Maybe that last part could be made configurable (i.e. do/don't use appdata for unpacked directories)? The PND fans can use their PNDs and unzippers can run their stuff as preferred right from the menu.skeezix said:Early on, a pnd could be unpacked and work in-place; I don't know if it works right now, as wasn't on my test list for the last few months.. but in theory, a pnd file that is unpacked (get the goods out of the iso) should more or less still just work (same appdata rules, etc.)
From what I've seen, an unpacked PND won't use a separate appdata dir at all (not sure what skeezix is saying here...)SteveM said:Maybe that last part could be made configurable (i.e. do/don't use appdata for unpacked directories)? The PND fans can use their PNDs and unzippers can run their stuff as preferred right from the menu.skeezix said:Early on, a pnd could be unpacked and work in-place; I don't know if it works right now, as wasn't on my test list for the last few months.. but in theory, a pnd file that is unpacked (get the goods out of the iso) should more or less still just work (same appdata rules, etc.)
So you're proposing that your system would do all the same things PND does, except they're ZIP files? And instead of the PXML being appended to the end of the file, it's just a text file that is included in the zip? I don't see how that would have made anything better. In fact, since you can't random-access a file within a zip with any sort of efficiency, it would actually make things worse than a PND made with squashFS.craigix said:Yes, it works, and a Zip file would do the same. I doubt what I want, or what Dave wants will happen. People like things complex these days.ste_167 said:
- I placed the PND file in the pandora/menu folder
- The documentation automatically appeared in Documentation in the main menu
- The game automatically appeared in the Games > Arcade
- I then downloaded the game data files and put them in the Commander Keen appdata folder
I think if you could cater for both crowds relatively easily by keeping the detection/menu-populating stuff and giving the option to not use appdata for unpacked apps. I dare say it would be more POLA-compilant to make such behaviour the default.skeezix said:Given Hatari.pnd, you coudl run it as a pnd
If you unpack it (pop everythign out of the iso), and run it _as a pnd_, it'll still work (in theory, I've not testred in months.)
But if you go into the unpacked directory and run ./hatari or ./runhatari.sh, it'll work like a normal linux app (of course)
Oh I see, you meant if you use run_pnd (or whatever it's called) on it.skeezix said:Aninhumer -- an unpacked pnd is what I call a 'directory app'; its essentially a pnd, unpacked -- ie: it has PXML, etc, and as such, when run, uses the same appdata magic (writebacks get directed to appdata directory for consistrency.) ie: When you run it, you're running it via the pnds system.
However, an app does not need to be a pnd per se at all -- it coudl just be any standard application, run from terminal or a .desktop or whatever, or it could be an unpacked pnd file run without the pnd systemn (in which case it runs like any other app, in place.)
I don't think that's a very good idea, since the PXML is also stored inside as well, and I'd imagine they're expected to be consistent.WizardStan said:Actually, if this info text file you mentioned were stored in the ZIP (or PND filesystem) it becomes read only: if you wanted to change it, you'd have to decompress the zip, change it, and then recompress it. With the appended PXML idea, a developer can simply edit it as it stands, strip it off, whatever.
No it's not, the PXML is appended to the end of the PND file so it can be easily edited without having to rebuild the entire PND file. I'm not sure what you're getting at.Aninhumer said:I don't think that's a very good idea, since the PXML is also stored inside as well,
mindlord said:The correct answer Jeff, is "Delegate Responsibility"...![]()
skeezix said:Pleng.. the goal was single file;
skeezix said:Dunny -- why would people have to use xfce?
No, it's a requirement of the format that the PXML exist in the root of the ISO too.WizardStan said:No it's not, the PXML is appended to the end of the PND file so it can be easily edited without having to rebuild the entire PND file. I'm not sure what you're getting at.Aninhumer said:I don't think that's a very good idea, since the PXML is also stored inside as well,
The PXML is stored inside the iso filesystem as well as being appended, or at least it has been in all of the PNDs I've mounted.WizardStan said:No it's not, the PXML is appended to the end of the PND file so it can be easily edited without having to rebuild the entire PND file. I'm not sure what you're getting at.
X is always running, even when you use minimenu. Minimenu is a just a program that runs full screen on top of a 'Window Manager'-less X session, and when you pick a program that requires X, Minimenu exits gracefully giving the 'Window Manager'-less X session to the new app.Dunny said:... without having to startx to use it.
No need for zip... squashfs does a commendable job of reducing the filesize of a PND...ste_167 said:I really can't see the problem with the system, it works great. A right-click option to display the documentation and the appdata folder name would be nice addition, but major changes certainly aren't needed.
I'm not sure I'd go with ZIP, the idea of the pnd is to have a single file. Why do you need to view/extract the data structure within it?
PokeParadox said:No need for zip... squashfs does a commendable job of reducing the filesize of a PND...ste_167 said:I really can't see the problem with the system, it works great. A right-click option to display the documentation and the appdata folder name would be nice addition, but major changes certainly aren't needed.
I'm not sure I'd go with ZIP, the idea of the pnd is to have a single file. Why do you need to view/extract the data structure within it?
Nice ideaOr, have a right click option to uninstal pnds