[PATCH datacenter-manager 0/4] ui & ux improvements for the auto installer

[PATCH datacenter-manager 0/4] ui & ux improvements for the auto installer

[Shannon Sterz]

this is series of smaller ui & ux fixes for the auto installer ui in
pdm.

Shannon Sterz (4):
  ui: auto-installer: use empty string as default fqdn
  ui: auto-installer: set a default template that users can adapt
  ui: auto-instaler: auto select filter for keyboard layout and language
  ui: auto-installer: make the fqdn field a large field

 .../auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs |  2 +-
 .../auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs       | 16 ++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

--
2.47.3

[PATCH datacenter-manager 1/4] ui: auto-installer: use empty string as default fqdn

[Shannon Sterz]

to avoid users not setting this value themselves, as otherwise
"host.example.com" would be set as default fqdn for an answer file
config. by setting an empty string here, the placeholder is revealed
to users.

Signed-off-by: Shannon Sterz <s.sterz@proxmox.com>
---
 ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs
index 01e4000..6ec67d0 100644
--- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs
+++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ impl AddAnswerWizardProperties {
             target_filter: BTreeMap::new(),
             // global options
             country: "at".to_owned(),
-            fqdn: "host.example.com".to_owned(),
+            fqdn: String::new(),
             use_dhcp_fqdn: false,
             keyboard: answer::KeyboardLayout::default(),
             mailto: String::new(),
-- 
2.47.3

[PATCH datacenter-manager 2/4] ui: auto-installer: set a default template that users can adapt

[Shannon Sterz]

instead of just a placeholder that vanishes after someone types a
letter. the default template is special cased as invalid so users need
to adapt it before proceeding.

Signed-off-by: Shannon Sterz <s.sterz@proxmox.com>
---
 .../remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs   | 2 +-
 ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs      | 7 +++++++
 2 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs
index 6ec67d0..d099d5c 100644
--- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs
+++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ impl AddAnswerWizardProperties {
             target_filter: BTreeMap::new(),
             // global options
             country: "at".to_owned(),
-            fqdn: String::new(),
+            fqdn: "{{product.product}}{{installation_nr}}.example.com".to_string(),
             use_dhcp_fqdn: false,
             keyboard: answer::KeyboardLayout::default(),
             mailto: String::new(),
diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
index 72d2856..6efa66b 100644
--- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
+++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
@@ -335,6 +335,13 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
                 .tip(tr!(
                     "Hostname and domain to set for the target installation. Allows templating."
                 ))
+                .validate(|s: &String| {
+                    if s != "{{product.product}}{{installation_nr}}.example.com" {
+                        Ok(())
+                    } else {
+                        Err(anyhow!("Please adapt the default FQDN template!"))
+                    }
+                })
                 .required(!use_dhcp_fqdn),
         )
         .with_right_field("", DisplayField::new().key("dummy"))
-- 
2.47.3

[PATCH datacenter-manager 3/4] ui: auto-instaler: auto select filter for keyboard layout and language

[Shannon Sterz]

this should improve the ux of these longer comboboxes.

Signed-off-by: Shannon Sterz <s.sterz@proxmox.com>
---
 ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
index 6efa66b..28f4851 100644
--- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
+++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ pub fn render_global_options_form(
                     }
                 })
                 .value(config.country.clone())
+                .autoselect_filter(true)
                 .required(true),
         )
         .with_field(
@@ -207,6 +208,7 @@ pub fn render_global_options_form(
                         .into()
                 })
                 .value(serde_variant_name(config.keyboard))
+                .autoselect_filter(true)
                 .required(true),
         )
         .with_field(
-- 
2.47.3

[PATCH datacenter-manager 4/4] ui: auto-installer: make the fqdn field a large field

[Shannon Sterz]

especially with template variables the content of this field can get
fairly long. also moves the "FQDN from DHCP" and "Pin Network
Interfaces" around to match.

Signed-off-by: Shannon Sterz <s.sterz@proxmox.com>
---
 ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs | 7 +++----
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
index 28f4851..c1d2bab 100644
--- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
+++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
@@ -323,11 +323,11 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
                 .disabled(use_dhcp_network)
                 .required(!use_dhcp_network),
         )
-        .with_right_field(
+        .with_field(
             tr!("FQDN from DHCP"),
             Checkbox::new().name("use-dhcp-fqdn").default(false),
         )
-        .with_right_field(
+        .with_large_field(
             tr!("Fully-Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)"),
             Field::new()
                 .name("fqdn")
@@ -346,8 +346,7 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
                 })
                 .required(!use_dhcp_fqdn),
         )
-        .with_right_field("", DisplayField::new().key("dummy"))
-        .with_right_field(
+        .with_field(
             tr!("Pin Network Interfaces"),
             Checkbox::new()
                 .name("netif-name-pinning-enabled")
-- 
2.47.3

