Re: [AD] Additions for al_get_path() (was Re: Allegro 5 TODOs (from wiki))

[Evert Glebbeek <eglebbk@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 14-Dec-08, at 10:29 PM, Matthew Leverton wrote:
> I would assume that AL_USER_HOME_PATH is meant for files that the user
> can open up and access outside of the Allegro application. With that
> interpretation, I think CSIDL_PERSONAL is the only choice.

Ok, I changed it in the patch I just send to the list.

> It might be better to keep the constants named according to what type
> of data goes there. Ie., I don't think HOME_PATH is necessarily a good
> name, because it doesn't describe what belongs there.

Hmm... yes, true.

> Okay, this is what I assume you were talking about at the beginning of
> the thread.

Yes.

> How necessary are these paths?  What is a "setting"?

Basically, it's where application-specific configuration data can be  
found. I think it's also where application specific data can be written.
They are needed, as I recall, for OS X, where settings and data (or  
"read-only" data and "read-or-write" data) are not supposed to be  
placed in the same location.

> If it's always a key/value pair, then perhaps a more platform natural
> way of implementing these is via configuration API similar to the INI
> files. This would prevent people from putting things in the wrong
> place (e.g., a high score in the settings folder). Windows can place
> the values in the registry where they belong, and other systems can
> place them in configuration files in the proper place.

I was wondering about the Windows registry. Does Allegro (5) allow for  
it to be used at all?

> If they are kept as duplicate folders, then it will be necessary to
> point out that unique filenames will be necessary to avoid naming
> collisions.

Sure.

Evert