Unable to see or modify some repository settings, e.g. "extra borg arguments"

[goebbe]

Description

Some important repository setting can only be seen and edited in the UI when a new repo is initialised.

Example:
Depending on the backup server, "extra borg arguments" are required for a repository.
Examples for the use of "extra borg arguments":

• on synology (home) servers, the --remote-path argument is required.
• if different versions of borg are provided on the backup server, the --remot-path has to be adapted.

When adding a new repository, the advanced tap offers a field for "extra borg arguments" in the UI - this works well.

Currently, I see two related issues with the "extra borg arguments" in Vorta:
a) Once the repo is initialized, the "extra borg arguments" for the repository cannot be seen in the UI.
b) After initializing, it is currently not possible to edit/ change the "extra borg arguments" for an existing repo in the UI.

Expected behaviour / possible enhancements:

All the repo settings and options should be visible.
The user should be able to modify the setting.

In our example:
for a) The "extra borg arguments" for a repo could be shown in the UI, e.g. on the right side (Info field) of the repository tab
for b) Allow to change/ edit the "extra borg arguments" for a repository

Workarounds:

for a) - i.e. "extra borg arguments" cannot be seen in the UI
Select the profile
Export settings of the profile / repo (using Vorta) to a .json file
Open the .json file to see the "extra borg arguments" for the repository
Delete the .json file

for b) - i.e. cannot change "extra borg arguments" in Vorta
Create a new repository, with different "extra borg arguments"
or:
Export settings to a .json-file, modify the setting using a text editor, rename and re-import the settings using the .vort-init.json file. See #1963 (comment)

Environment

• OS: Linux
• Vorta version: 0.9.1. and 0.10.3
• Installed from: pip3
• Borg version: 1.2.7 and 1.4

[shivansh02]

Do any of these look good?

Original:

[goebbe]

@shivansh02 Thank you for the mock-ups!
For showing the "extra borg argument":
That is exactly how I imagined it. A new line with information under the Encryption information.

With respect to the user interface, I would reserve the right field for information only.
Instead one could put a new "edit icon" (from your first picture), next to the "Copy to clipboard" icon.
I guess that @m3nu should take a look at this.

Note that another repo-setting that could be editable, via this edit button could be the "Repository Name" - which, at the moment, cannot be changed after the setup.

[shivansh02]

Instead one could put a new "edit icon" (from your first picture), next to the "Copy to clipboard" icon.

You're right, that is a much better place to put it. I'll send an updated mockup with this and the Edit Repo Dialog once @m3nu gives his inputs.

[shivansh02]

Related to #1663.

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[goebbe]

It's unfortunate that issues are automatically closed, on the basis that nobody is currently working on the issue.
There is a description and a proposal for the UI - what is missing is a "thumbs up" from the core developers or a decision.

Some projects also use a "good first issue" tag, to signal that
a) this is a real issue that could/ should be fixed and
b) anybody who is willing and able to fix the issue is encouraged to work on the issue.

[m3nu]

We can leave it open, if there is interest. All issues with tags added stay open.

[goebbe]

With Vorta 0.10.1 once a new repo with extra borg arguments has been created, there is no way to see or edit these extra arguments - this can be inconvenient when you have to check/ change/ adapt the borg arguments.

Currently, the workaround would be to create a new repo (with different extra borg arguments). :-(

Perhaps Vorta could implement something similar to Schedule > Shell commands, where one can always see/ edit the extra borg arguments for borg-create?

If the current state is considered to be an issue that should be fixed, this issue should stay open.

[goebbe]

While this issue is about "extra borg arguments" at the level of the repository, the same applies to other repository settings - that are set in the "Add New Repository"-dialogue.

Currently, once the repo has been added, there are no easy means to see all the settings - and the user cannot easily check or change the repo-settings.
One workaround is to again "Add New Repository" for the same repo, with changed settings.

In Vorta (0.10.3) only the following repo-setting can be seen and changed:

• compression
• SSH Key setting

Here is a list of the repo settings that cannot be changed via the Vorta GUI, after the initial setup:

• Repository URL (can be seen, but not be changed)
• Repository Name (can be seen, but not be changed)
• Passphrase (cannot be changed)
• Encryption (cannot be seen and not be changed)
• Extra Borg Arguments (cannot be seen and not be changed)

[goebbe]

Vorta GUI (0.10.3) does not allow to "delete" repositories
Workaround: A user can delete repos by using borg: borg delete /path/repo

There is also the possibility to delete the repo / directory manually, however, this
would not delete the related local borg cache files.

This could be another potential enhancement for (advanced) repo settings dialog.

[ispmarin]

Editing configurations would be helpful, especially --remote-path configurations for borg. Even if it's not available on the GUI, is there a way to change it via CLI, in a configuration file?

[goebbe]

The following workaround can be used:

1. Export the current settings (per profile):

• In the left pane, select a profile and choose "Export current profiles" at the left bottom.
• As a result, a profilename.json file will be written to your home directory. This file contains the settings of a profile in a human-readable form.

2. Edit the resulting .json-file

• Use a Text-editor to view and modify the settings in the .json file. E.g. You can check or change the settings of the --remote-path configuration.

3. Rename and re-import the .json-file with the new settings
To re-import the .json file with the setting:

• The json-file has to be placed in the users home-directory ~
• it has to be re-named to .vorta-init.json
• this .json-file will be imported automatically when starting (or restarting) Vorta
• this .json-file will be deleted after import.
• If the name of the profile already exists, the settings of the existing profile will be replaced by the new settings

Disclaimer: It might be necessary to unlink the repo from the profile, in order to recreate a repo with different settings.

[goebbe]

See also the discussion #811

[VandalByte]

I'm adding a dropdown menu in my PR here. Maybe the options mentioned here could be implemented in that dropdown later? and we can keep the UI simple and tidy.

[goebbe]

I'm adding a dropdown menu in my PR here. Maybe the options mentioned here could be implemented in that dropdown later? and we can keep the UI simple and tidy.

Thanks a lot! Keeping the UI elements versatile is a good idea.
A possibility to see/ change repository settings is currently missing in Vorta.

[goebbe]

Another workaround, on Linux, is the use of the "DB Browser for sqlite" aka "sqlitebrowser" to edit the database (DB) with the Vorta settings directly:

1. Install the DB Browser / sqlitebrowser
2. Quit Vorta completely
3. Open ~/.local/share/Vorta/settings.db, using the DB Browser.
   If you use the Flatpak build, open: ~/.var/app/com.borgbase.Vorta/data/Vorta/settings.db
4. Choose the "Browse data" tab, select the table "repomodel", edit "exta_borg_arguments", Apply
5. Close DB Browser and restart Vorta

Disclaimer: Use with care, since this will edit the SQLite settings.db of Vorta directly. So there is no sanity checking of any kind.
Just in case: Make a copy of settings.db before editing. ;-)