tools-make/Documentation/filesystem.texi

\input texinfo   @c -*-texinfo-*-
@c GNUstep filesystem hierarchy
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@setfilename filesystem.info
@settitle GNUstep Filesystem Hierarchy Document
@c %**end of header
@setcontentsaftertitlepage
@smallbook

@titlepage
@title GNUstep Filesystem Hierarchy Document

@vskip 0pt plus 1filll

Last Update: @today{}

@page
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Authors:  Tim Harrison, Martin Brecher, Adam Fedor, Nicola Pero,
Richard Frith-Macdonald

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

@end titlepage

@node Top, The System Domain, (dir), (dir)
@top GNUstep Filesystem Hierarchy
 
@menu
* The System Domain::           
* The Local Domain::            
* The Network Domain::          
* The Users Domain::            
* Hierarchy::                   
* Description::                 
* Configuration::                 
@end menu

On GNUstep, there are four separate places where files related to GNUstep
are installed: these places are called "domains".  These four 
domains are the System domain, the Local domain, the Network domain,
and the User domain.  Each of these domains serve a special purpose.  

The following is a general overview of the GNUstep domains.  A detailed
explanation of the directory structure contained within each domain is
found later in this document.


@node The System Domain, The Local Domain, Top, Top
@section The System Domain

The System domain is found in the @file{System} folder of the GNUstep
installation.  This directory contains all files which were included
in the default GNUstep installation or distribution.  Normally these
include the basic GNUstep libraries (Foundation and AppKit), and might
include essential system applications (the Workspace Manager, the
Editor, applications related to system administrative tasks), the
developer applications (Project Center and Gorm, as well as header
files), essential extensions (bundles for XML, SSL, RTF, etc), as well
as all software installed by the manufacturer of your distribution.
These files are usually essential for having a fully functional
system.  Thus, making modifications to these files is highly
discouraged.  In addition, only the system administrator ('root' on
most UNIX systems) should have permissions to write to that domain.



@node The Local Domain, The Network Domain, The System Domain, Top
@section The Local Domain

While at first glance, the Local domain seems very similar to the
System domain, there are several differences between them.  The most
important thing is the differing purpose of the Local domain, as it is
meant as the location for installing software which was not included
with your GNUstep distribution and which you or your local sysadmin
compile and/or install manually.  These may include third party
applications, custom extension libraries and their related header
files, etc.  The Local domain is - as the name suggests - usually
installed as @file{Local} on your GNUstep system.  Every software
(except for gnustep-make, gnustep-base, gnustep-gui and gnustep-back
which by default install into the System domain) should install by
default into the Local domain, so that if you download a source
tarball of the software and you install it, it installs by default in
the right place for this operation (the Local domain).  Distributions
should override this default manually when they package the software
they want to distribute as part of their distribution, so that in that
case the software is installed in the System domain.


@node The Network Domain, The Users Domain, The Local Domain, Top
@section The Network Domain

The @file{Network} domain is optional and is currently coalesced with
the @file{Local} domain by default; this is particularly appropriate
for use on stand alone systems such as your home workstation.
However, the Network domain can be of great use in networked,
corporate environments.  Its main purpose is to hold files exported
from a central server in your network or from other workstations.
Most times, remote directories containing applictations or general
data used by several workstations in the network are mounted using the
Network File System (NFS).  Such usage gives administrators the
possibility of providing application or resources to a vast number of
workstations while only having to manage the software in one place.
This is especially useful when workstations are used by several users
with different tasks and requirements.  If you want to take advantage
of the @file{Network} domain, you need to enable it when you configure
gnustep-make.



