Re: How to store data files in packages
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg103702] Re: How to store data files in packages
- From: David Bailey <dave at removedbailey.co.uk>
- Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 09:01:31 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <ha213g$n9i$1@smc.vnet.net>
Karsten W. wrote:
> Hello,
>
> my packages uses some data files. Currently, I store them in a
> subdirectory "resources" below the package directory and access the
> data via
>
> ToFileName[{$UserBaseDirectory, "Applications", myPackage,
> "resources"}, myDataFileName];
>
> I wonder if this is a portable way. I am afraid it is not, since the
> package may be installed under $BaseDirectory as well. And then there
> is this directory at the same level as "Applications" named
> "ApplicationData"
>
> What is the recommended way to store my data files?
>
> Any hint appreciated,
>
> kind regards,
> Karsten.
>
This delivers the name of the package .m file, but it is obviously
undocumented!
System`Private`$InputFileName
You need to execute this as the package is being read in, and assign the
result to a private variable.
I use it, then test the result to determine if it worked, and otherwise
do a messy search for the file in the possible directories.
Once you have the full path name of the .m file, you can easily compute
the location of your resources.
This is definitely something that is missing from Mathematica, that
would be trivial for WRI to add!
David Bailey
http://www.dbaileyconsultancy.co.uk