Synchronisation behaviour, useability improvements

[McTaff]

A few thing to improve the out-of-realm interface of Realm Works and the behaviour of sync/queries.


New feature: Perform Sync.

A large button on the menu bar (or similar) which closes the realm, syncs it, and reopens it to the same topic


New feature: Close and Sync.

Another large button on the menu bar which closes the realm, commences a sync, and returns you to the desktop.


New feature: Task Tray icon.

This icon would be able to show the status of the realm as opposed to the state of the cloud.
Coloured grey with a black cross = Not logged in
Coloured blue/question mark = unable to communicate with server
Coloured yellow/lightning bolt = Communicating (please wait)
Coloured orange = Sync required (recently edited content needs to be synced)
Coloured green = Synced (since last edit)
Coloured red/pulsing = Currently Synchronising (do not shut down)
... when you hover over the icon with the cursor, progress bars/percentages would be displayed when communicating or syncing, any error messages if unable to communicate, and tooltips for if a sync is required or realms are up to date, etc.


New feature: Startup

Realm Works could start a lightweight program which adds the task tray icon, and patiently does nothing on start up, until an arbitrary time period has passed (user defined from 15 seconds to 20 minutes). Then it would log in, query the servers (to check the status of all realms) and display the colour green or orange, depending on if the realms are synced or not. Another option would allow Realm Works to auto-sync either all realms, or all realms they are a player of when this happens. Furthermore, a background task to sync the realms on demand would also be an option. (see below)


New feature: Context menu for task tray icon.

By right clicking on the task tray, you would get menu options such as this:
- Check status of all realms (default behaviour for left click?)
- Open Realm Works Launcher
- Open (last) Realm
- Open (last owned) Realm
- Sync All
- Sync All Player Realms
- Log out
- Log out and exit

Of course, not everyone wants to automatically log in (a small percentage of users might open two computers at once with Realm Works installed on both), so an option to remain logged out would be required, only logging in when you perform a manual task through the context menu that requires it.


Purpose:
Remove the dialogue boxes requiring you to hit "ok" to confirm things are finished.
Cut down number of clicks required to perform operation.
Streamline the log-in and sync processes.
Enable users to see the status of any realms they are involved in without having to boot the launcher
Enable users to sync realms they are involved in without having to boot the launcher
Enable players to hit one button to close Realm Works, and sync, and be able to see the progress of the sync without referring to another window.



New feature: Launcher has a "close and update" option.

The launcher opens a browser window to download an update, and then complains Realm Works is still open. (a) can Realmworks download the update itself? (b) can Realm Works close itself when you hit 'download update' instead of waiting for you to close it? There is already an option to continue working and ignore the update, so no need to stay open if you choose to update.
-----------------------

Okay, so these aren't ridiculously important updates, but simple additions like this is what will make Realm Works a slick, streamlined program that gives you the flexibility to do things in the background, see status at a glance, and remove the requirement to constantly keep clicking to move things along.

- McTaff