@node The Users Domain, Hierarchy, The Network Domain, Top
@section The Users Domain

On systems where GNUstep is installed optionally, the Users domain can
usually be found in a subdirectory of the user's home directory called
'GNUstep'.  This location is configurable, and some installations may
put this directly in the user's directory (and typical user's home
directories would be located in a @file{Users} folder).  As the name
suggests, the main purpose of the Users domain is to hold GNUstep
related files which shall not be available to other users on the
system but only to the user owning them.  This includes the GNUstep
defaults database, which holds system settings, application
preferences and customized resources, as well as temporary data
related to services and file type associations for programs. It also
holds user installed applications and tools (each user has the ability
to install their own version of an application or tool).  In
addition to these special files, the User domain features the same
structure as the other domains.




@node Hierarchy, Description, The Users Domain, Top
@section Hierarchy

@menu
* System Hierarchy::            
* Local Hierarchy::             
* Network Hierarchy::           
* User Hierarchy::              
* Library Folder::              
@end menu

@node System Hierarchy, Local Hierarchy, Hierarchy, Hierarchy
@subsection System

@example
System/
        Applications/
        Library/
        Tools/
        share/
@end example

@node Local Hierarchy, Network Hierarchy, System Hierarchy, Hierarchy
@subsection Local

@example
Local/
        Applications/
        Library/
        Tools/
@end example

@node Network Hierarchy, User Hierarchy, Local Hierarchy, Hierarchy
@subsection Network

@example
Network/
        Applications/
        Library/
        Tools/
@end example

@node User Hierarchy, Library Folder, Network Hierarchy, Hierarchy
@subsection User

@example
@emph{User's GNUstep root dir}/
        Applications/
        Library/
        Tools/
@end example

@node Library Folder,  , User Hierarchy, Hierarchy
@subsection Library Folder

@multitable @columnfractions 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
@item ApplicationSupport
@item Bundles						
@item ColorPickers						
@item Colors						
@item Defaults @tab @tab @tab                           @tab @emph{user only}
@item DTDs						
@item DocTemplates						
@item Documentation
@item Fonts						
@item Frameworks						
@item Headers						
@item Images						
@item KeyBindings						
@item Libraries
@item   @tab Resources					
@item   @tab	@tab gnustep-base @tab			@tab @emph{system only}
@item   @tab	@tab	@tab .lproj folders			
@item   @tab	@tab	@tab CharacterSets			
@item   @tab	@tab	@tab TimeZones			
@item   @tab	@tab	@tab Languages
@item   @tab	@tab gnustep-gui @tab			@tab @emph{system only}
@item   @tab	@tab	@tab .lproj folders			
@item   @tab	@tab	@tab TextConverters			
@item Makefiles @tab @tab @tab				@tab @emph{system only}
@item 	@tab Additional					
@item PostScript						
@item	@tab PPD					
@item Services						
@item Sounds						

@end multitable

@node  Description, Configuration, Hierarchy, Top
@section Description

@menu
* System Description::          
* Local Description::           
* Network Description::         
* Applications::                
* Tools::                       
* share::                       
* Library::                     
@end menu

@node System Description, Local Description, Description, Description
@subsection System

The System directory is the location of the GNUstep makefile package,
base, gui and backend libraries, and any accompanying software that is
distributed as part of whatever distribution of GNUstep you are using.
This directory MUST exist for a proper installation of GNUstep.

Using the --prefix option to the configure script in gnustep-make, an
installation of GNUstep may be placed wherever the installer wishes;
the System, Local (and optionally Network) domain by default will be
subdirectory of this root location.

Common options are:

@example
/usr/GNUstep
/usr/local/GNUstep
/opt/GNUstep
/
@end example

All directories referenced in this document are relative to this root location.

@node Local Description, Network Description, System Description, Description
@subsection Local

The Local domain is the location of libraries, frameworks, bundles,
and supporting files for locally installed applications or tools that
are not distributed as part of the distribution that you are using,
but that are compiled and/or installed manually by you or your
sysadmin.  This directory MUST exist for a proper installation of
GNUstep.

