Latest revision as of 17:59, 23 August 2012

[edit] Migrate from GConf to GSettings

[edit] Summary

Port all packages on the desktop spin from GConf to GSettings

[edit] Owner

• Name: Desktop SIG
• Email: desktop@lists.fedoraproject.org

[edit] Current status

• Targeted release: Fedora 17
• Last updated: 2012-08-23
• Percentage of completion: 90%

Most GNOME 3 modules are already ported to GSettings, but GConf is still getting pulled in.

The gnome-shell/mutter/metacity port has been merged upstream. The control-center/gnome-settings-daemon port too. The evolution/evolution-data-server port has been merged upstream too. The remaining GNOME modules mainly block on list functionality being added to GSettings: gnome-terminal, libgnome-media-profiles, aisleriot.

For details status, see https://live.gnome.org/GnomeGoals/GSettingsMigration

[edit] Detailed Description

The GSettings class provides a convenient API for storing and retrieving application settings, similar to GConf.

dconf is a low-level configuration system. Its main purpose is to provide a backend to GSettings on platforms that don't already have configuration storage systems. dconf is the GSettings backend on Linux.

[edit] Benefit to Fedora

Configuring desktop applications and settings will be simpler, because there is only one place where the settings get store instead of two. We get to drop a number of deprecated modules (such as ORBit) which were getting pulled into the desktop spin via the GConf dependency.

[edit] Scope

We have to provide patches for all packages on the desktop spin that still depend on GConf. These patches should go upstream. See http://live.gnome.org/GnomeGoals/GSettingsMigration for upstream tracking of affected modules.

The full list on the F16alpha live cd:

• gnome-python2-gconf
• gstreamer-plugins-good
• libgnome-media-profiles
• GConf2-gtk
• at-spi
• ibus
• gnome-session
• evolution-NetworkManager
• gnome-panel
• gnome-panel-libs
• rhythmbox
• NetworkManager-gnome
• NetworkManager-openconnect
• pulseaudio-module-gconf
• gok
• gnome-utils
• sound-juicer
• gnome-terminal
• nautilus-sendto

[edit] How To Test

1. . Install the desktop spin
2. . Verify that GConf is not in the package list.

[edit] User Experience

Mostly unchanged. One area where benefits might be visible is when using multiple parallel logins with a shared NFS home directory. This should work better in a dconf-only desktop.

[edit] Dependencies

TBD

[edit] Contingency Plan

If we don't succeed, GConf will continue to get pulled into the desktop spin by dependencies. Packages can be ported from GConf to GSettings one-by-one, though. There is no need to revert successfully ported packages.

[edit] Documentation

TBD

[edit] Release Notes

TBD

[edit] Comments and Discussion

• See Talk:Features/GConfRemoval