Version.plist versus Info.plist on Mac

Hello,

I’ve noticed in SDL and SDL-based frameworks that the plist information is
kept in the file “Info.plist”. I was wondering if it would be better to
change this file to “version.plist” or add a file of the same name. The
reason for this is so Installer can automatically detect version info for
installs. The alternative, as I see it, is for every app writer to write a
script so as not to delete an already existing, better version of the
SDL.framework in /Library/Frameworks.

Thanks,

Ryan

Hello,

I’ve noticed in SDL and SDL-based frameworks that the plist information is
kept in the file “Info.plist”. I was wondering if it would be better to
change this file to “version.plist” or add a file of the same name. The
reason for this is so Installer can automatically detect version info for
installs. The alternative, as I see it, is for every app writer to write a
script so as not to delete an already existing, better version of the
SDL.framework in /Library/Frameworks.

Thanks,

Ryan

Info.plist is dictated by the spec.
(http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPFrameworks/Concepts/FrameworkAnatomy.html)
I think it would be a bad idea to remove it.

As for a versions.plist, I don’t think it’s necessary. We moved away
from the installer to a drag-and-drop solution for a whole bunch of
reasons.

Furthermore, application writers should probably not be trying to
install SDL to user systems anyway. App writers should be bundling SDL
inside their application. Bundling avoids any requirements to external
dependencies, facilitates drag-and-drop
installation/run-from-anywhere, and avoids dll hell.

-Eric> From: “Michael Ryan Bannon”

Cool…thanks. Yeah, I realized shortly after that Info.plist shouldn’t
change. As for putting SDL in another directory, I just assumed that if SDL
is distributed with a Mac app than it had to be dropped into
Library/Frameworks per the SDL license. So, it’s ok if I keep it in my
bundle’s “Frameworks” folder?

“E. Wing” wrote in message
news:3c7e3c8a0607251903y54f5095ey80b0f6857beaccd4 at mail.gmail.com…>> From: “Michael Ryan Bannon” <@Michael_Ryan_Bannon>

Hello,

I’ve noticed in SDL and SDL-based frameworks that the plist information
is
kept in the file “Info.plist”. I was wondering if it would be better to
change this file to “version.plist” or add a file of the same name. The
reason for this is so Installer can automatically detect version info for
installs. The alternative, as I see it, is for every app writer to write
a
script so as not to delete an already existing, better version of the
SDL.framework in /Library/Frameworks.

Thanks,

Ryan

Info.plist is dictated by the spec.
(http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPFrameworks/Concepts/FrameworkAnatomy.html)
I think it would be a bad idea to remove it.

As for a versions.plist, I don’t think it’s necessary. We moved away
from the installer to a drag-and-drop solution for a whole bunch of
reasons.

Furthermore, application writers should probably not be trying to
install SDL to user systems anyway. App writers should be bundling SDL
inside their application. Bundling avoids any requirements to external
dependencies, facilitates drag-and-drop
installation/run-from-anywhere, and avoids dll hell.

-Eric

Cool…thanks. Yeah, I realized shortly after that Info.plist shouldn’t
change. As for putting SDL in another directory, I just assumed that if SDL
is distributed with a Mac app than it had to be dropped into
Library/Frameworks per the SDL license. So, it’s ok if I keep it in my
bundle’s “Frameworks” folder?

Yes, this is okay because you are still dynamically linked. (For
example, it’s possible to swap for a different version of a framework
in the bundle assuming the ABI is unchanged.) The bundle system a very
nice way of getting the distribution benefits of static linking
without having to actually statically link.

-Eric> From: “Michael Ryan Bannon”