@node Network Description, Applications, Local Description, Description
@subsection Network

The Network Domain is the location for all exported applications, remotely
mounted filesystems, and remote home directories for users made available via
directory services.  It is optional, and disabled by default.

@node Applications, Tools, Network Description, Description
@subsection Applications

The @file{Applications} directory contains applications. Applications
are programs that typically have a GUI interface and contain associated
resource files, such as images, localization files and other program
elements.

Important applications which are part of GNUstep and which are often
distributed as part of a core GNUstep distribution (and so installed
in the @file{System/Applications} folder) include:
@example
Gorm.app
ProjectCenter.app
GSDefaults.app
GWorkspace.app
Preferences.app
@end example

@node Tools, share, Applications, Description
@subsection Tools

The @file{Tools} directory contains tools and executable
scripts. Tools are programs which generally have a command-line
interface. Most are not meant to be used by the average user.

Tools that are written in languages other than Objective-C, or are developed
to work with other runtime environments may have their own directory within
the Tools directory (for example: @file{Tools/Java}).

@node share, Library, Tools, Description
@subsection share

The share directory is used for configuration and installation
of the core GNUstep libraries and any additional libraries that
need configuration information. It is used by the configure (autoconf)
program.


@node Library,  , share, Description
@subsection Library

The @file{Library} directory contains most of the functional
code of the GNUstep Development Environment.

The primary reason for the structure of folders within Library is to
keep a complimentary structure throughout all domains. This allows
easier development, by keeping a standard directory layout, providing
developers with a relatively common hierarchy to work within.

@menu
* ApplicationSupport::          
* Bundles::                     
* ColorPickers::                
* Colors::                      
* Defaults::                    
* DTDs::                        
* DocTemplates::                
* Documenation::                
* Fonts::                       
* Frameworks::                  
* Headers::                     
* Images::                      
* KeyBindings::                 
* Libraries::                   
* Makefiles::                   
* PostScript::                  
* Services::                    
* Sounds::                      
@end menu

@node ApplicationSupport, Bundles, Library, Library
@subsubsection ApplicationSupport

This directory contains bundles and other resources that are provided
for an application, but that are not specifically distributed with that
application. For instance, these may be third-party resources for
an application.

For example, modules for the Preferences application may be stored here,
in a @file{Preferences} subdirectory.

@node Bundles, ColorPickers, ApplicationSupport, Library
@subsubsection Bundles

This directory contains bundles. Bundles are collections of executable
code and associated resources that may be loaded at runtime by an
application or tool.  Note: this directory is depreciated. Use
ApplicationSupport to install bundles that can be used by an
application.

@node ColorPickers, Colors, Bundles, Library
@subsubsection ColorPickers

This directory contains bundles that are used by the color picking
system. They may include code that implements picking colors from a color
wheel, a custom defined list of colors, etc.

@node Colors, Defaults, ColorPickers, Library
@subsubsection Colors

This directory contains files that define
specific color mappings for use within libraries or applications
that require color definitions.

@node Defaults, DTDs, Colors, Library
@subsubsection Defaults

This directory contains files that store defaults for applications, e.g.
user preferences. This directory only exists in the User domain.

@node DTDs, DocTemplates, Defaults, Library
@subsubsection DTDs

This directory contains any Document Type Definitions
required for document parsing. 

@node DocTemplates, Documenation, DTDs, Library
@subsubsection DocTemplates

This directory contains text templates for automatic documentation, as
generated by autodoc.  Any additional documentation template types
must be placed in this directory, as a central location for
documentation template types.  Any templates installed within this
directory must have an extension indicating what type of documentation
system it is referenced by (ie. .gsdoc for the GNUstep implementation
of autodoc).

@node Documenation, Fonts, DocTemplates, Library
@subsubsection Documentation

This directory contains documentation for libraries, applications, etc.

@node Fonts, Frameworks, Documenation, Library
@subsubsection Fonts

This directory contains fonts and files for organizing font information.

