Writing a config or temp file in Plugins folder

[TIG]

Why does it have to be a file made in the ../Plugins/ folder ?
There are many places that a user will have access rights - e.g. C:\Temp ?
You can also get the User's very own 'TEMP' folder using ENV["TEMP"] for PC or ENV["TMPDIR"] for MAC - e.g. C:\Users\TIG\AppData\Local\Temp

[thomthom]

The temp folder doesn't work well when you want to store persistent config files.

[thomthom]

What we need in the API is a method that will return the path to where one can store application data on each OS.

[thomthom]

On Win7 I see this key:
LOCALAPPDATA - C:\Users\Thomas\AppData\Local

Is there something on OSX?

[TIG]

My ENV example combined with a simple OS test lets you find the User's own TEMP file...
The PC's ENV["LOCALAPPDATA"] would allow you to then make a specific sub-folder to contain the config file - on a MAC what is it ?

BUT you can save config info in other ways...

To save them
If it's entity specific use entity.set_attributes(dict,key,value)
If it's model specific use model.set_attributes(dict,key,value)
If it's Sketchup specific use Sketchup.write_default(section,variable,value)
[if it's a file-path with '' you'll need to use tr("\\","/") before writing it]

To retrieve them use
entity.get_attributes(dict,key,default)
model.get_attributes(dict,key,default)
Sketchup.read_default(section,variable,value)
[if it's a file-path you'll need to use tr("/","\\") after reading it and before using it]

[thomthom]

@tig said:

[if it's a file-path with '' you'll need to use tr("\","/") before writing it]

Or use File.expand_path

@unknownuser said:

I have to try if once again. If my memory doesn't deceive me I haven't had good results with it in the past.

I use it quite frequently. But beware that it doesn't handle Length objects well - so convert them into floats first. (I made a wrapper to handle conversion of Length and Symbol for write/read_default)

[tomasz]

@tig said:

Why does it have to be a file made in the ../Plugins/ folder ?

It doesn't have to be. If I would have just a chance to write a path to the config file then it would be ok...
I have forgotten about Sketchup.write_default. Thanks Thomas!
I have to try it once again. If my memory doesn't deceive me I haven't had good results with it in the past.

[TIG]

Note that read/write_defaults is best with Strings - convert then from/to Float [or whatever] afterwards...

[thomthom]

works fine with floats, integers, even arrays in my experience...

[notareal]

For windows %appdata% ?