Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Hi Jacque, Le 2 août 07 à 05:24, J. Landman Gay a écrit : You can put info in custom properties and password-protect the stack, which makes the properties unreadable and encrypted. Unfortunately (and this would be a nice to have), custom properties can be accessed as usual in a password protected stack. But it's still possible to encrypt custom props and protect by password the code able to decipher them :-) Best regards from Paris, Eric Chatonet. Plugins and tutorials for Revolution: http://www.sosmartsoftware.com/ Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Hi, and thanks for all your responses. entering/reading data manually: text file way easier What is manually in this context? What other processes in the workflow require manual editing? Basically I was saying typing stuff in a text file is easier than altering custom properties with a property editor and the message box; (mostly during development) What if your data was this: Revolution Coders 2.0 Richard,http://www.fourthworld.com/,http://www.fourthworld.com/rev/ Jacqueline,http://www.hyperactivesw.com,http://www.hyperactivesw.com/ Resources.html Andre,http://andregarzia.com/,http://www.andregarzia.com/RevOnRockets/ index.html Would you tend to store the above in a text file? Or custom props? On a side note, this is how I'm encrypting a local text file with registration info: function lbencrypt tData encrypt tData using blowfish with password productInfo (regFilePassword) put the base64encode of it into it return it end lbencrypt ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Eric Chatonet wrote: Hi Jacque, Le 2 août 07 à 05:24, J. Landman Gay a écrit : You can put info in custom properties and password-protect the stack, which makes the properties unreadable and encrypted. Unfortunately (and this would be a nice to have), custom properties can be accessed as usual in a password protected stack. But it's still possible to encrypt custom props and protect by password the code able to decipher them :-) True. But I was thinking about the file as it is stored on the server. If someone were to access the file and didn't have Rev to open it, they would have to look at it in a text editor or similar. In that case, none of the custom properties are readable if it is a password-protected stack. It's a crude type of protection, I admit, but it discourages casual attempts. -- Jacqueline Landman Gay | [EMAIL PROTECTED] HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Josh Mellicker wrote: entering/reading data manually: text file way easier What is manually in this context? What other processes in the workflow require manual editing? Basically I was saying typing stuff in a text file is easier than altering custom properties with a property editor and the message box; (mostly during development) If this manual editing only involves the developer it's a wash, since the developer can easily edit custom props. And if for the user, whether a text file or a property it would be more convenient to provide a UI for editing such things, and I can't see why the UI for either would necessarily be more complicated than another. One area where text files can be advantageous is when the file must be created by other software. Other than that it seems a wash. What if your data was this: Revolution Coders 2.0 Richard,http://www.fourthworld.com/,http://www.fourthworld.com/rev/ Jacqueline,http://www.hyperactivesw.com,http://www.hyperactivesw.com/ Resources.html Andre,http://andregarzia.com/,http://www.andregarzia.com/RevOnRockets/ index.html Would you tend to store the above in a text file? Or custom props? For myself it would depend on a number of other factors: - Will I ever need to store other lists related to this one? - Will the system ever benefit from adding metadata to the data storage? - How quickly will I need to access elements? - Are such accesses more often sequential batches or individual items? If I'm reading your posts correctly it sounds to my ear like you've already decided. If it works, why change? -- Richard Gaskin Managing Editor, revJournal ___ Rev tips, tutorials and more: http://www.revJournal.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Thanks for your illumination on this topic. On Aug 2, 2007, at 9:29 AM, Richard Gaskin wrote: If I'm reading your posts correctly it sounds to my ear like you've already decided. If it works, why change? I was just wondering if there was any case in which someone would store such a simple set of data in custom props rather than a text file. I have learned the answer is yes! ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Again I say it's how you or your user use the data, and their skill in maintaining it without errors. If you find yourself complaining about editing custom properties in the inspector, then take an hour and write a property editor that saves properties instead of saving as a text file. This allows you to control and contain the data easier. If your users make errors editing text files (extra spaces, etc) then put the data entry under your control - verify each item before entry. Hi, and thanks for all your responses. entering/reading data manually: text file way easier What is manually in this context? What other processes in the workflow require manual editing? Basically I was saying typing stuff in a text file is easier than altering custom properties with a property editor and the message box; (mostly during development) What if your data was this: Revolution Coders 2.0 Richard,http://www.fourthworld.com/,http://www.fourthworld.com/rev/ Jacqueline,http://www.hyperactivesw.com,http://www.hyperactivesw.com/Resources.html Andre,http://andregarzia.com/,http://www.andregarzia.com/RevOnRockets/index.html Would you tend to store the above in a text file? Or custom props? -- stephen barncard s a n f r a n c i s c o - - - - - - - - - - - - ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Josh Mellicker wrote: I know stacks are a nice way to save a lot of data because it can be organized by custom property and custom property set. But what about a simple list of data consisting of name, URL, and a couple other fields, that needs to be downloaded from a server- would you save the data in: A. a stack in custom properties? B. Or a text file? The information in this case will never get more complicated, though is remotely possible a data field or two might be added in the future. But the data will never evolve to be complex, it will always merely be a list of files. Here is my comparison: writing to/reading from: code must be written for both, text file a little easier Depends on what you're writing. If you're just writing a single sequential list than dumping it to a file would be simple enough. But if you need to access specific elements of that data, it's hard to beat the convenient flexibility and performance of array syntax to get custom prop elements. entering/reading data manually: text file way easier What is manually in this context? What other processes in the workflow require manual editing? encrypting: a tie adding data fields: a tie, easy in either (you must think ahead) Maybe, maybe not. Again, it depends on the specifics of the implementation. Adding a column to a list is easy enough, and using linked-listed to attach even large elements to property arrays can be easy enough, more efficient with large data, and possibly more flexible. possible data corruption: a tie Maybe, but consider this: If you parse your own file yourself, you're responsible for defining the format and the accessors which will use that format, and must test your invention thoroughly. But the custom property mechanism is already in the engine, already field-tested for more than a decade, and in all that time I've only even heard about three cases of true file corruption, and only seen one of those firsthand myself. Ten years is a long time. Also, with stack files you get an automatic temporary backup whenever the save command is issued: the last saved copy of the stack file is written to a temp file preceeded with a tilde (e.g., mystack.rev becomes ~mystack.rev), then the new stack file is written fresh from RAM contents, and only when the integrity of the completely fresh file has been checked is that temp file deleted. So among other things this means that if your using has a power outage during a save, or any other unexpected interruption, the engine's handling of stack files automatically gives you a safety that's been proven in real-world work for many years. You'd have to write that yourself if you wanted to provide similar protection. Another plus for stack files: With stack files you can add other lists, tables, metadata, even hierarchical data at any time without changing the accessors for your original data set. This inherent zero-cost extensibility is one of many reasons I've been migrating most of the apps I manage from custom formats to stack file formats. -- Richard Gaskin Managing Editor, revJournal ___ Rev tips, tutorials and more: http://www.revJournal.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
there are so many ways and so many different solutions... all good. No method is inherently 'easier'. You have to focus on what's best for your user. Will this be used by many or just one person? Does it need to travel with the app or does there need to be prefs for multiple users? Text Files If you're on a Mac, there are even more solutions. On a recent 'quick app' binge for a friend, I came up with a solution for configuration storage that still had to be editable by the user. And stays with the app (for now). So although it was created as a double clickable application, option-clicking will reveal inside are more folders inside and those folders are areas (where the rev binary and external stacks live) where some data can be successfully written to by the app. In order to not 'step on' the data I use the IDE and edit inside the package, with the added benefit that I don't have to recompile the standalone over and over and can test it immediately - and all the paths are already in place. Available by menu, the app calls an Applescript call Reveal Folder and the client could take it from there and edit the little files that my app needs for part of the input (already stamped with their 'creator' and 