@node Frameworks, Headers, Fonts, Library
@subsubsection Frameworks

This directory contains frameworks.  Frameworks are a type of bundle,
which include, within their directory structure, a shared library
providing a specific functionality (or group of related
functionalities), and all resources required by that shared library.

All frameworks must have the extension @file{framework}, to indicate
their usage.

Use of frameworks is generally discouraged, as it is difficult to
support them in a clean way on multiple platforms. Bundles are a
better method of organizing shared collections of resources and code.

@node Headers, Images, Frameworks, Library
@subsubsection Headers

This directory contains header files associated with a library located 
in the Libraries directory.

@node Images, KeyBindings, Headers, Library
@subsubsection Images

@node KeyBindings, Libraries, Images, Library
@subsubsection KeyBindings

@node Libraries, Makefiles, KeyBindings, Library
@subsubsection Libraries

This directory contains libraries.  (NOTE: The Libraries directory
being in Library may sound somewhat redundant, however, it could be
read as "a Library of shared libraries".)

@node Makefiles, PostScript, Libraries, Library
@subsubsection Makefiles

This directory contains the different types of makefiles used by the
GNUstep development environment to build applications, libraries,
bundles, etc.  These makefiles are usually included in a project
specific GNUmakefile, which is used to build a project under the
GNUstep development environment.

This directory only exists in the System domain.

@node PostScript, Services, Makefiles, Library
@subsubsection PostScript

This directory contains directories for specific 
PostScript document types and definitions, allowing applications written using 
the GNUstep development environment to display PostScript documents, or 
communicate with printers using PostScript.

@node Services, Sounds, PostScript, Library
@subsubsection Services

This directory contains bundles that are specifically
built to provide functionality between different programs (for example, spell
checking, creation of a note from text within an email application).  Services 
that are installed on the system must an extension of ".service".

@node Sounds,  , Services, Library
@subsubsection Sounds

This directory contains sound files.

@node Configuration,  , Description, Top
@section Configuration

The locations of the various domains within the filesystem hierarchy on your
machine are determined by the GNUstep configuration file (or if that is not
present, by default values built into the GNUstep make and base packages
when they were configured and built).

The location of the GNUstep configuration file is built in to the make and
base packages when they are configured using the --with-config-file option
to the configure script.  The path specified must be an absolute one for
the make package, but may also be a path relative to the location of the
base library itsself (as dynamically linked into applications) for the
base package.

However, the location of the configuration file may also be specified
using the GNUSTEP_CONFIG_FILE environment variable, overriding the value
built in to the package, at any time when using the make package to build
or install software.  Support for the environment variable may also
be enabled for the make package when its configure script is run.

Please do
@example
configure --help
@end example
to get all the options of how the package configuration scripts can be
told to set up the default path to and values in the configuration file.

@menu
* File Format::              
* Windows (MINGW)::
* File Values::              
@end menu

@node File Format, Windows (MINGW), Configuration, Configuration
@subsection File Format

By default, the configuration file is called GNUstep.conf and exists in
/etc/GNUstep on a Unix-like system or C:\GNUstep on an ms-windows system.
In either case this file is in a format suitable for being 'sourced' by
the standard unix (Bourne) shell, consisting of lines of the form key=value,
comments (everything on a line from the first hash (#) onwards), or blank lines.

This is very convenient on unix-like systems, but needs care for windows users.
If a value contains whitespace or backslash characters (or the hash which
would start a comment) it needs to be quoted by enclosing the whole value
in single or double quotes.  An alternative for values containing backslashes
(the norm for a windows path) is to double up each backslash in an unquoted
value.

@node Windows (MINGW), File Values, File Format, Configuration
@subsection Windows (MINGW)

On ms-windows, for software development, you are likely to want to have an
extra configuration file.  This is because of the limitations of the
make program (used to build and install software).

