preferences file

[DL Neil]

On 29/01/19 7:11 AM, songbird wrote:
> DL Neil wrote:
>> On 29/01/19 1:29 AM, Karsten Hilbert wrote:
>>> On Mon, Jan 28, 2019 at 07:02:47AM -0500, songbird wrote:
>>>
>>>>> What about running a multi-tenant application (for multiple users who
>>>>> are not also system-users) - cf them logging-on to run their own. It is
>>>>> appropriate, possibly even "required" to keep Fred's config file,
>>>>> reports, graphs, logs, etc; separate from Barney's. Ideally they will
>>>>> not be sub-dirs of the application/package.
>>>>
>>>>     if it is per user defined then $HOME/.config/<app-name>,
>>>> $HOME/.local/share/<app-name> and any temporary data can go
>>>> in $HOME/.cache/<app-name> will do it for posix on Windows
>>>> there is the per user app stuff which i haven't sorted out
>>>> yet.
>>>>
>>>>     $HOME changes per user login name change.
>>>
>>> 	$HOME/.config/<app-name>/<app-user>/
>>> 	$HOME/.cache/<app-name>/<app-user>/
>>
>>
>> ...The latter for tmp/intermediate files (without hassles, eg creating
>> unique fileNMs!). - and which can be wiped with a single command at the
>> end of the run!
>>...
> 
>    oh, well i don't need anything that complicated but
> usually there is a way of generating unique file names
> and managing temporary files.

=if the directory is dedicated to a user (and thus the files therein 
driven by his/her/their particular config file), then the issue of 
unique fileNMs no longer exists. Less complexity = more happiness 
(potential)...


>    if you are running an application by a login user
> which does not log out then eventually you may need
> to use some other method of cleaning up the application's
> files somehow but to me that is a whole different topic
> from the issue of where to put them.

=(a) context managers

=(b) when the intermediate files (from an 'inherited system') are 
over-large (see also Backlog list!), this can become an issue.

Yes, it appears some way from the OP's intent (apologies to him, if 
appropriate).

However, K's comment encouraged a re-think:
- whilst re-developing the app into a multi-tenant possibility, using 
config files to separate the individuals/project teams/departments (back 
to the original question), my thought was that the intermediate files 
"belonged to" the app. Hence they were re-sited under (Linux) /tmp 
(considerations per above).
- if the consideration of "separation" between the multiple 'tenants' is 
important (not in my case), then a generalised drop-zone, eg /tmp, is 
NOT acceptable, eg security/privacy.
- hence the conclusion that any intermediate files should also be 
separated 'under' <app-user>, ie that they 'belong to' the user and NOT 
to the app!
- this naturally leads to another convenience: unlike concerns for 
over-filling /tmp, there is no need to keep track of what has/not been 
created in $HOME/.cache/<app-name>/<app-user>/ because at the end of the 
run, all contents of the directory (incl/excl) can?should be deleted! (a 
context manager?)

Obvious when you think about it, but wasn't 'at the time'. Ideas 
appended to Project's Backlog...

Again, thanks!
-- 
Regards =dn