\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- @c GNUstep filesystem hierarchy @c %**start of header @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 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll Authors: Tim Harrison, Martin Brecher, Adam Fedor 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:: @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. Namely these are the basic GNUstep libraries (Foundation and AppKit), 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. 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. @node The Network Domain, The Users Domain, The Local Domain, Top @section The Network Domain If you are working with a GNUstep system at home, the @file{Network} folder is probably empty, as it is of small use on stand alone systems. However, the Network domain is 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. @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/ @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, , 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 libraries or frameworks that are distributed as part of the GNUstep Project. 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. 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 GNUstep Project. 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. @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. System applications (stored in the @file{System/Applications} folder) are specific to development with, or the maintenance of, GNUstep. This installation location can be overridden, if the administrator/user wishes to install such applications in another installation directory. System applications that may be installed 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. @bye \bye