docs/latex/wx/stdpaths.tex

   1 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
   2 %% Name:        stdpaths.tex
   3 %% Purpose:     wxStandardPaths documentation
   4 %% Author:      Vadim Zeitlin
   5 %% Modified by:
   6 %% Created:     2004-10-17
   7 %% RCS-ID:      $Id$
   8 %% Copyright:   (c) 2004 Vadim Zeitlin <vadim@wxwindows.org>
   9 %% License:     wxWindows license
  10 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
  11
  12 \section{\class{wxStandardPaths}}\label{wxstandardpaths}
  13
  14 wxStandardPaths returns the standard locations in the file system and should be
  15 used by applications to find their data files in a portable way.
  16
  17 Please note that this is not a real class because object of this type are never
  18 created but more a namespace containing the class methods which are all static,
  19 so to use wxStandardPaths simply call its methods directly.
  20
  21 In the description of the methods below, the example return values are given
  22 for the Unix, Windows and Mac OS X systems, however please note that these are
  23 just the examples and the actual values may differ. For example, under Windows:
  24 the system administrator may change the standard directories locations, i.e.
  25 the Windows directory may be named \texttt{W:$\backslash$Win2003} instead of
  26 the default \texttt{C:$\backslash$Windows}.
  27
  28 The strings \texttt{\textit{appname}} and \texttt{\textit{username}} should be
  29 replaced with the value returned by \helpref{wxApp::GetAppName}{wxappgetappname}
  30 and the name of the currently logged in user, respectively. The string
  31 \texttt{\textit{prefix}} is only used under Unix and is \texttt{/usr/local} by
  32 default but may be changed using \helpref{SetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}.
  33
  34 The directories returned by the methods of this class may or may not exist. If
  35 they don't exist, it's up to the caller to create them, wxStandardPaths doesn't
  36 do it.
  37
  38 Finally note that these functions only work with standardly packaged
  39 applications. I.e. under Unix you should follow the standard installation
  40 conventions and under Mac you should create your application bundle according
  41 to the Apple guidelines. Again, this class doesn't help you to do it.
  42
  43 This class is MT-safe: its methods may be called concurrently from different
  44 threads without additional locking.
  45
  46 \wxheading{Derived from}
  47
  48 No base class
  49
  50 \wxheading{Include files}
  51
  52 <wx/stdpaths.h>
  53
  54
  55 \latexignore{\rtfignore{\wxheading{Members}}}
  56
  57
  58 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetConfigDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetconfigdir}
  59
  60 \func{static wxString}{GetConfigDir}{\void}
  61
  62 Return the directory containing the system config files.
  63
  64 Example return values:
  65 \begin{itemize}
  66     \item Unix: \texttt{/etc}
  67     \item Windows: \texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$All Users$\backslash$Application Data}
  68     \item Mac: \texttt{/Library/Preferences}
  69 \end{itemize}
  70
  71 \wxheading{See also}
  72
  73 \helpref{wxFileConfig}{wxfileconfig}
  74
  75
  76 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir}
  77
  78 \func{static wxString}{GetDataDir}{\void}
  79
  80 Return the location of the applications global, i.e. not user-specific,
  81 data files.
  82
  83 Example return values:
  84 \begin{itemize}
  85     \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/share/\textit{appname}}
  86     \item Windows: the directory where the executable file is located
  87     \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/SharedSupport} bundle subdirectory
  88 \end{itemize}
  89
  90 \wxheading{See also}
  91
  92 \helpref{GetLocalDataDir}{wxstandardpathsgetlocaldatadir}
  93
  94
  95 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetInstallPrefix}\label{wxstandardpathsgetinstallprefix}
  96
  97 \func{static wxString}{GetInstallPrefix}{\void}
  98
  99 \textbf{Note: } This function is only available under Unix.
 100
 101 Return the program installation prefix, e.g. \texttt{/usr}, \texttt{/opt} or
 102 \texttt{/home/zeitlin}.
 103
 104 If the prefix had been previously by
 105 \helpref{SetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}, returns that
 106 value, otherwise tries to determine it automatically (Linux only right
 107 now) and finally returns the default \texttt{/usr/local} value if it failed.
 108
 109
 110 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetLocalDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetlocaldatadir}
 111
 112 \func{static wxString}{GetLocalDataDir}{\void}
 113
 114 Return the location for application data files which are host-specific and
 115 can't, or shouldn't, be shared with the other machines.
 116
 117 This is the same as \helpref{GetDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir} except
 118 under Unix where it returns \texttt{/etc/\textit{appname}}.
 119
 120
 121 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetPluginsDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetpluginsdir}
 122
 123 \func{static wxString}{GetPluginsDir}{\void}
 124
 125 Return the directory where the loadable modules (plugins) live.
 126
 127 Example return values:
 128 \begin{itemize}
 129     \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/lib/\textit{appname}}
 130     \item Windows: the directory of the executable file
 131     \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/PlugIns} bundle subdirectory
 132 \end{itemize}
 133
 134 \wxheading{See also}
 135
 136 \helpref{wxDynamicLibrary}{wxdynamiclibrary}
 137
 138
 139 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserConfigDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserconfigdir}
 140
 141 \func{static wxString}{GetUserConfigDir}{\void}
 142
 143 Return the directory for the user config files:
 144 \begin{itemize}
 145     \item Unix: \tt{~} (the home directory)
 146     \item Windows: \tt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}}
 147     \item Mac: \tt{~/Library/Preferences}
 148 \end{itemize}
 149
 150 Only use this method if you have a single configuration file to put in this
 151 directory, otherwise \helpref{GetUserDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir} is
 152 more appropriate.
 153
 154
 155 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir}
 156
 157 \func{static wxString}{GetUserDataDir}{\void}
 158
 159 Return the directory for the user-dependent application data files:
 160 \begin{itemize}
 161     \item Unix: \tt{~/.\textit{appname}}
 162     \item Windows: \tt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Application Data$\backslash$\textit{appname}}
 163     \item Mac: \tt{~/Library/Application Support/\textit{appname}}
 164 \end{itemize}
 165
 166
 167 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserLocalDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserlocaldatadir}
 168
 169 \func{static wxString}{GetUserLocalDataDir}{\void}
 170
 171 Return the directory for user data files which shouldn't be shared with
 172 the other machines.
 173
 174 This is the same as \helpref{GetUserDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir} for
 175 all platforms except Windows where it returns
 176 \texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Local Settings$\backslash$Application Data$\backslash$\textit{appname}}
 177
 178
 179 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::SetInstallPrefix}\label{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}
 180
 181 \func{static void}{SetInstallPrefix}{\param{const wxString\& }{prefix}}
 182
 183 \textbf{Note:} This function is only available under Unix.
 184
 185 Lets wxStandardPaths know about the real program installation prefix on a Unix
 186 system. By default, the value returned by
 187 \helpref{GetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathsgetinstallprefix} is used.
 188
 189 Although under Linux systems the program prefix may usually be determined
 190 automatically, portable programs should call this function. Usually the prefix
 191 is set during program configuration if using GNU autotools and so it is enough
 192 to pass its value defined in \texttt{config.h} to this function.
 193
 194