Re: [PATCH datacenter-manager 4/4] ui: auto-installer: make the fqdn field a large field

[Lukas Wagner]

On Tue May 26, 2026 at 1:33 PM CEST, Shannon Sterz wrote:
> especially with template variables the content of this field can get
> fairly long. also moves the "FQDN from DHCP" and "Pin Network
> Interfaces" around to match.
>
> Signed-off-by: Shannon Sterz <s.sterz@proxmox.com>
> ---
>  ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs | 7 +++----
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
> index 28f4851..c1d2bab 100644
> --- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
> +++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
> @@ -323,11 +323,11 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
>                  .disabled(use_dhcp_network)
>                  .required(!use_dhcp_network),
>          )
> -        .with_right_field(
> +        .with_field(
>              tr!("FQDN from DHCP"),
>              Checkbox::new().name("use-dhcp-fqdn").default(false),
>          )
> -        .with_right_field(
> +        .with_large_field(
>              tr!("Fully-Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)"),
>              Field::new()
>                  .name("fqdn")
> @@ -346,8 +346,7 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
>                  })
>                  .required(!use_dhcp_fqdn),
>          )
> -        .with_right_field("", DisplayField::new().key("dummy"))
> -        .with_right_field(
> +        .with_field(
>              tr!("Pin Network Interfaces"),
>              Checkbox::new()
>                  .name("netif-name-pinning-enabled")

makes sense generally, but after this change the "Network Options" tabs
is a bit weird to look at, since now the network configuration fields
still span half the dialog width, without there being a second column.

Maybe we should use the same proportions as on the first page of the
wizard, so just a single column with broader labels?

Re: [PATCH datacenter-manager 4/4] ui: auto-installer: make the fqdn field a large field

[Shannon Sterz]

On Tue May 26, 2026 at 2:22 PM CEST, Lukas Wagner wrote:
> On Tue May 26, 2026 at 1:33 PM CEST, Shannon Sterz wrote:
>> especially with template variables the content of this field can get
>> fairly long. also moves the "FQDN from DHCP" and "Pin Network
>> Interfaces" around to match.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Shannon Sterz <s.sterz@proxmox.com>
>> ---
>>  ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs | 7 +++----
>>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
>> index 28f4851..c1d2bab 100644
>> --- a/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
>> +++ b/ui/src/remotes/auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs
>> @@ -323,11 +323,11 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
>>                  .disabled(use_dhcp_network)
>>                  .required(!use_dhcp_network),
>>          )
>> -        .with_right_field(
>> +        .with_field(
>>              tr!("FQDN from DHCP"),
>>              Checkbox::new().name("use-dhcp-fqdn").default(false),
>>          )
>> -        .with_right_field(
>> +        .with_large_field(
>>              tr!("Fully-Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)"),
>>              Field::new()
>>                  .name("fqdn")
>> @@ -346,8 +346,7 @@ pub fn render_network_options_form(
>>                  })
>>                  .required(!use_dhcp_fqdn),
>>          )
>> -        .with_right_field("", DisplayField::new().key("dummy"))
>> -        .with_right_field(
>> +        .with_field(
>>              tr!("Pin Network Interfaces"),
>>              Checkbox::new()
>>                  .name("netif-name-pinning-enabled")
>
> makes sense generally, but after this change the "Network Options" tabs
> is a bit weird to look at, since now the network configuration fields
> still span half the dialog width, without there being a second column.
>
> Maybe we should use the same proportions as on the first page of the
> wizard, so just a single column with broader labels?

we could do that yeah. my initial thought was to eventually use the
extra space for a second set of ip definitions (e.g., to provide both
ipv4 and ipv6 addresses here), but that doesn't seem to be supported in
the auto installer setup.

i'll send a v2 that adapts the layout.

Superseded: Re: [PATCH datacenter-manager 0/4] ui & ux improvements for the auto installer

[Shannon Sterz]

Superseded-by: https://lore.proxmox.com/pdm-devel/20260526124013.366392-1-s.sterz@proxmox.com/T/#t

On Tue May 26, 2026 at 1:33 PM CEST, Shannon Sterz wrote:
> this is series of smaller ui & ux fixes for the auto installer ui in
> pdm.
>
> Shannon Sterz (4):
>   ui: auto-installer: use empty string as default fqdn
>   ui: auto-installer: set a default template that users can adapt
>   ui: auto-instaler: auto select filter for keyboard layout and language
>   ui: auto-installer: make the fqdn field a large field
>
>  .../auto_installer/prepared_answer_add_wizard.rs |  2 +-
>  .../auto_installer/prepared_answer_form.rs       | 16 ++++++++++++----
>  2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
>
> --
> 2.47.3