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[wxWidgets.git] / docs / latex / wx / stdpaths.tex

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%% Name:        stdpaths.tex
%% Purpose:     wxStandardPaths documentation
%% Author:      Vadim Zeitlin
%% Modified by:
%% Created:     2004-10-17
%% RCS-ID:      $Id$
%% Copyright:   (c) 2004 Vadim Zeitlin <vadim@wxwindows.org>
%% License:     wxWidgets license
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

\section{\class{wxStandardPaths}}\label{wxstandardpaths}

wxStandardPaths returns the standard locations in the file system and should be
used by applications to find their data files in a portable way.

Please note that this is not a real class because object of this type are never
created but more a namespace containing the class methods which are all static,
so to use wxStandardPaths simply call its methods directly.

In the description of the methods below, the example return values are given
for the Unix, Windows and Mac OS X systems, however please note that these are
just the examples and the actual values may differ. For example, under Windows:
the system administrator may change the standard directories locations, i.e.
the Windows directory may be named \texttt{W:$\backslash$Win2003} instead of
the default \texttt{C:$\backslash$Windows}.

The strings \texttt{\textit{appname}} and \texttt{\textit{username}} should be
replaced with the value returned by \helpref{wxApp::GetAppName}{wxappgetappname} 
and the name of the currently logged in user, respectively. The string 
\texttt{\textit{prefix}} is only used under Unix and is \texttt{/usr/local} by
default but may be changed using \helpref{SetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}.

The directories returned by the methods of this class may or may not exist. If
they don't exist, it's up to the caller to create them, wxStandardPaths doesn't
do it.

Finally note that these functions only work with standardly packaged
applications. I.e. under Unix you should follow the standard installation
conventions and under Mac you should create your application bundle according
to the Apple guidelines. Again, this class doesn't help you to do it.

This class is MT-safe: its methods may be called concurrently from different
threads without additional locking.

\wxheading{Derived from}

No base class

\wxheading{Include files}

<wx/fileloc.h>


\latexignore{\rtfignore{\wxheading{Members}}}


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetConfigDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetconfigdir}

\func{static wxString}{GetConfigDir}{\void}

Return the directory containing the system config files.

Example return values:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Unix: \texttt{/etc}
    \item Windows: \texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$All Users$\backslash$Application Data}
    \item Mac: \texttt{/Library/Preferences}
\end{itemize}

\wxheading{See also}

\helpref{wxFileConfig}{wxfileconfig}


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir}

\func{static wxString}{GetDataDir}{\void}

Return the location of the applications global, i.e. not user-specific,
data files.

Example return values:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/share/\textit{appname}}
    \item Windows: \texttt{C:$\backslash$Program Files$\backslash$\textit{appname}}
    \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/SharedSupport} bundle subdirectory
\end{itemize}

\wxheading{See also}

\helpref{GetLocalDataDir}{wxstandardpathsgetlocaldatadir}


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetInstallPrefix}\label{wxstandardpathsgetinstallprefix}

\func{static wxString}{GetInstallPrefix}{\void}

\textbf{Note: } This function is only available under Unix.

Return the program installation prefix, e.g. \texttt{/usr}, \texttt{/opt} or 
\texttt{/home/zeitlin}.

If the prefix had been previously by 
\helpref{SetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}, returns that
value, otherwise tries to determine it automatically (Linux only right
now) and finally returns the default \texttt{/usr/local} value if it failed.


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetLocalDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetlocaldatadir}

\func{static wxString}{GetLocalDataDir}{\void}

Return the location for application data files which are host-specific and
can't, or shouldn't, be shared with the other machines.

This is the same as \helpref{GetDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir} except
under Unix where it returns \texttt{/etc/\textit{appname}}.


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetPluginsDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetpluginsdir}

\func{static wxString}{GetPluginsDir}{\void}

Return the directory where the loadable modules (plugins) live.

Example return values:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/lib/\textit{appname}}
    \item Windows: the directory of the executable file
    \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/PlugIns} bundle subdirectory
\end{itemize}

\wxheading{See also}

\helpref{wxDynamicLibrary}{wxdynamiclibrary}


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserConfigDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserconfigdir}

\func{static wxString}{GetUserConfigDir}{\void}

Return the directory for the user config files:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Unix: \tt{~} (the home directory)
    \item Windows: \tt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}}
    \item Mac: \tt{~/Library/Preferences}
\end{itemize}

Only use this method if you have a single configuration file to put in this
directory, otherwise \helpref{GetUserDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir} is
more appropriate.


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir}

\func{static wxString}{GetUserDataDir}{\void}

Return the directory for the user-dependent application data files:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Unix: \tt{~/.\textit{appname}}
    \item Windows: \tt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Application Data$\backslash$\textit{appname}}
    \item Mac: \tt{~/Library/Application Support/\textit{appname}}
\end{itemize}


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserLocalDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserlocaldatadir}

\func{static wxString}{GetUserLocalDataDir}{\void}

Return the directory for user data files which shouldn't be shared with
the other machines.

This is the same as \helpref{GetUserDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir} for
all platforms except Windows where it returns 
\texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Local Settings$\backslash$Application Data$\backslash$\textit{appname}}


\membersection{wxStandardPaths::SetInstallPrefix}\label{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}

\func{static void}{SetInstallPrefix}{\param{const wxString\& }{prefix}}

\textbf{Note:} This function is only available under Unix.

Lets wxStandardPaths know about the real program installation prefix on a Unix
system. By default, the value returned by 
\helpref{GetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathsgetinstallprefix} is used.

Although under Linux systems the program prefix may usually be determined
automatically, portable programs should call this function. Usually the prefix
is set during program configuration if using GNU autotools and so it is enough
to pass its value defined in \texttt{config.h} to this function.