Better management of dest src and configuration (.yo-rc?)

[SBoudrias]

Hi, there have been quite some talks around the issues here about saving configurations, determining preferences from sub-settings (notably .editorconfig).

The first problem I see here is that it is currently hard to determine the root of a project. For example, all subgenerator must be called from the root or they won't work as expected.

The second is there's no place for yeoman and the generators to save user configurations options.

Over on generator-bbb, what we've created a .bbb-rc file which is read to get user configurations, and is use to determine the root of a project (so our sub-generator works when called from sub directory). This concept is already used by a multitude of projects (bower: .bowerrc, component.json; NPM: package.json, Grunt: Gruntfile.js).

I think this is really a cornerstone in bringing more "intelligence" in how the generator can work based on the user settings.

I think #285, #277, #139, #138, #135 and #14 could benefits from this type of functionnality.

What do you think? (I could work on a basic implementation and send a PR after we talk a bit about the details)

[sindresorhus]

Even though I don't like the idea of introducing yet another rc file onto the world, it does seem like it could be useful. We have discussed it before yeoman/yeoman#105, but it never went anywhere.

Can you expand on what the file would contain?

On a technical perspective I would prefer it to just be a JS file with an exported object.

.yo-rc.js

module.exports = {
  option: true
};

[SBoudrias]

First and foremost, it usefulness is to allow a generator to determine the root of a project. This is usefull to allow generator to work in subdirectory, and would allow generators to more easily find other configs files (like .editorconfig).

On the content, the file should keep prompt choices for every generator used in a project. After, any generator used in the project could save custom properties to this central file to keep track of some project related configs (in generator-bbb, we save all paths config there - user isn't prompt for them, but it can be manually override).

Having this central "data" store would also allow easier sharing of a project between a team. The configurations, just like .gitignore or Gruntfile.jsare then the same for everyone cloning a project.

Of course the usefulness is mostly targeted at generators using sub-generators (so they can retrieve configurations) and to the yeoman-generator core as it can determine smart configuration to use (dest src, beautification preferences, etc).

---

About it being a js file. It could be, but JSON is way easier to work with as a dynamic data store (read/write - mostly writing).

[addyosmani]

I would favour it being a JSON file. @SBoudrias would you like to propose a sample outline of the file structure in this form (with prompt choices, related configs, paths config etc)?

[SBoudrias]

In my opinion, I think it should be a centralized, but free to write section. The structure could be on two level, the first one divide the file between every generators used on the project, and inside this a simple key-value store.

{
  "yeoman-generator" : {
    "foo": "bar"
  },
  "generator-bbb" : {
    "test_framework" : "mocha"
  }
}

For an API, I'd like it this way:

this.storage.get("test_framework");
this.storage.set("test_framework", "qunit");
this.storage.set({
  "test_framework": "qunit",
  "module_style": "commonjs"
});
this.storage.getAll(); // returning a hash

I think reading the package.json would be the best way to determine the name of a generator.

[sindresorhus]

If we're going for a declarative storage I would prefer YAML (sub-setted to JSON types) as it's more humanized.

Could even reuse configstore by adding an constructor argument to it to override the default path. And add the ability for .set() to accept an hash.

[addyosmani]

Thanks for the structured example, Simon. I actually quite like both the output and the API. Do we need to think about storage clearance and key/value deletion as well?.

I'm not a massive fan of YAML, but if enough people prefer it over JSON let's go with whats the most comfortable option to work with :)

[sindresorhus]

Do we need to think about storage clearance and key/value deletion as well?

Of cource. .del() and .clear()?

[passy]

I'm not a massive fan of YAML, but if enough people prefer it over JSON let's go with whats the most comfortable option to work with :)

There's one reason I would prefer it over JSON: comments.

[sindresorhus]

^ !!

[SBoudrias]

I'll have to checkout configstore, looks very promising!

[addyosmani]

If Simon and Stephen agree with the YAML path too, lets go for it.
configstore looks like a good option for us to experiment with.

On Thursday, July 11, 2013, Simon Boudrias wrote:

I'll have to checkout configstore, looks very promising!

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[SBoudrias]

Well, I have nothing per say against YAML, but I'm no big fan either.

configstore use Yaml so, let's go for this!

[stephenplusplus]

configstore makes sense to me!

[sindresorhus]

Alright.

Configstore will need the following:

• Argument in the constructor to allow overriding the path.
• set() should support a hash.
• del() method. Should it also support a hash?
• clear() method.

Anything else?

@SBoudrias you suggested .getAll() method, but configstore already have a getter/setter .all. Does that work for you?

[SBoudrias]

That would work for me. But Configstore will need some adjustment (or a good façade) to work with sub objects. So this is still possible.

I could work on a first implementation this weekend.

[addyosmani]

s/del()/remove()?

On Thursday, July 11, 2013, Simon Boudrias wrote:

That would work for me. But Configstore will need some adjustment (or a
good façade) to work with sub objects. So this is still possible.

I could work on a first implementation this weekend.

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[sindresorhus]

@SBoudrias awesome. looking forward to what you come up with :)

[sindresorhus]

@addyosmani let's go with .delete() to match the Set API.

[addyosmani]

SGTM.

[kevinwolfcr]

I am actually using a similar approach on all of my projects, take a look: https://github.com/toi-agency/generator-restangular/blob/master/AppConfig.json

I think that is a good idea because we can use multiple generators in our projects which will look for the config file and generate the given scaffold in the given folder.

[kevinwolfcr]

Check this generator: https://github.com/kevin-wolf/generator-angularjs i've implemented this.