[PD] New deken feature, create system user folder (was how-do-i-install-externals-and-help-files page (was Re: Linux Global folder for externals)

[Alexandre Torres Porres]

2017-03-04 15:54 GMT-03:00 Roman Haefeli <reduzent at gmail.com>:

>
> I really can't share your notion that things are complex from a user
> perspective. You can use Deken out of the box now.


Yes, with the new feature you can, and you couldn't before! My point is not
that it won't work, but that it can still be further improved beyond the
advancement being made right now.



> On Windows >= 7 and on any Linux I know the only user writable option
> is the user specific folder. I know now this is not true on Macs depending
> on what check boxes you checked in the system preferences for

the user.


It works out of the box for macs, you don't need to set anything up, that's
my experience... but I guess you can alter the system and prevent it.

So, our thing is that Pd has all these folders as "Standard Paths" but not
all are usable or writeable. Actually, besides the application folder,
they're not even created by the software. So we need to find a common
ground and it seems to be the user folder. So that's a good option for a
default setting that's consistent for all operating systems. Good.


> As far as I know, most software doesn't write any user specific stuff
> at installation time. How should it know which users are going to use
> the software and what happens if a user is added _after_ installation?
>

If a user is installing the software, then it can deduce that this user is
going to use the software. In the same ~/Library folder here on my mac is
where the */Audio* folder is, including the *MIDI Drivers* and *Plug-ins*.
All plugins installers write in here and install the plugins you can use in
Ableton Live, for instance. And Ableton Live has no problem in searching
for the plugins over there. That's an example...

It totally makes sense to create any directories and/or write files
> when they are actually needed. Pd doesn't need /Users/alex/Library/Pd so
> why should it create it?


How come it doesn't need it? Isn't it one of Pd's Standasr Paths for
starters?More over, isn't the folder we're realizing is the only writeable
and best option for all platforms? What do you mean? Sorry, I don't get it.


> It's hard if you want to do specific stuff that requires special
> knowledge.


All that is hard can be made easier... I just suggested a few solutions.


> I don't see how it is hard if you want to just download and
> use an external.


There are different options for downloading and using an external. Right
now, this is not well documented or made easy to achieve. Ok, we got one
step further with this update and at least we can download and use it.

Having said that, loading stuff from libraries correctly is still complex,
> more complex than necessary, in my opinion.
>

great, then we're on the same track after all.


> I wish calling the library by name would be enough, regardless of its
> internal layout.
>

+1 on that

cheers
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