Hello
I’m working on a Desktop App (Win, Mac, Linux) and I need to attach some text files like settings and JSon files. Am I right using the GUI item “Folder” for this? I’ve seen it adds the file to build, sadly with different folder names. So I would then have to differ where to read the files (in relation of executable):
Mac: …/Resources
Windows: AppName/Resources (appname upper/lowercase)
Linux: appname/Resources (appname lowercase)
Furthermore it seems I’m not allowed to create a directory structure inside a GUI item “Folder” by adding another GUI item “Folder” in the main item “Folder”: All files in any subfolders are moved to the main folder and all subfolder directories are removed. Weird…
All over: Should I use the GUI item “Folder” for attaching configuration files that will be read/used by the application?
@Emile Schwarz : I was a bit too quick with “right answer”. Your answer explains where I should store data OS wise. That’s also good to know and i will use that. But on BUILIDNG my application what is the best/wanted way to attach existing files to it? I have a JSON file that I would release with the build and then read it by the application itself.
Okay, I guess to use the GUI “Folder” item for this is adequate. Your link also offers “SpecialFolder.Resource” that directs to the folder where the to “Folder” attached files are stored.
And from there, at run time, your application will copy these files to the Application Data folder. Look Xojo local Language Reference (easy to look on macOS)
Subfolder: nice to have, just for more clear structure. Yeah, if needed I could/would create the folder structure at runtime
Initially I wanted to know HOW (or by which GUI element) I can ATTACH files to the application, so they are “part” of the app. With the GUI item “Folder” it works fine.
Look there (in the Application Data folderà) how the folders are built: most of the time as, for examples:
Xojo
com.operasoftware.Opera
LibreOffice
and so on.
So unless your application name or web site (inverted) already collide (is the same) with another one, this is not possible to be in trouble there (hopefully).
BTW: when in doubt, I look how things are done (in macOS or/and WIndows), then I made my mind and I do accordingly (if/when possible).
Nota: you certainly remember one day Digital Photo (not only ?) makes eyes red. One stupid guy one day released an application that removed the red from the eyes as Redeye (name of a comic strip owned by KFS (King Features Syndicate) who also owns Mandrake (rings a bell too ? Hint: Linux ).