Preferences: "Manage Preference Packs" dialog is redundant

[furgo16]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Problem description

Preference packs can currently be managed from two locations (*):

1. under Preferences > General, Preference packs section
2. under Preferences > General, Preference packs section, Manage... button

The first location displays the available packs. The second location also displays the available packs and has an additional control to individually hide/unhide them. It also has a button that opens up the Add-on Manager to install/uninstall preference packs.

This dual location and extra steps to manage preference packs are potentially confusing to users, in addition to adding additional steps.

Proposal

Essentially merge the two locations into one:

1. Add the ability to hide/unhide preference packs to location no. 1
2. Remove the location no. 2 dialog
3. Replace the Manage... button with an Install... button that opens the Add-on Manager. The button could alternatively be called Add/Remove..., since the Add-on Manager can both install and uninstall preference packs.

(*) and they can be chosen somewhere else (Preferences > General, Application section, Theme: dropdown)

Full version info

OS: Ubuntu Core 22 (ubuntu:GNOME/ubuntu)
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.22.0dev.36999 (Git) Snap 1002
Build type: Release
Branch: main
Hash: ed77603af999525b65dcfc4a41337f15a052c9ef
Python 3.10.12, Qt 5.15.10, Coin 4.0.0, Vtk 7.1.1, OCC 7.7.1
Installed mods: 
  * OpenTheme 2024.4.20
  * BIM 2021.12.0
  * Curves 0.6.35
  * ezydxf
  * ExplodedAssembly
  * BillOfMaterials 0.0.8.2
  * Ondsel-Lens 2024.4.16.01
  * Assembly4 0.50.12

Subproject(s) affected?

Core

Anything else?

Note that the screenshot is from FreeCAD 0.21. I've used that to show the installed preference packs there, since on 0.22 they don't show up on my system (#13714)

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

[obelisk79]

Hello, while it may seem that the preference pack portion of the preferences window is now redundant, I didn't believe this to be the case. You can back up your FreeCAD preferences here, I could distribute (planned on this actually) secondary preferences for a theme such as optional UI element layout etc.

I consider this section to still be relevant, at least for the time being.