From: James Britt <james_b@...>
Date: 2005-06-23T22:55:03+09:00
Subject: Re: Packaging dillema

Joe Van Dyk wrote:
> I just realized that using Rubyscript2exe with sqlite probably isn't a
> good idea, since the database disappears once the application gets
> shut down, and I need the database to persist between application
> launches.  Hm.


I had a similar problem early this year.  Working a contract job, I 
wanted to get co-workers to test a Web app using WATIR (the very cool 
IE-based Web testing framework) without them having to install Ruby.  I 
used Rubyscript2exe to bundle up the application. The main app would 
start an instance of WEBrick, pause a bit, then launch a browser to 
point to the WEBrick instance.  The default page would prompt the use 
for a base test site URL, and list the names of test scripts that were 
stored in a subdirectory.  Once could then click on a link for test 
script, which would then drive WATIR.

The tricky part was that I wanted people to be able to create their own 
test scripts, and not lose them when the main app was closed.

(The test scripts were Ruby code, but I created a DSL so that writing 
one's own examples did not require knowing any real Ruby, though it was 
always an option for those with more ambition.)

My solution was to create the exe, and bundle it in a zip file with 
sample scripts and a default config file.  The installation was 
basically to unzip the bundle to create the application directory 
structure and default files, then just run the main app exe.

I believe that the executable created by Rubyscript2exe knows from what 
directory it is launched, so the code kicked off it could figure out 
where to look for script files relative to its execution point, and 
where to write out any logs.

(I cannot find any actual code right now or I would show an example, or 
at least confirm my recollection of why this worked.)

But if you can have your installation create a permanent subdirectory 
then you can get your code to read and write to safe location.


James Britt
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