Tell me what to do with the template tree

otter2 · June 20, 2025, 9:22pm

Salutation nation

So, first, there was a post: Qube Manager redesign (visual connections between qubes, drag & drop, zooming) (status: mockup)

And then, I have decided that I want something like this, but tty instead of GUI, and templates instead of network.

And now, I have it. For a while, actually.

The problem is that I’m barely a developer, even if you squint hard. Qubes developers are probably busy working on actually useful things, so they aren’t going to react to it in any way any time soon. I want you to tell me what you think before (and if) they get there, so I (or someone else) could improve it.

In addition to everything said on github, now, when I use it, I’ve decided that I also want it (and network tree as well) to show the subtree if VMNAME is provided. Is it a good idea?

github.com/QubesOS/qubes-core-admin-client

qvm_ls.py : add template tree mode

main ← RandyTheOtter:template_tree

opened 01:50PM - 08 Jun 25 UTC

RandyTheOtter

+50 -4

Add template tree mode (`-T`), because I like it. Almost exactly as network t…ree, but returns tree of templates, i.e.: ``` NAME STATE CLASS LABEL TEMPLATE NETVM sys-tmpl Halted TemplateVM black - - └─sys-net Running AppVM red sys-tmpl - └─sys-dvm Halted AppVM red sys-tmpl sys-firewall └─sys-usb Running DispVM red sys-dvm - └─sys-firewall Running DispVM green sys-dvm sys-net ``` This is by no means complete, I pretty much just crammed my code the same way `sort_to_tree` is integrated into the program. ### To do: - [ ] Edit manual once we agree on UX ### Maybe do, if people want it: - [ ] Choose a good exception for the while loop getting stuck / somehow get rid of the while loop - [ ] Find a better way to integrate this functionality. Having multiple tree "modes" seems more logical than two separate tree-producing functions. - [ ] UX: What flag should be used, and how? Again, maybe something similar to `--tree TYPE` is a better choice than `--tree` and `--ttree`? ### What I would personally like to do, but probably won't get there: - [ ] Make better tree-drawing algorithm, this one isn't very comprehensible. Programs like `tree` do it better. I don't have a dev setup, so no testing with `main` or `release4.3` can be done by me, but similar change to 4.2 version of `qvm_ls.py` works. (Is there a way to somehow install these packages over 4.2 stuff without breaking anything?) Also, I've noticed that `sort_to_tree` says that it returns a list of sets, which isn't true, it returns a list of tuples.

FranklyFlawless · June 22, 2025, 12:46am

It is your code, so feel free to do whatever you want with it.

otter2 · June 22, 2025, 1:09am

Yeah, and I already kind of did, and am looking for advice and / or good ideas. Maybe an inspiration even.

In part, because I don’t like my haphazard UX decision. But also because my integration and code aren’t elegant, and I feel slippery uncertainty about it.

Of course, sooner or later I may come up with something better myself, but even given that I still want to know what people think.

FranklyFlawless · June 22, 2025, 4:53am

The only advice I have is to address any points of frustration, no matter how small, so that by the time you eventually finish development, you have a solution you are willing to consistently use over any other method.