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 In the description of the methods below, the example return values are given
  18 for the Unix, Windows and Mac OS X systems, however please note that these are
  19 just the examples and the actual values may differ. For example, under Windows:
  20 the system administrator may change the standard directories locations, i.e.
  21 the Windows directory may be named \texttt{W:$\backslash$Win2003} instead of
  22 the default \texttt{C:$\backslash$Windows}.
  23
  24 The strings \texttt{\textit{appname}} and \texttt{\textit{username}} should be
  25 replaced with the value returned by \helpref{wxApp::GetAppName}{wxappgetappname}
  26 and the name of the currently logged in user, respectively. The string
  27 \texttt{\textit{prefix}} is only used under Unix and is \texttt{/usr/local} by
  28 default but may be changed using \helpref{SetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}.
  29
  30 The directories returned by the methods of this class may or may not exist. If
  31 they don't exist, it's up to the caller to create them, wxStandardPaths doesn't
  32 do it.
  33
  34 Finally note that these functions only work with standardly packaged
  35 applications. I.e. under Unix you should follow the standard installation
  36 conventions and under Mac you should create your application bundle according
  37 to the Apple guidelines. Again, this class doesn't help you to do it.
  38
  39 This class is MT-safe: its methods may be called concurrently from different
  40 threads without additional locking.
  41
  42 \wxheading{Derived from}
  43
  44 No base class
  45
  46 \wxheading{Include files}
  47
  48 <wx/stdpaths.h>
  49
  50 \wxheading{Library}
  51
  52 \helpref{wxBase}{librarieslist}
  53
  54
  55 \latexignore{\rtfignore{\wxheading{Members}}}
  56
  57
  58 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::Get}\label{wxstandardpathsget}
  59
  60 \func{static wxStandardPathsBase\&}{Get}{\void}
  61
  62 Returns reference to the unique global standard paths object.
  63
  64
  65 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetConfigDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetconfigdir}
  66
  67 \constfunc{wxString}{GetConfigDir}{\void}
  68
  69 Return the directory containing the system config files.
  70
  71 Example return values:
  72 \begin{itemize}
  73     \item Unix: \texttt{/etc}
  74     \item Windows: \texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$All Users$\backslash$Application Data}
  75     \item Mac: \texttt{/Library/Preferences}
  76 \end{itemize}
  77
  78 \wxheading{See also}
  79
  80 \helpref{wxFileConfig}{wxfileconfig}
  81
  82
  83 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir}
  84
  85 \constfunc{wxString}{GetDataDir}{\void}
  86
  87 Return the location of the applications global, i.e. not user-specific,
  88 data files.
  89
  90 Example return values:
  91 \begin{itemize}
  92     \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/share/\textit{appname}}
  93     \item Windows: the directory where the executable file is located
  94     \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/SharedSupport} bundle subdirectory
  95 \end{itemize}
  96
  97 \wxheading{See also}
  98
  99 \helpref{GetLocalDataDir}{wxstandardpathsgetlocaldatadir}
 100
 101
 102 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetDocumentsDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetdocumentsdir}
 103
 104 \constfunc{wxString}{GetDocumentsDir}{\void}
 105
 106 Return the directory containing the current user's documents.
 107
 108 Example return values:
 109 \begin{itemize}
 110     \item Unix: \tt{~} (the home directory)
 111     \item Windows: \texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Documents}
 112     \item Mac: \texttt{~/Documents}
 113 \end{itemize}
 114
 115 \newsince{2.7.0}
 116
 117
 118 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetExecutablePath}\label{wxstandardpathsgetexecutablepath}
 119
 120 \constfunc{wxString}{GetExecutablePath}{\void}
 121
 122 Return the directory and the filename for the current executable.
 123
 124 Example return values:
 125 \begin{itemize}
 126     \item Unix: \texttt{/usr/local/bin/exename}
 127     \item Windows: \texttt{C:$\backslash$Programs$\backslash$AppFolder$\backslash$exename.exe}
 128     \item Mac: \texttt{/Programs/exename}
 129 \end{itemize}
 130
 131
 132
 133 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetInstallPrefix}\label{wxstandardpathsgetinstallprefix}
 134
 135 \constfunc{wxString}{GetInstallPrefix}{\void}
 136
 137 \textbf{Note: } This function is only available under Unix.
 138
 139 Return the program installation prefix, e.g. \texttt{/usr}, \texttt{/opt} or
 140 \texttt{/home/zeitlin}.
 141
 142 If the prefix had been previously by
 143 \helpref{SetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}, returns that
 144 value, otherwise tries to determine it automatically (Linux only right
 145 now) and finally returns the default \texttt{/usr/local} value if it failed.
 146
 147
 148 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetLocalDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetlocaldatadir}
 149
 150 \constfunc{wxString}{GetLocalDataDir}{\void}
 151
 152 Return the location for application data files which are host-specific and
 153 can't, or shouldn't, be shared with the other machines.
 154
 155 This is the same as \helpref{GetDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir} except
 156 under Unix where it returns \texttt{/etc/\textit{appname}}.
