Can debugging information be made to announce itself more stridently?

Development
1

Is there an option that surfaces errors and warnings more prominently?

For example, the command line window is typically buried. So I did not notice what task was requested when the following messages appeared. So I don’t know which module needs debugging:

[districtsupport@fedora-vm ~]$ gramps
Gdk-Message: 19:31:53.066: Window 0x558189220920 is a temporary window without parent, application will not be able to position it on screen.
Gdk-Message: 19:31:53.070: Window 0x558189220920 is a temporary window without parent, application will not be able to position it on screen.
2026-09-04 19:37:01.086: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <PRIMARY>i
2026-09-04 19:37:01.087: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <PRIMARY>b
2026-09-04 19:37:01.087: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <PRIMARY>u
2026-09-04 19:37:01.087: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <PRIMARY>s
2026-09-04 19:37:01.087: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <PRIMARY>p
2026-09-04 19:37:01.087: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <PRIMARY>r
2026-09-04 19:37:01.087: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <primary>z
2026-09-04 19:37:01.088: WARNING: uimanager.py: line 403: **Duplicate Accelerator <primary><shift>z

I know that there is a debugging (--d="" open) option. But that spews so much feedback that it would take me hours to wade through.

Usage: gramps [OPTION...]
  --load-modules=MODULE1,MODULE2,...     Dynamic modules to load

Help options
  -?, --help                             Show this help message
  --usage                                Display brief usage message

Application options
  -O, --open=FAMILY_TREE                 Open Family Tree
  -U, --username=USERNAME                Database username
  -P, --password=PASSWORD                Database password
  -C, --create=FAMILY_TREE               Create on open if new Family Tree
  -i, --import=FILENAME                  Import file
  -e, --export=FILENAME                  Export file
  -r, --remove=FAMILY_TREE_PATTERN       Remove matching Family Tree(s) (use regular expressions)
  -f, --format=FORMAT                    Specify Family Tree format
  -a, --action=ACTION                    Specify action
  -p, --options=OPTIONS_STRING           Specify options
  -d, --debug=LOGGER_NAME                Enable debug logs
  -l [FAMILY_TREE_PATTERN...]            List Family Trees
  -L [FAMILY_TREE_PATTERN...]            List Family Trees in Detail
  -t [FAMILY_TREE_PATTERN...]            List Family Trees, tab delimited
  -u, --force-unlock                     Force unlock of Family Tree
  -s, --show                             Show config settings
  -c, --config=[config.setting[:value]]  Set config setting(s) and start Gramps
  -y, --yes                              Don't ask to confirm dangerous actions (non-GUI mode only)
  -q, --quiet                            Suppress progress indication output (non-GUI mode only)
  -v, --version                          Show versions
  -S, --safe                             Start Gramps in 'Safe mode'
                                          (temporarily use default settings)
  -D, --default=[APXFE]                  Reset settings to default;
                 A - addons are cleared
                 P - Preferences to default
                 X - Books are cleared, reports and tool settings to default
                 F - filters are cleared
                 E - Everything is set to default or cleared
2

Perhaps we should make more use of the warnings dialog in the status bar?

3

I like that the Status bar support the existence of a warnings icon. However, it is utterly innocuous.

image
image837×178 64.5 KB

Perhaps we could have a “loud and obnoxious” option?

As an example, a setting that will change the Toolbar’s CSS background color (to cycle through the Preferences Colors tab swatches- light colors or dark colors dependent on whether light/dark mode is active), advancing the color selection once for each line written? Where opening the Gramps warning dialog could resets back to the default background color.

4

Generally using colours doesn’t work well for people with visual impairments. However, we could use the Gtk error style.

5

I’m somewhat visually impaired myself. But this idea was to NOT communicate any meaningful information with a particular color. It is more like a flashing police/ambulance light bar. It simply ‘rings with colors’ to indicate you need to check the log/console. And a longer “ring cylce” means more urgent need.

I suppose a ‘bell’ instead of a ‘color’ would be another option. But I hate (absolutely HATE) that my phone sounds a noise and leaves no indicator behind. It leaves one wondering if it the computer, TV or phone that made a noise?

(I suppose my general dislike of being startled by noises contributes to my dislike of an audible option. Given that something might run overnight, a bunch of bells in the middle of the night does not make for a happy household.)

6

For discussion reference: a sample of Adwaita themed Gtk Error style: Text entry, a label, a banner and status page generated by Google Gemini AI

image
image1024×559 91.1 KB

7

My 2 cents: Debug warnings should not be exposed in the UI. If there are errors in the application that an ordinary user can actually take action on then yes, those should be exposed.

8

Gramps has a verbose debug mode switch

-d, --debug=LOGGER_NAME

And a Quiet mode switch
-q, --quiet

Would a GUI alert option be something that could be woven in there?