Ethereal-dev: [Ethereal-dev] Capture dialog ringbuffer behaviour

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From: "Ulf Lamping" <ulf.lamping@xxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:40:14 +0100
Hi List!

I've found some minor issues in the capture options dialog (Capture -> Start...)

The modes of "ring buffer" operation should be improved, currently the implementation does:

a) Single file
When "Use ring buffer" isn't checked, a single file with the given stop conditions is used, that's just fine.

b) Multiple files
When "Use ring buffer" is checked and the "number of files" *is* zero, a continuous buffer with the given stop conditions is used (a ring buffer without "turnaround").
As this continuous buffer is good to have, the GUI part to get it isn't intuitive. The meaning of: "Number of files == 0" for unlimitted multiple files isn't really intuitive IMHO.
BTW: There is also no way to limit the whole amount of data for this!  

c) Ring buffer
When "Use ring buffer" is checked and the "number of files" isn't zero, a ring buffer with the given stop conditions is used.
However, the "Rotate capture file every x kilobyte(s)" should be just above the "Rotate capture file every y second(s)" one, and the former "Stop capture after x kilobytes" should be made inactive,
as "magically" switching the meaning of a field isn't intuitive.


I would suggest the following:
Make the changes described in c).

The "Number of files" field should be always active, and the range should be between 1 and 1024 (currently: 0-1024).
The condition "Number of files > 1" now switches between using a single file or the ring buffer implementation.

The "Use ring buffer" comes to action, when the "Number of files" value is reached while capturing multiple files. It switches between stopping the capture and doing a real ring buffer (continue capturing into the first capture file again).


So the "Capture file(s)" frame will look like:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
File: __________________ Browse
Number of files: _____1   O Use ring buffer
O Next capture file every _____1 kilobyte(s)
O Next capture file every _____1 second(s)
-------------------------------------------------------------------

The checkboxes will only be active, if the "Number of files" is greater than 1.

Any suggestions / comments to this?

Regards, ULFL


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