[udig-devel] [jira] Created: (UDIG-1361) Change writing from uDig.app/Contents/MacOS/ to ~/Library/Preferences/net.udig.plist

[Eric Jarvies (JIRA)]

Change writing from uDig.app/Contents/MacOS/ to ~/Library/Preferences/net.udig.plist
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                 Key: UDIG-1361
                 URL: http://jira.codehaus.org/browse/UDIG-1361
             Project: uDIG
          Issue Type: Improvement
          Components: build, installer, open and save
    Affects Versions: UDIG 1.1 RC13, UDIG 1.1-RC12, UDIG 1.1 RC11, UDIG 1.1.RC10, UDIG 1.1.RC9, UDIG 1.1.RC8, UDIG 1.1.RC6a, UDIG 1.1.RC6, UDIG 1.1.RC5, UDIG 1.1 RC14, UDIG 1.1.1, UDIG 1.1.2, UDIG 1.2.M0, UDIG 1.2, UDIG 1.3, Distant Future
         Environment: OS X - all versions, all Apple computers.
            Reporter: Eric Jarvies
            Assignee: Richard Gould
            Priority: Trivial


*1. Preparations:*
A. Install a fresh copy of uDig folder and it's respective uDig.app and accompanying folders & files
B. Take note of the contents of the /configuration folder.  It's contents are config.ini, /iconsForScript folder with various bitmap images, and the Info.plist file.
C. Take note of the contents of the uDig.app (right click, Show Package Contents).  It's defaults are a udig executable and udig.ini file.

*2. Actions:*
A. Launch uDig for the first time
B. Take note of the new files written to the /configuration folder, and to the uDig.app(Show Package Contents) itself.
C. Install community plug-ins/extensions.
D. (experience some form of problem with uDig, requiring fresh install)

*3. Problems:*
A. If user has to install a fresh copy of uDig, for whatever reason, the user now has to determine what files are stock, and what files are added by the user, either by preference, or by third party plug-in.  Unless the user is familiar with each plug-in, and each location of a preference file, this is a time consuming task weeding out uDig default from user implemented.  
B. If user is migrating to another computer, the process of moving preferences is complicated.
C. When installing 3rd party plug-ins, they group with uDig default plug-ins that ship with the distro, hence for the average user, it is not easy to separate the two.

*4. Observations:*
A. uDig currently writes folders/files upon initial launch to uDig.app(Show Package Contents)/Contents/MacOS/ called workspace/, and contained therein are .localCatalog, .projectRegistry, and the folder .metadata/.  This information should instead be written to a single .plist file located within the ~/Library/Preferences/ folder, and be named net.udig.plist, so users can easily search and locate it.  These are all essentially preferences of one sort or another, and can easily be organized into one single plist file.  At minimum, move them outside of the uDig.app package, and into one of the folders, like the /configuration/ folder.  However, it is best that uDig have it's own preference file in the ~/Library/Preferences/ folder.  
B. uDig currently writes a file to the ~/Library/ folder called org.eclipse.eclipse.plist.
C. The plug-ins folder located under the udig/ install folder(usually installed into the Applications/ folder), should contain, at minimum, 2 sub-folders.  One should contain default plug-ins that ship with the standard uDig distro, and another that houses 3rd party plug-ins.  The same applying to /features/.  In fact, both the plug-ins and features folders should likely be consolidated into the sub-folder, as to better relate individual plug-ins and features belonging to the same creator.  And these should in fact be written to the ~/Library/Application Support/ support folder, under a folder named /uDig/.  This would conform to Apple's guidelines, whilst also providing the user a familiar environment with uDig, as is experienced with most other native OS X applications, making the back-up, time machine, etc. processes work with/for the uDig application. 

*5. Conclusions:*
A. Conform the global preferences and plug-ins/extensions files to the /Application Support/ and /Preferences/ folders.  Cease writing any files/folders into the uDig.app package, and instead writing those to the above mentioned folders.  Make obvious/distinct, those folders/files that are default to the install, from those that are added after the fact(3rd party). 
B. By doing this, the user can then easily change uDig.app file/versions, without having to go through the process of dealing with the uDig.app package contents, knowing it is always clean, and specific to that version of uDig, instead of being specific to that version, as well as to the user preferences that may have been set for that version.  This is especially useful for user testing, and isolation of specific conflicts/problems, as it reduces the amount of work that is required locating the problem.


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