New work/ directory in the permanent directory

Development
#1

Hi devs,

Right now we have <PERMDIR>/cache (data that can be deleted with no impact) and <PERMDIR>/store (permanent data).

However we have a 3rd category that force each extension needing it to create a top level entry in the PERMDIR: work data.

For example:

  • Prepared mails that are waiting to be sent
  • Mentions queue waiting for docs to be analyzed for mentions

I’m thus proposing that we add a new <PERMDIR>/work directory for that type of data.

WDYT?

Thanks

#2

+1
Thanks

#3

+1
Thanks

#4

+1

#5

The proposal is actually not complete since we need to handle the existing situation too.

I propose the following:

  • New code introduced after this proposal is agreed will use the new work/ directory

  • Best effort for existing code, which means either leave them as it is or migrate them to the new directory. This means writing a “DB” migration (so that it’s one off) to move the existing directory to the new location.

    import static java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption.*;

Files.move(new File("C:\\projects\\test").toPath(), new File("C:\\projects\\dirTest").toPath(), StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING);

WDYT?

#6

BTW we also need some typed API for these directories. Right now we have:

public interface Environment {
    File getTemporaryDirectory();

    File getPermanentDirectory();

    URL getResource(String resourceName);

    InputStream getResourceAsStream(String resourceName);
}

Maybe add PermanentDirectories getPermanentDirectories() with:

public interface PermanentDirectories
{
    File getWorkDirectory();
    File getCacheDirectory();
    File getStoreDirectory();
}

BTW, I’m not very clear about the difference between the cache directory in the perm dir and the temporary directory. It seems to me that a cache is a temporary directory and that it can be safely removed. Maybe temporary has a shorter lifespan than cache?

Thanks

#7

Could also be good to have an API to create a new directory with a uniquely-generated name (for storing stuff in the tmp dir for ex).

#8
  • tmp dir = one shot usage
  • cache dir = used several times

?

#9

For me if you store something that you plan to reuse after a restart but can be recreated if lost it’s a cache. If you don’t plan to reuse it after a restart then it’s tmp.