Re: [Audacity-nyquist] Setting Nyquist working directory

[edgar <edg...@we...>]

Steve wrote:

 > There appears to be regular shifting in several aspects related to
 > the Nyquist working directory.
 >
 > Audacity 1.3.9 beta - the Nyquist working directory (setdir ".") is
 > the modules folder.
 >
 > Audacity 1.3.10 alpha - the Nyquist working directory is the Audacity
 > program folder.
 >
 > Audacity 1.3.10 beta - it is the modules directory again.

Some information: on Unix-like systems the modules directory as well as
the audacity program directory are write-protected for the normal user.
These directories are considered as "part of the operation system" and
only can be modified by the system itself. The normal user has only
"read" privileges but no "write" privileges.

On Unix-like systems you need to run Audacity with superuser privileges
to have write-access in these directories, what makes it very easy for
malicious software to modify or ruin the system, so neither of both
directories is a good choice.

Running Audacity with normal user privileges (starting Audacity from
the Desktop or any "start menu"), Audacity will only be allowed to
read these directories, but not to write any files.

 > On Windows (XP);
 >
 > Audacity 1.3.8 - the Nyquist working directory could be set by
 > setting the "Start in" option in a shortcut (link) to audacity.exe
 > (perhaps not the best way of setting it, but a useful and convenient
 > method).
 >
 > Audacity 1.3.9 - The Nyquist working directory is the modules
 > directory irrespective of the "Start In" option.
 >
 > Audacity versions 1.3.10 alpha after Nov 11 - Nyquist will again take
 > its working directory from the "Start In"
 >
 > Audacity 1.3.10  - back to the 1.3.9 behaviour.
 >
 > This is currently undocumented and raises several problems for
 > writing plug-ins that need to read/write files.
 >
 > A question that follows from this:
 >
 > If a plug-in needs to write data to a file so that it can be accessed
 > at a later time, what is the recommended location?

The only directory which works on all operation systems is the system's
"TEMP" folder. This is how CMU Nyquist normally is set up.

How this works can be looked-up in the CMU Nyquist source code.

 > Given the limitations in Nyquist accessing paths (full path names
 > work), and the differences between operating systems, what is the
 > recommended way to access a suitable directory for writing files?
 >
 > It is easy enough for "advanced" users to edit their init.lsp file,
 > but not good for casual users.

The last time I tested the Nyquist text- and soundfile IO there was a
big path-separator mess in Audacity and it needed several self-typed
modifications to write a simple soundfile with Audacity Nyquist.

But this is some months ago and (if I have time) I will test this
later on tonight.

- edgar




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