Request: Is it possible to follow XDG standards?

[khalidchawtany]

I have a lot of dot files in my home directory ( I think we all have) that cause two problems:

• Dot files are mixed up with other files that I work on, which makes it hard to find what I am looking for, and makes the view ugly :)
• This clutter makes it almost impossible to track the config files that I want to save under a version control.

Create a git repository in your home directory and do a git status to get a feeling of what I mean :)

[jasonm23]

The common solution to this is to symlink your dot files in from a version controlled folder. This has worked pretty well for me, since the 90s.

On 25 Nov 2015, at 3:50 AM, Khalid H. Ahmed notifications@github.com wrote:

I have a lot of dot files in my home directory ( I think we all have) that cause two problems:

Dot files are mixed up with other files that I work on, which makes it hard to find what I am looking for, and makes the view ugly :)
This clutter makes it almost impossible to track the config files that I want to save under a version control.
Create a git repository in your home directory and do a git status to get a feeling of what I mean :)

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[jasonm23]

I think the biggest problem with applying XDG to OSX apps is that it's not adopted on this platform.

~/Library/Application Support/

Is the closest approximation.

If the symlink solution really bothers you we could definitely look at either:

~/.local/... or ~/.config/...

Or how about

~/.phoenix.d/

On 25 Nov 2015, at 3:50 AM, Khalid H. Ahmed notifications@github.com wrote:

I have a lot of dot files in my home directory ( I think we all have) that cause two problems:

Dot files are mixed up with other files that I work on, which makes it hard to find what I am looking for, and makes the view ugly :)
This clutter makes it almost impossible to track the config files that I want to save under a version control.
Create a git repository in your home directory and do a git status to get a feeling of what I mean :)

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[khalidchawtany]

I am already using a symlink. However, symlinks do not solve the first part of the problem.

If I am not mistaken, according to XDG standards, the configuration files are stored under ~/.config/APP_NAME/CONFIG_FILE, where config files have a name similar to init.

[jasonm23]

I am referring to the XDG environment vars.

IIRC they are not available by default on OS X.

We would need to look in a pre-set list of folders and so

.phoenix.d; .local; .config are all fine to use.

I will try and get a patch prepared for review tomorrow.

On 25 Nov 2015, at 11:00 AM, Khalid H. Ahmed notifications@github.com wrote:

I am already using a symlink. However, symlinks do not solve the first part of the problem.

If I am not mistaken, according to XDG standards, the configuration files are stored under ~/.config/APP_NAME/CONFIG_FILE, where config files have a name similar to init.

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[jasonm23]

Btw I would consider this discussion relevant

https://discuss.atom.io/t/why-pollute-with-atom/778/6

On 25 Nov 2015, at 11:00 AM, Khalid H. Ahmed notifications@github.com wrote:

I am already using a symlink. However, symlinks do not solve the first part of the problem.

If I am not mistaken, according to XDG standards, the configuration files are stored under ~/.config/APP_NAME/CONFIG_FILE, where config files have a name similar to init.

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[jasonm23]

to add my personal preference here, I would consider using ~/Library/Application Support a mistake.

Just because Phoenix is such a developer centric app, and really isn't destined to be a general use GUI app.

On 25 Nov 2015, at 11:00 AM, Khalid H. Ahmed notifications@github.com wrote:

I am already using a symlink. However, symlinks do not solve the first part of the problem.

If I am not mistaken, according to XDG standards, the configuration files are stored under ~/.config/APP_NAME/CONFIG_FILE, where config files have a name similar to init.

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[khalidchawtany]

👍

[kasper]

XDG is not a standard on OS X and I don’t think it should. If the problem is about dot-files, why bother adding a new dot-directory which is not used globally? I’m not sure how many apps even support it.

The correct place would most definitely be ~/Library/Application Support/, but since it’s nowadays very much a hidden directory on the system, this would make it harder for some users. I’m not sure if this is worth the hassle.

[kasper]

Nonetheless, if required, we should support no more than one reasonable option for this. Default to ~/.phoenix.js, but maybe support for instance ~/.config/phoenix/phoenix.js. I’m all for a configurable setup, but I don’t want to make it more confusing. After all, it’s OS X.

[khalidchawtany]

@kasper adding a directory under ~/.config is not adding another dot-directory, especially if you remove the dot-config from home directory.

[kasper]

@khalidchawtany Yeah, I understand this, but for some it might be. I’m okay with it being the secondary location though.

[khalidchawtany]

Yep, it might be.

Thanks for this lovely app everyone 👍

[kasper]

Cheers! 😄

[jasonm23]

Agreed ~/.config and ~/.local are secondary locations.

In any event ~/.phoenix.js should override both.

As far as which one of .local or .config takes precedence, unimportant. Let's say it's .config > .local

:)

Sent from my iPhone

On 25 Nov 2015, at 8:46 PM, Kasper Hirvikoski notifications@github.com wrote:

Cheers!

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[kasper]

Ok, this is implemented. Now the following locations are valid configuration paths and the first existing file will be used.

1. ~/.phoenix.js (default)
2. ~/Library/Application Support/Phoenix/phoenix.js (standard OS X)
3. ~/.config/phoenix/phoenix.js (XDG-style)

Any other location can be used by symlinking. I think this should satisfy most opinions and setups. I don’t see the need to support XDG-environment variables directly, as they are not standard on OS X.

@khalidchawtany Thanks for raising your opinion! This should solve your original problem with cluttering the home directory and make it easier to have them under version control. 😄

[khalidchawtany]

Great :)
thank you very much 👍

[jasonm23]

Nice

On 26 Nov 2015, at 2:05 AM, Kasper Hirvikoski notifications@github.com wrote:

Ok, this is implemented. Now the following locations are valid configuration paths and the first existing file will be used.

~/.phoenix.js (default)
~/Library/Application Support/Phoenix/phoenix.js (standard OS X)
~/.config/phoenix/phoenix.js (XDG-style)
Any other location can be used by symlinking. I think this should satisfy most opinions and setups. I don’t see the need to support XDG-environment variables directly, as they are not standard on OS X.

@khalidchawtany Thanks for raising your opinion! This should solve your original problem with cluttering the home directory and make it easier to have them under version control.

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