How can I include an editable config file with a sketch exported for OSX?

Neurogami

My sketch has a configuration file in the "data" folder. The user should be able to edit settings used by the sketch.

When exported for Windows this data folder is plainly visible and the config file is there for editing.

However, when exporting on OSX there is no visible data folder. Seems everything gets bundled into a jar.

What's the best way to set up a sketch such that is uses an editable config file, and that config file is exposed for editing when the sketch is exported on OSX? (I assume the same approach would work on Windows since Processing is not jarring all the files as it does on OSX.)

Thanks!

Neurogami

So far, playing around, I find this is usable:

 `String config_path = sketchPath + "/config.jsi";`

and pass that to the code that needs to load the config file.

After exporting the sketch on OSX I can then copy "config.jsi" into the same folder that has the .app folder and it seems to work OK. __ Downside is that the config file has to be copied by hand, so the next step would be a command-line script that does the export and the copying.

_vk

in osx the files are bundled in a package. if you right click in it there is "show package contents" that will lead to your config file, i think...

_vk

forgot the picture...

Neurogami

Very weird. I had been looking in the app folder and never finding the data folder or the config file, but now when I try it out I find them in application.macosx\.app\Contents\Java

So it's available.

OTOH I'm happy I poked around because getting to that file is a bit awkward because of how OSX uses "magic folders" as application packaging.

So I think I will use files in the program root for easier access (while I look into making config management fit each platforms conventions).

Thanks.

_vk

while I look into making config management fit each platforms conventions

I think, in a mac that would be to store your config file in some place like ~/Library/Application Support or ~/Library/Preferences. But this is not much better than the package is it?

Perhaps you can provide a UI to set those configs inside the program itself...? Then saving in a hided place would be no problem...

Neurogami

I'm thinking that, if I were to put any effort into this, I should have the app handle the loading and editing of the config. It's a fairly simple text file, so a dumb text "editor" shouldn't be hard to arrange, and then it can read and write from the default "data" folder. The user never needs to know the location.

Otherwise the sketch would need to know the OS, and do something different.

I like the idea of config files being in standard locations and users able to easily use whatever text editor they prefer, but the code overhead isn't worth it.

I wonder if I could instead launch a native "File|open" dialog. Then get users can use whatever text editor they like.

https://processing.org/reference/open_.html

I'll have t try this out.

_vk

Otherwise the sketch would need to know the OS, and do something different.

That's easy :)

void setup() { 
  size(255, 255);  
  prt("file.separator"); 
  prt("java.class.path");
  prt("java.home"); 
  prt("java.vendor"); 
  prt("java.vendor.url"); 
  prt("java.version"); 
  prt("line.separator"); 
  prt("os.arch"); 
  prt("os.name"); 
  prt("os.version"); 
  prt("path.separator"); 
  prt("user.dir"); 
  prt("user.home"); 
  prt("user.name");
}
void prt(String infoToGet) {  
  println(infoToGet+ " > "+System.getProperty(infoToGet));
}

_vk

Even more properties...

void setup(){
 String[] properties = loadStrings("propertiesNames.txt");

  for(String p:properties){
    println(p + " --> " + System.getProperty(trim(p)));
  }

}

And this is the "propertiesNames.txt" :

java.runtime.name
sun.boot.library.path
java.vm.version
user.country.format
gopherProxySet
java.vm.vendor
java.vendor.url
path.separator
java.vm.name
file.encoding.pkg
user.country
sun.java.launcher
sun.os.patch.level
java.vm.specification.name
user.dir
java.runtime.version
java.awt.graphicsenv
java.endorsed.dirs
os.arch
java.io.tmpdir
line.separator
java.vm.specification.vendor
os.name
sun.jnu.encoding
java.library.path
sun.awt.enableExtraMouseButtons
java.specification.name
java.class.version
sun.management.compiler
os.version
http.nonProxyHosts
user.home
user.timezone
java.awt.printerjob
java.specification.version
file.encoding
user.name
java.class.path
apple.awt.graphics.UseQuartz
java.vm.specification.version
sun.arch.data.model
java.home
sun.java.command
java.specification.vendor
user.language
awt.toolkit
java.vm.info
java.version
java.ext.dirs
sun.boot.class.path
java.vendor
file.separator
java.vendor.url.bug
sun.cpu.endian
sun.io.unicode.encoding
sun.font.fontmanager
socksNonProxyHosts
sun.awt.noerasebackground
ftp.nonProxyHosts
sun.cpu.isalist