delivered to users in a desktop environment. The traditional utilities "wall" and "rwall" only work for users who have open shell windows. While there are a variety of ways of delivering desktop notifications, none of these are convenient for system level notification.
Owner
- Name: Ian Dall
- Email: <ian@beware.dropbear.id.au>
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora 42
- Last updated: (DATE)
- Percentage of completion: XX%
Detailed Description
The traditional "wall" works by trawling through utmp and finding the tty's of logged in users, then writing a message to that tty. The same mechanism is apparently used by "shutdown" and "syslog". There needs to be a way for shutdown, syslog and admin scripts to send a message which is almost guaranteed to be seen by all logged in users.
Benefit to Fedora
Currently "wall" is effectively broken in all unix based systems due to the paradigm shift from terminal interaction to graphical desktops. This deficiency has been hidden to some extent by the common practice of having leaving terminal windows open. However as this becomes less common, the impact of the deficiency becomes greater. This feature will allow users of graphical desktops to see critical messages which they might currently miss. The need to deliver this messages is especially relevant in multi-user or enterprise environments, which might include multiple users on graphical desktops via thin clients.
Scope
Many of the elements exist. There are several ways of actually displaying a message on the desktop, but xfce4-notifyd works pretty well and is used for desktop notifications within a session.
Currently xfce4-notifyd only listens to the d-bus session bus. If it listened to the d-bus system bus as well, and libnotify were modified to optionally use the system bus then the feature would mostly be implemented. Additionally the "notify-send" utility would need an option to use the system bus. The "shutdown" utility and the "rsyslog" daemon would need to be modified to send notifications on the system bus as well. Possibly "wall" should be modified as well so that scripts which already use wall can reach graphical desktop users without change.
How To Test
- Log in to a default fedora desktop
- Ensure /etc/rsyslog.conf has the line "*.emerg *"
- Enter "logger -p emerg "Just Testing"
- Observe graphical notification message
- Enter "shutdown -k now "Just Testing"; shutdown -c"
- Observe graphical notification message
- Enter "notify-send --system "Just Testing"
- Observe graphical notification message
- Enter "wall "Just Testing""
- Observe graphical notification message
User Experience
Users will, when critical system events happen, see an alpha blended message box, which fades as it times out.