Storing Data on Desktop Apps

[physicsclassroom]

I'm looking for advice on where to store data (preferences, progress data, etc.) on a Desktop app that I'm building. I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly. It looks like I really only have two choices - documents folder or preferences folder. On the mobile version of the same app, I stored the data in the documents folder. On a desktop app, it doesn't seem that the documents folder would be the best choice. A user looks in their documents folder quite regularly and might see a file they don't recognize and trash the file. Are there any best practices for the location for stored data or pros and cons of each possibility? I will be using both a stack and some text files for the storage containers. It is an educational app that tracks student progress and so some of the information must be kept very secure. And ideas?

[ClipArtGuy]

You can write to folders other than documents or preferences using:

Code: Select all

put myData into URL ("binfile:"&thePathToFile)

This path can be just about anywhere the user has permission to write.

[bern333]

So can you put "G:\data\mine" into "thePathToFile"and have it work?

B

[physicsclassroom]

Thanks for getting back to me ClipArtGuy

This path can be just about anywhere the user has permission to write.

My real question is not so much HOW to write, but WHERE to write. Are there more than two places to write to on Desktop - Preferences and Desktop? And what ate the pros and cons to one location over the other?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

[ClipArtGuy]

So can you put "G:\data\mine" into "thePathToFile"and have it work?

B

I think you would need to specify a file as well -- put "G:\data\mine\output.txt" into thePathToFile.

[ClipArtGuy]

Thanks for getting back to me ClipArtGuy

This path can be just about anywhere the user has permission to write.

My real question is not so much HOW to write, but WHERE to write. Are there more than two places to write to on Desktop - Preferences and Desktop? And what ate the pros and cons to one location over the other?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

The answer to your first question is -yes, many. (refer to my initial response)

For the second, I usually save any external files relative to my executable. If my executable lives at "/home/clipartguy/MyApp/MyAppsExecutable" I might keep my preferences in "/home/clipartguy/MyApp/Preferences/"

[physicsclassroom]

For the second, I usually save any external files relative to my executable. If my executable lives at "/home/clipartguy/MyApp/MyAppsExecutable" I might keep my preferences in "/home/clipartguy/MyApp/Preferences/"

That will be helpful. Thanks. Two questions though:
1) Do I need to create the folder titled Preferences and then save files to it or does the Preference file already exist?
2) Can I save stacks in the Preferences folder or is it limited to just text files?

[ClipArtGuy]

1 - You can either create folders during development, or through script using the "create folder" command.

2 - To my knowledge you can save just about any type of data this way , although if you are using stacks, the save command might be a better bet.

[jacque]

Which OS? On Mac the only approved location is in the Application Support folder which is specialFolderPath("asup"). You can still store data in Preferences too, but Apple has deprecated that and suggests you avoid it for future compatibility. Windows has a similar approved location but it escapes me at the moment.

[physicsclassroom]

Thanks Jacque,

Which OS? On Mac the only approved location is in the Application Support folder which is specialFolderPath("asup"). You can still store data in Preferences too, but Apple has deprecated that and suggests you avoid it for future compatibility. Windows has a similar approved location but it escapes me at the moment.

I am developing for a Mac at the moment. My hope was to use specialFolderPath("Documents") as it seems to be permitted but was wondering what the pros and cons were for saving to documents as opposed to saving to preferences or any other location?

[jacque]

The documents folder is permitted (it's writable) but only approved for files the user creates. Some apps ignore that but Apple doesn't like it. If you are saving user-generated data then it's appropriate. If you're saving preferences or other data the app needs but the user never interacts with directly, the app support folder is where those files should go.

The idea is not to clutter the documents folder with files the user will never need to open. In either location you should create a folder named for the app and put the files in there rather than loose in the main folder.

[Klaus]

Hi all,

this is my function to get the appropriate "preferences/user data" folder on each platform:

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function mkprefsfolder
  switch the platform
  case "MacOS"

    ## Application support
    put specialFolderPath("asup") into spfp
    break
  case "Win32"

    ## Windows >= 2000
    if the systemversion contains "NT" then
      put specialFolderPath(35) into spfp
      ### For all users!
      ### specialfolderpath(26) = for the current user only!
    else

     ## Win95 - XP
      put specialfolderpath("system") into spfp
    end if
    break
  default

    ## *nix
    put $HOME into spfp
    break
  end switch
  return spfp
end mkprefsfolder

And yes, creating a subfolder here for your application a good idea!


Best

Klaus

[MaxV]

I sugget you to read this: http://livecode.wikia.com/wiki/Saving_files_on_Android
and this: http://livecode.wikia.com/wiki/SpecialFolderPath