I have been thinking about getting CCF Explorer to modify CCFs (brave step but not hard to do).

If I did, one of the functions I would like to implement is cutting and pasting objects from one CCF to another.

However, the more I think about it, the harder it is to do. I can certainly understand why Philips has not done it.

The problem is this: if I want to copy anything that has actions, how do you copy actions that refer to something else. Such as - alias to a button that might be in a different device, jump to a panel in another device, etc.

It is conceivable that a single button may have references to so many other devices that if you copied the panel and also anything it referenced you might end up taking in everything from the other CCF.

Do you not copy anything else? - bit dumb as you would lose the main purpose of cut and paste.

Do you copy every reference? - could drag in too much.

Do you ask before copying each referenced object? - could get hundreds of these.


So the question is this:

How would you like to see cut and paste between CCFs implemented?

Hmm. My thinking would be:

1) Jumps -- lose them.
2) Aliases to other buttons -- copy the original button and insert it in the previously aliased button. In the unlikely event you get more than 255 commands, truncate.
3) Have the program ask the user once (on each mass paste) whether you want to duplicate all aliased commands or remove them. Have a checkbox that specifies not to ask this question again.

Clarification to #1 -- lose them only if the page it references is not being copied as well.

I've implemented stuff like this visual effects software. It's mostly a matter of resource management, and there are a couple of options:

1. ASK THE USER - put up a dialog and ask the user to check off what they want copied. I tend not to favor this since it slows down the process

2. SMART/AUTOMATIC - do it by name or physical device ID. If the panel references jumps/aliases that are ALREADY in the current CCF, then keep them, otherwise cut them lose.

There are two main scenarios (that I have discovered) with managing CCFs:

1. initial creation - you are copying panels (usually) from another CCF. I imagine people want to do this all the time when just getting started, to avoid having to design all their own icons. If you bring an entire device over (perhaps very common), then bring the whole thing over, with all panels, jumps (within the device) etc. This I would think is the most useful.

2. later editing/tweaking. Now lets say I'm working on a design and I have a couple of CCF files in various states of operation. If I want to move a panel from one of these files (or I'm adding a new device and I'm using someone else's CCF as a template), move the panel. If there are jumps outside of the panel, look for a jump WITHIN YOUR EXISTING CCF - if one is found, use it. This handles the common case where you're playing around with a couple of similar CCF files. Otherwise, unhook the jump. The same goes for aliases.

In other words, you can usually intelligently decide what to bring over.