Import appliance -- need improving

[FormosaSlut]

I need to import appliances from time to time.
I think there is much to improve in the procedures of importing.

Default path for choose virtual appliance file is always My Documents.
This is horrible. I put my file somewhere else.
This should be configurable, or at least, remember last time path.

Again, in Appliance settings, Virtual Disk Image is default to somewhere under %USER%.
Another horrible thing. The image is over 20GB and my disk size is limited.
I have to manually set it every time I import a new one.

In %USER% directory there is a Virtuial Box VMs directory. But there is another directory for snap shots and vmdk.
Does it make sense to split these?

If a file already exists, import of another appliance with the same will fail.
OK, you tell me the reason. But why don't you delete the files for me?
Again I have to manually remove them.
This is not a pleasant task, as the %USER% directory is rather deep.

I have been wasting too much time in importing when encoutering wierd problems.

By no means should a commercial software have such terrible user experience.
I don't think a company with over 100k employees can't make it a little bit better.

[socratis]

Moving to "Suggestions" from "Windows Hosts".

Default path for choose virtual appliance file is always My Documents. This is horrible. I put my file somewhere else. This should be configurable, or at least, remember last time path.

Or you can simply dbl-click the OVA/OVF file from wherever you have it stored? And "horrible" ? I can think of a gazillion other things that are horrible, but certainly not this.

Again, in Appliance settings, Virtual Disk Image is default to somewhere under %USER%. Another horrible thing.

Again "horrible"? You can change the default VM storage under VirtualBox Preferences » General. Tried that?

In %USER% directory there is a Virtuial Box VMs directory. But there is another directory for snap shots and vmdk. Does it make sense to split these?

Absolutely!!! Keep things cleanly separated, yet in one place, under one parent folder; the VM's name.

If a file already exists, import of another appliance with the same will fail. OK, you tell me the reason.

If a filename exists, you cannot import one with the same filename? And you seriously want an explanation why you can't have two filenames, named exactly the same, on the same location?

1. You can't have 2 VMs with the same name, even if they are stored in different locations. It's a unique identifier within the VirtualBox universe. Just like you can't have two characters ("1") named ONE. There's only one "one". Of course instead of "FreeDOS" you could refer to your VM as "{bd001e78-32e3-4d15-b238-ffda9aa61df2}", but that makes it kind of user unfriendly. Now, that would be horrible, I can give you that.
2. It won't fail. If a VM with that name exists, it suggests a different one. You already have a "FreeDOS" and you want to import another one named "FreeDOS" as well? Well, it suggests "FreeDOS_1".
3. If you don't like the name, or the name conflicts (see above), it asks you during import what the name should be. You can change it. Have you tried it?

But why don't you delete the files for me?

You got to be kidding, right? A program deleting your files for you? Because you're lazy/bored? Everybody would rightfully cry "murder"!!! Even the "Replace" operation is a dangerous one. You have to explicitly take such a drastic action. Even then, there's nothing beating human tendency to simply ruin everything.

I have been wasting too much time in importing when encoutering wierd problems.

Most probably because you're trying to adjust the program's way of thinking to your way of thinking. You should make some personal adjustments...

By no means should a commercial software have such terrible user experience.

Terrible? Commercial? For you? How much did it cost you? Exact numbers please. Because if you had a contract you wouldn't be complaining here, you would go to your Oracle support representative. With your contract number at hand. Even then you would most probably be an isolated voice.

I don't think a company with over 100k employees can't make it a little bit better.

There's always room for improvement. Especially in an open source project, where you can take it a step further and contribute even the code yourself! Well thought, coherent ideas are always a welcome. Random rumblings on the other hand, are just noise and tend to be ignored.