"Switch virtual identity" dialog is confusing

[Jay Levitt <jay@…>]

If the name in my From: field doesn't match the stored virtual identity, VI helpfully offers to change it for me. However, the dialog is wordy and unclear:

"Warning

For the recipient 'Macports Development <macports-dev @lists.macosforge.org> (email)' the Virtual Identity 'Jay Levitt <lists @shopwatch.org (Jay Levitt <lists @shopwatch.org>, micro)' is stored. Should I replace this Identity with 'Jay Levitt <lists-macports @shopwatch.org> (Jay Levitt <lists @shopwatch.org>, micro)'?"

There are two basic problems:

1. I don't know if VI is going to "replace" the identity in the from field with the stored identity, or "replace" the stored identity with the one in the from field.

2. There's a whole lot of words, and most of them are repetitive.

How about something like this:

---

You already have a Virtual Identity stored for this recipient.

Recipient: Macports Development <macports-dev @lists.macosforge.org>

Stored identity

Name: Jay Levitt
Address: <lists @shopwatch.org>
SMTP server: micro
Base identity: Jay Levitt <lists @shopwatch.org>

Given identity

Name: Jay Levitt
Address: <lists-macports @shopwatch.org>
SMTP server: micro
Base identity: Jay Levitt <lists @shopwatch.org>

Do you want to:

(Use stored) (Use given, this time) (Use given, every time)

---

The changes:

1. Each field is on its own line, and nicely spaced
   
2. Any fields that differ from each other are displayed in bold
   
3. "Use stored" really just throws away the given identity
   
4. "Use given, every time" replaces the currently stored identity, storing the given one
   

What do you think?

[rene]

Hi,

great idea. Just working on it, will be implemented as a test soon and than it will take some time till all the translations are done. But nice improvement.

Thanks for the suggestion, regards, Rene

[rene]

Hi,

improved the dialog, some major changes where required, but it's done now. The current preview version (0.5.6pre) contains the new dialogs.

One problem, with the current code (and concept) the extension can not interfere with the sending of the message. A message will be sended with the Identity you have given to it (or not). Changing the identity "(use stored)" to late might destroy the cooperation with other extensions etc. At all, this is a small problem.

More important, I didn't found a concept to handle the sending to different recipients, with the dialog you suggested you might end up with different senders for one message, which is not what you like.

So, by now only the dialogs are changed, and there are (hopefully) way more nicely. I'm closing this request by now, please reopen it if you have another idea or suggestion how to handle the above mentioned problem with multiple recipients. Thanks and nice regards,

Rene

PS: try 0.5.6pre if you like and send some feedback.