Snapshots functionality - confusing UI, no documentation

[vadimrapp]

The items in the shortcut menu for the snapshots and current state on the tab "Snapshots" are confusing, and not documented.

Specifically: if I have 3 snapshots, and I right-click on snapshot 2, it's not clear what "discard snapshot" means: will the vm revert to snapshot 1 or will it be merged to snapshot 3? If I right-click on "current state", the items in shortcut menu are expected to pertain to the items that is clicked, that is, to the current state. Why are there items pertaining to the snapshot?

Or, what is the difference between "discard current snapshot" and "discard current snapshot and state" - it's not documented, and one can only guess what that means and what's the difference and consequences of each.

It would be much more straightforward if the context menu had the following minimally necessary items:

Current State

Take Snapshot

Snapshot

Revert to this snapshot

Merge to the next snapshot

With or without this change, it would be nice to have detailed descriptions of the actions in the documentation, with examples.

[Holger Schurig]

I second this. I'm constantly confused about this.

Also, if I have this structure:

• WinXP
  • Notepad++
    • .NET 2.0

... it is umpossible right now to make a new snapshot based on the "vanilla" WinXP image, e.g. I cannot make:

• WinXP
  • Notepad++
    • .NET 2.0
  • Kosmos

[Kevin Roth]

I third this. Personally, I can learn that "discard snapshot" sometimes means "merge with another snapshot", but I can't remember (nor do I care to figure out by trial-and-error) which direction it will be merged. In other words, if snapshot 2 (of 4) is discard^hh^hh^hh^{hmerged, does it get merged with snapshot 1, or snapshot 3.}

[Michael Thayer]

The snapshot functionality is due to receive a major overhaul for the next major version of VirtualBox (if the code is ready by then). Among other things, this will add support for multiple snapshots from one base image ("[making] a new snapshot based on the 'vanilla' (...) image").

[vadimrapp]

Michael, thanks for the update. Hopefully, this request won't look excessive: besides the functionality, it would be nice to have

(1) straightforward interface, with minimally required functions, with no ambiguity in interpreting each one, and context menu items of each object (such as snapshot or current state) pertaining only to this object, rather than to the whole dialog. I think the example I provided in the original ticket would fully satisfy this; and

(2) be fully documented, maybe even with examples.

[camper]

I completely second the confusion with the snapshot functionality. A couple of days ago I wanted to delete the current state going back to the previous snapshot, but instead it merged my changes to the snapshot, so I had to start the installation from the beginning.

It would help a lot in this case to show a descriptive message box explaining in detail the consequences of the action and allowing to cancel that.

[vadimrapp]

Since September there were already more than one major release, so what about the major overhaul promised by michael on 9/15 ?

[vadimrapp]

Michael, so, where is the major overhaul, still in works?

Replying to michael:

The snapshot functionality is due to receive a major overhaul for the next major version of VirtualBox (if the code is ready by then). Among other things, this will add support for multiple snapshots from one base image ("[making] a new snapshot based on the 'vanilla' (...) image").

[vadimrapp]

Another ping... this was files one year ago, agreed by everyone, then promised to be changed, now what?

[vadimrapp]

this was files -> this was filed

[Technologov]

Both the UI and the Documentation will get some serious update with VBox 3.1.

-Technologov