[jbosstools-issues] [JBoss JIRA] Updated: (JBDS-1016) Usability issue with Seam Web Project Wizard

[Joshua Wulf (JIRA)]

     [ https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/JBDS-1016?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:all-tabpanel ]

Joshua Wulf updated JBDS-1016:
------------------------------

    Attachment: Picture 2.png


In this screen the user has changed the Target runtime to work with their EAP 4.3 Runtime. The wizard has automatically changed the configuration to the "Default Configuration for JBoss EAP 4.3 Runtime".

An error message has appeared saying "Seam facet must be enabled".

The Seam wizard has unwisely chosen a configuration that is not compatible with Seam development. If the user trusts the wizard, then they will accept its choice at face value. The wizard says: "(This is) a good point for working with JBoss EAP 4.3 Runtime runtime." Further, it tells the user: "Additional facets can later be installed to add new functionality to the project."

At the top of the page the error message says: "Seam facet must be enabled".

Trusting the wizard's choice of Configuration, bolstered by its description and the obvious connection between the idea of installing additional facets and the helpful message that a Seam facet must be enabled, the user clicks the Modify... button.

> Usability issue with Seam Web Project Wizard
> --------------------------------------------
>
>                 Key: JBDS-1016
>                 URL: https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/JBDS-1016
>             Project: JBoss Developer Studio
>          Issue Type: Bug
>    Affects Versions: 3.0.0.M4
>         Environment: Mac OS X 10.4.11 32 bit PPC
>            Reporter: Joshua Wulf
>         Attachments: Picture 1.png, Picture 2.png, Picture 4.png
>
>
> The Seam Web Project Wizard changes the Configuration when the Target runtime is changed. Although it starts out with "Dynamic Web Application for Seam 2.0" selected by default, if the Target runtime is changed the Configuration selection is changed to match the Target Runtime. This results in an error "Seam facet must be enabled."
> Changing the Target Runtime back to the original one does not remove the error. There are two ways to remove the error message. One is to manually change the Configuration back to "Dynamic Web Application for Seam 2.x". Since it is not possible to move forward from this page without enabling the Seam facet, the configuration should not automatically change to one that does not have Seam facet enabled.
> The situation is more complicated, and worse, however, because the other way to remove the error message is to manually modify the Configuration using the "Modify" button. If the user does this, and enables JavaServer Faces and Seam, the error message will disappear and they will be able to move forward. 
> However, when it comes time to select the Seam runtime the user will run into a problem. In the Modify Configuration screen where the user enabled the Seam facet, the unique option there was fixed at version 2.2. If the Seam runtime the user wishes to use is not 2.2 then they will get an error that the Seam runtime is an incompatible version. They will be unable to select any other version in the version drop-down box.
> So there are three problems: 
> 1. The Configuration changes automatically to one incompatible with a Seam Web Project if the Target runtime is changed. 
> 2 . Although a user may try to clear the resultant error message by changing the runtime back to the original one, the error message will remain, as the dialog will change the configuration to another incompatible one. If the user did not notice the original default configuration (which they may well not if they are moving from top to the bottom of the wizard, which will be the usual case), they have no way of knowing how to clear the error message.
> 3. If the user clicks on the tempting "Modify" button and manually enables Seam they can run into a problem several screens later (error message saying Seam version is incompatible and only 2.2 in the version drop-down box) with no obvious way to resolve it.
> The workaround is to document this quirk, but that defeats the purpose of an intuitive in-IDE wizard that guides you through setting up the project.
> I would recommend making the configuration stay on the default, even when the Target runtime is changed. If the user sees an incompatible version of Seam there when they scan down, they are likely to click it to see if a compatible version of Seam is there. If they see "Default configuration for X runtime" with a description saying "A good starting point... Additional facets can later be installed to add new functionality to the project" and an error message saying "Seam facet must be enabled", then their likely response will be to modify the configuration to "add new functionality" to the "good starting point" that the wizard has selected for them.

-- 
This message is automatically generated by JIRA.
-
If you think it was sent incorrectly contact one of the administrators: https://jira.jboss.org/jira/secure/Administrators.jspa
-
For more information on JIRA, see: http://www.atlassian.com/software/jira