Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #11676

Re: Resource confusion

Show all headers | View raw

On 12-01-30 10:45 PM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:33:30 -0800, Roedy Green wrote:
> 
>> On Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:47:48 +0000 (UTC), Novice <novice@example..com>
>> wrote, quoted or indirectly quoted someone who said :
>>
>>> I'm having trouble figuring out the best way of obtaining existing files
>>> for my program to use.
>>
>> I would put the read-only config files in a resource in a jar.  This
>> means they can't get lost and they work even if the user is not capable
>> of configuring his own files. They are also compact. They get updated
>> automatically when you update the program.
>>
>> You problem then becomes, where to put the user's files.  JNLP lets you
>> allocate some space with a hideous name, not really suitable for the
>> user to insert things except via your game.  If he creates them with a
>> text editor you might import them into that space or store the filenames
>> (not files) in your own space so he can pick them off a menu by
>> unqualified name, and you then go fetch them from the original locations
>> as needed.
>>
> Same here: I'd put the defaults in the jar and, allow the user to put 
> overriding files in a master location and a one local to the user: if it 
> was a UNIX type system the master location would be /usr/local/etc and 
> the local location would be the hidden directory ~/.myapp and the program 
> would use a search something like this; 
> 
>  List<String> config = new List<String>();
>  config.add("~/.myapp/config.txt");
>  config.add("/usr/local/etc/config.txt");
> 
>  boolean found = false;
>  for (String s : config)
>  {
>    File cf = new File(s);
>    if (cf.exists())
>    {
>      found = true;
>      // use the configuration in cf
>    }
>  }
> 
>  if (!found) 
>    // use the default configuration held as a resource in the jar file
>  
> which lets the user's configuration take preference over the site 
> configuration in /usr/local/etc, which in turn takes precedence over the 
> jar file resource.
> 
> NOTE: this assumes that each configuration is complete.
> 
> Another way to do it is to read all three config files in the *reverse* 
> order (from jar file, then /usr/local/etc and finally from ~/.myapp) with 
> items read from an earlier file being overwritten by matching items from 
> a later file. This approach means that the config in the jar file must 
> give a default value for every item, but the site and user configurations 
> only need to provide values for items they want to customise.
>    
This is the way I would do things too, in general, for a configuration
file problem. One wants the average user to do as little as possible -
preferably nothing - with a file system, because a large percentage of
users don't get file systems.

I'll point out that the OP has a situation, as he/she has described it,
where there are *several/many* input files that can configure _a_ game,
and one of them is selected to configure a given game. This is not
atypical for games with numerous scenarios. Although on the UI level it
would certainly be desirable to present the user with a dropdown of
selections, rather than a file chooser, the OP's problem seems to be one
of reading *data* files, not one of reading a handful of true
configuration files. And his actual questions start with the details of
how best to _read_ a file, as I understand it.

AHS
-- 
...wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their
own government...
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1789

Back to comp.lang.java.programmer | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Resource confusion Novice <novice@example..com> - 2012-01-28 17:47 +0000
  Re: Resource confusion Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom3minus1@eastlink.ca> - 2012-01-28 15:44 -0400
    Re: Resource confusion Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2012-01-28 13:43 -0800
    Re: Resource confusion Novice <novice@example..com> - 2012-01-29 05:40 +0000
      Re: Resource confusion Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2012-01-28 22:43 -0800
      Re: Resource confusion Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom3minus1@eastlink.ca> - 2012-01-29 13:24 -0400
  Re: Resource confusion Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2012-01-30 13:33 -0800
    Re: Resource confusion Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-01-31 02:45 +0000
      Re: Resource confusion Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom3minus1@eastlink.ca> - 2012-01-31 06:32 -0400
        Re: Resource confusion Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-01-31 20:43 +0000
          Re: Resource confusion Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom3minus1@eastlink.ca> - 2012-01-31 18:08 -0400
            Re: Resource confusion Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-01-31 23:01 +0000

csiph-web