Re: proper location for a database file
Re: proper location for a database file
- Subject: Re: proper location for a database file
- From: Nicholas Riley <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 16:23:25 -0600
- Mail-followup-to: Glenn Howes <email@hidden>, email@hidden
On Tue, Nov 26, 2002 at 11:11:55PM -0600, Glenn Howes wrote:
>
On Tuesday, November 26, 2002, at 09:39 PM, Nicholas Riley wrote:
>
>
>
>
>Of the applications you mentioned, iTunes exposes its music library
>
>(~/Music/iTunes/iTunes 3 Music Library). So should iPhoto IMO, as
>
>made clear by third-party programs such as 'iPhoto Library Manager'
>
>which use hacks to get iPhoto to recognize multiple libraries.
>
>
>
>What if you've got two Macs and want to copy or merge the library from
>
>one to the other? By implementing documents as preference information
>
>or imposing your own filing system, you're placing a rather arbitrary
>
>restriction on people's working styles.
>
>
>
>
Well, if the database is done via the file system or in an opaque file,
>
the point is it's in a set location and the user can't choose different
>
ones. And, I don't mind merging databases; that's not very relevant to
>
document versus database; presumably a merge could be done with either.
>
I wouldn't call the design decision arbitrary, as I've decided
>
logically, I think, on a design which takes care of file handling for
>
the user because I'm under the impression it handles what 95% of users
>
require.
My point is simply that with minimal added complexity, you can offer a
great deal more flexibility, and in a framework (dealing with document
files) most people are used to using. The "one database per user or
computer" decision _is_ arbitrary because there's nothing that makes
it inherently harder to support _n_ databases per user or computer. I
can't think of an easy way to present 'merge these databases together'
that isn't kludgey if you hide the location of the databases.
Anyway, it's your app, your users, your decision. The best I can do
is to imagine how I'd feel if I were in the position of your users.
--
=Nicholas Riley <email@hidden> | <
http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/njriley>
Pablo Research Group, Department of Computer Science and
Medical Scholars Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
_______________________________________________
cocoa-dev mailing list | email@hidden
Help/Unsubscribe/Archives:
http://www.lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/cocoa-dev
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.