Re: [AD] Magic main in Windows

[Daniel Schlyder <daniel@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris:
> Daniel Schlyder wrote:
>> The macro for single user variable game data should also be defined on Windows:
>> 
>> 2000/XP: C:\Documents and Settings\USER\My Documents\My Games\PROGRAM
>>      9x: C:\My Documents\My Games\PROGRAM
>> 
>> (The "My Games" dir was introduced in Windows 2000 or XP, I think, but can be
>> created by the function if it doesn't exist.)

> I really, really don't like this idea.

Well, I wasn't advocating this functionality be added to Allegro, just that if
it was, there are standard directories one should strive to support also on
Windows, instead of just dumping everything in "Program Files."

> I prefer all my game data and config files to be in the same directory as the
> game. And since most Allegro programs are simply "unzip, (compile}, run",
> having end users have to move data around to simply get the game to run (or
> forcing the programmer to make an installer), is very bad, IMO.

Yes, the programmer would obviously have to make an installer (and
uninstaller). In my perfect world every game would have this, but I don't want
to force every Allegro programmer to make one. Of course, you could always
just not use those particular functions.

> As well, it would make uninstallation harder since you now have to go hunting
> around for extra datafiles instead of just deleting the directory.

No, all you'd need to do would be to click the uninstall icon.

> The only reason having config files in ~/.something is acceptable in
> Linux/Unix is that most people using these systems use the command line
> anyway.. so it's the difference of typing 'nano <path_to_program>/config.cfg'
> or 'nano ~/.program/config.cfg'. On Windows however, this becomes much more
> complex since there is no home directory shortcut like ~ in Unix, and most
> users aren't savvy enough to know where to look.. plus they rarely use the
> command line so they'd have to stumble around explorer.

Hum, I don't understand why you mention the command line. All the novice PC
users I've helped set up computers for, heavily used the "My Documents" folder.
It's one of the top items in Explorer and on the Start menu.

> Allegro games generally aren't professional level games with installers,
> uninstallers, extensive in-game config systems, etc..
> so having it available to the normal programmer will just confuse things a
> lot more for both him and the end user. And the games that do reach that
> level of completion can still do it themselves since Allegro doesn't do
> anything to stop it. I just don't think it should be encouraged.

Please don't blow this out of proportions. It takes about five minutes to
create a professionally looking installer using, for example, Inno Setup, and I
don't see how it could possibly confuse the end user. To the contrary, I would
think most of them would prefer an installer to an archive that they might not
know how to unpack, or where to, or what to do next.

--
Daniel Schlyder
http://bitblaze.com/