 157
 158
 159 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetLocalizedResourcesDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetlocalizedresourcesdir}
 160
 161 \constfunc{wxString}{GetLocalizedResourcesDir}{\param{const wxString\&}{ lang}, \param{ResourceCat}{ category = ResourceCat\_None}}
 162
 163 Return the localized resources directory containing the resource files of the
 164 specified category for the given language.
 165
 166 In general this is just the same as \arg{lang} subdirectory of
 167 \helpref{GetResourcesDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetresourcesdir} (or
 168 \texttt{\arg{lang}.lproj} under Mac OS X) but is something quite
 169 different for message catalog category under Unix where it returns the standard
 170 \texttt{\textit{prefix}/share/locale/\arg{lang}/LC\_MESSAGES} directory.
 171
 172 \newsince{2.7.0}
 173
 174
 175 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetPluginsDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetpluginsdir}
 176
 177 \constfunc{wxString}{GetPluginsDir}{\void}
 178
 179 Return the directory where the loadable modules (plugins) live.
 180
 181 Example return values:
 182 \begin{itemize}
 183     \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/lib/\textit{appname}}
 184     \item Windows: the directory of the executable file
 185     \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/PlugIns} bundle subdirectory
 186 \end{itemize}
 187
 188 \wxheading{See also}
 189
 190 \helpref{wxDynamicLibrary}{wxdynamiclibrary}
 191
 192
 193 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetResourcesDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetresourcesdir}
 194
 195 \constfunc{wxString}{GetResourcesDir}{\void}
 196
 197 Return the directory where the application resource files are located. The
 198 resources are the auxiliary data files needed for the application to run and
 199 include, for example, image and sound files it might use.
 200
 201 This function is the same as \helpref{GetDataDir}{wxstandardpathsgetdatadir} for
 202 all platforms except Mac OS X.
 203
 204 Example return values:
 205 \begin{itemize}
 206     \item Unix: \texttt{\textit{prefix}/share/\textit{appname}}
 207     \item Windows: the directory where the executable file is located
 208     \item Mac: \texttt{\textit{appname}.app/Contents/Resources} bundle subdirectory
 209 \end{itemize}
 210
 211 \newsince{2.7.0}
 212
 213
 214 \wxheading{See also}
 215
 216 \helpref{GetLocalizedResourcesDir}{wxstandardpathsgetlocalizedresourcesdir}
 217
 218 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetTempDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgettempdir}
 219
 220 \constfunc{wxString}{GetTempDir}{\void}
 221
 222 Return the directory for storing temporary files. To create unique temporary files,
 223 it is best to use \helpref{wxFileName::CreateTempFileName}{wxfilenamecreatetempfilename} for correct behaviour when
 224 multiple processes are attempting to create temporary files.
 225
 226 \newsince{2.7.2}
 227
 228 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserConfigDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserconfigdir}
 229
 230 \constfunc{wxString}{GetUserConfigDir}{\void}
 231
 232 Return the directory for the user config files:
 233 \begin{itemize}
 234     \item Unix: \tt{~} (the home directory)
 235     \item Windows: \tt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Application Data}
 236     \item Mac: \tt{~/Library/Preferences}
 237 \end{itemize}
 238
 239 Only use this method if you have a single configuration file to put in this
 240 directory, otherwise \helpref{GetUserDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir} is
 241 more appropriate.
 242
 243
 244 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir}
 245
 246 \constfunc{wxString}{GetUserDataDir}{\void}
 247
 248 Return the directory for the user-dependent application data files:
 249 \begin{itemize}
 250     \item Unix: \tt{~/.\textit{appname}}
 251     \item Windows: \tt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Application Data$\backslash$\textit{appname}}
 252     \item Mac: \tt{~/Library/Application Support/\textit{appname}}
 253 \end{itemize}
 254
 255
 256 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::GetUserLocalDataDir}\label{wxstandardpathsgetuserlocaldatadir}
 257
 258 \constfunc{wxString}{GetUserLocalDataDir}{\void}
 259
 260 Return the directory for user data files which shouldn't be shared with
 261 the other machines.
 262
 263 This is the same as \helpref{GetUserDataDir()}{wxstandardpathsgetuserdatadir} for
 264 all platforms except Windows where it returns
 265 \texttt{C:$\backslash$Documents and Settings$\backslash$\textit{username}$\backslash$Local Settings$\backslash$Application Data$\backslash$\textit{appname}}
 266
 267
 268 \membersection{wxStandardPaths::SetInstallPrefix}\label{wxstandardpathssetinstallprefix}
 269
 270 \func{void}{SetInstallPrefix}{\param{const wxString\& }{prefix}}
 271
 272 \textbf{Note:} This function is only available under Unix.
 273
 274 Lets wxStandardPaths know about the real program installation prefix on a Unix
 275 system. By default, the value returned by
 276 \helpref{GetInstallPrefix}{wxstandardpathsgetinstallprefix} is used.
 277
 278 Although under Linux systems the program prefix may usually be determined
 279 automatically, portable programs should call this function. Usually the prefix
 280 is set during program configuration if using GNU autotools and so it is enough
 281 to pass its value defined in \texttt{config.h} to this function.
 282