'type' tags by double clicking.I just saved having to re-invent the wheel for a little used but needed feature in my quick app. The files then get edited in TextEdit. And the little files travel in the app with the client in her USB dongle. specialfolderpath is good for multiple users at a workstation: you can always call each platform's specialfolderpath(preferences) and put a folder in there with your app name and then put all sorts of files in there. or if the user needs to get to the files sometimes specialfolderpath(docs) or if it's part of a urgent workflow specialfolderpath(desktop) Custom Props Allow saving in a structured way, a hierarchy. stack card --property set-property properties lists inside of properties It allows the clustering and associations one might get with files and folders, but in a better way. But all the statements I made about WHERE to save still applies to stacks with custom properties as well as text files. Text files, unless you use XML or some other method, are only one dimensional, and one ends up using different kinds of delimiters to keep the varied fields of data together in on file. Often faster to develop. sqb I know stacks are a nice way to save a lot of data because it can be organized by custom property and custom property set. But what about a simple list of data consisting of name, URL, and a couple other fields, that needs to be downloaded from a server- would you save the data in: A. a stack in custom properties? B. Or a text file? The information in this case will never get more complicated, though is remotely possible a data field or two might be added in the future. But the data will never evolve to be complex, it will always merely be a list of files. Here is my comparison: writing to/reading from: code must be written for both, text file a little easier entering/reading data manually: text file way easier encrypting: a tie adding data fields: a tie, easy in either (you must think ahead) possible data corruption: a tie ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution -- stephen barncard s a n f r a n c i s c o - - - - - - - - - - - - ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
One other consideration is how the data is to be used. Even though the data maybe simple, if you were going to load it into an array in your app, then saving it as a customPopertySet in a stack file might be easier. from a text file to an array goes from put URL file:someFile.txt into tArray split tArray by cr and = to put the customProperties[data] of stack whatever into tArray Otherwise, and obviously if human-readability is an issue, I'd use a text file. Best, Mark On 2 Aug 2007, at 00:09, Josh Mellicker wrote: I know stacks are a nice way to save a lot of data because it can be organized by custom property and custom property set. But what about a simple list of data consisting of name, URL, and a couple other fields, that needs to be downloaded from a server- would you save the data in: A. a stack in custom properties? B. Or a text file? The information in this case will never get more complicated, though is remotely possible a data field or two might be added in the future. But the data will never evolve to be complex, it will always merely be a list of files. Here is my comparison: writing to/reading from: code must be written for both, text file a little easier entering/reading data manually: text file way easier encrypting: a tie adding data fields: a tie, easy in either (you must think ahead) possible data corruption: a tie ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: save data in custom properties in a stack- or a text file?
Josh Mellicker wrote: I know stacks are a nice way to save a lot of data because it can be organized by custom property and custom property set. But what about a simple list of data consisting of name, URL, and a couple other fields, that needs to be downloaded from a server- would you save the data in: A. a stack in custom properties? B. Or a text file? I like them both for different purposes. One of my apps needs a lot of little files on the server, and the client has to maintain them. They aren't critical files; it's stuff like a current table of contents, article summaries, that sort of thing. For this, text files are great. They are easy for him to edit and very fast for the app to read over the net. So I'd say if someone else has to maintain the files, go for text if you can. If you store that kind of info in a stack, you have to write tools for the person who maintains it. For data my app maintains, either stacks or text files work fine. But stacks can provide an extra layer of protection if you need some security. You can put info in custom properties and password-protect the stack, which makes the properties unreadable and encrypted. Sometimes I also .gz the stack on the server (leaving off the extension) to make it a little harder to recognize it as a stack. It's not so secure that I'd store credit card info there, but it obscures things pretty well. So both ways work, depending on what you need to do. -- Jacqueline Landman Gay | [EMAIL PROTECTED] HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