Basically the issue is that the make package doesn't really like
the colons and backslashes in windows paths (using them is error prone)
and can't tolerate whitespace in file names ... so you need to set up
a config file which uses unix-style paths as used by MSYS
(ie of the form '/c/...' rather than 'C:\...') for
building and installing software.

On the other hand, the base library (and all applications since they are
built using it) wants to work with native windows paths so that applications
behave naturally as far as the end users are concerned, and therefore needs a
configuration file containing windows-style paths rather than unix-like
ones.

The simplest way to achieve this is to use different values for the
--with-config-file= option when configuring the make and base packages.

For example, configure the make package like this -
@example
./configure --with-config-file=/c/GNUstep/GNUstep.conf-dev
@end example
and the base library like this -
@example
./configure --with-config-file=C:\\GNUstep\\GNUstep.conf
@end example

Then you need to edit the two config files to make sure they contain
values of the correct format.

@node File Values, , Windows (MINGW), Configuration
@subsection File Values

The key=value pairs permitted in the configuration file are limited
to the keys described here.

@menu
* GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT::              
* GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT::              
* GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT::              
* GNUSTEP_USER_CONFIG_FILE::              
* GNUSTEP_USER_DIR::              
* GNUSTEP_USER_DEFAULTS_DIR::              
@end menu

@node GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT, GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT, File Values, File Values
@subsubsection GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT

The value for this key is the path for the System domain.

It must be either an absolute path or a path beginning './' in which case the
leading './' is replaced by the path to the directory in which the
configuration file is located.

This is normally -
@example
GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT=/usr/GNUstep/System
@end example

@node GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT, GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT, GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT, File Values
@subsubsection GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT

The value for this key is the path for the Local domain.

It must be either an absolute path or a path beginning './' in which case the
leading './' is replaced by the path to the directory in which the
configuration file is located.

This is normally -
@example
GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT=/usr/GNUstep/Local
@end example

@node GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT, GNUSTEP_USER_CONFIG_FILE, GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT, File Values
@subsubsection GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT

The value for this key is the path for the Network domain.

It must be either an absolute path or a path beginning './' in which case the
leading './' is replaced by the path to the directory in which the
configuration file is located.

This is normally the same as the value configured for GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT -
@example
GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT=/usr/GNUstep/Local
@end example

@node GNUSTEP_USER_CONFIG_FILE, GNUSTEP_USER_DIR, GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT, File Values
@subsubsection GNUSTEP_USER_CONFIG_FILE

This is the name of the user specific configuration file (a path relative to
the home directory of the user).  This configuration file is loaded after the
main GNUstep configuration file, and the key=value pairs in this file will
override those in the main file (all except the GNUSTEP_USER_CONFIG_FILE
obviously).

The default (unless otherwise configured) is 
@example
GNUSTEP_USER_CONFIG_FILE=.GNUstep.conf
@end example

If the value of this key is set to an empty styring, the system will not
attempt to load a user specific configuration file, thus ensuring that the
individual user cannot override the values specified by the system
administrator.

@node GNUSTEP_USER_DIR, GNUSTEP_USER_DEFAULTS_DIR, GNUSTEP_USER_DIR, File Values
@subsubsection GNUSTEP_USER_DIR

This is used to define the User domain ... it is a path relative to the home
directory of the user in which the User domain and hence all resources in
the User domain are to be found.

The default (unless otherwise configured) is:
@example
GNUSTEP_USER_DIR=GNUstep
@end example

but setting an empty string for this value
will cause the User domain to be the home directory of the user.

@node GNUSTEP_USER_DEFAULTS_DIR, , GNUSTEP_USER_DIR, File Values
@subsubsection GNUSTEP_USER_DEFAULTS_DIR

This is used to define the location of the defaults database for the user ...
it is a path relative to the home directory of the user.

The default (unless otherwise configured) is:
@example
GNUSTEP_USER_DEFAULTS_DIR=GNUstep/Defaults
@end example

@bye
\bye