DirectoryStructure

Directory Structure

We adopt a standard directory structure for all projects, so that it will be obvious what directory things should go in as the projects progress, and it will make it easier to share code and transfer knowledge between projects. The directory structure must be complete so that it will support the final wrapping of the deliverable, including all documentation.

The standardized Unix layout works for both MultiPlatformCoding under both Unix and Windows, and many configuration tools assume its layout. The layout is the defacto-standard created by the http://www.fsf.org/ toolchain.

In your top project directory you should find:

• bin: binary directory. This will contain executables, for either the main program, or support tools. For multi-platform work assume that there may be platform and OS dependent subdirectories such as
• bin/windows-x86: windows subdirectory
• bin/linux-x86: linux subdirectory

• etc: configuration files - may be empty.

• lib: library directory. This will contain object libraries, for either the main program, or support tools. For multi-platform work, assume that there will be platform and OS dependent files under lib.

• net: Repository for files downloaded from the net, for all bundled prerquisites of code or tools required by the program. It may also contain the orginal version of code that this project extends, so that it's easy to compare the preoject with its origins. Make protocol subdirectories such as net/Http net/Ftp and in these subdirectories, put the name of the site the package was downloaded from.

• share: platform independent library directories. For example, the on-line documentation might go in share/doc or in share/html and icons might go in share/icons etc.

• src: The source code for the application and any of the tools it requires.

• var: variable run-time data, initially empty. May have subdirectories like var/log for log files, var/cache for runtime files, var/tmp for temporary files etc.

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Parent: DevelopmentStyle