Resource Management Implementation

[mdoradom]

The Resource Management Structure will consist in the next management structures:

• Resource Registry: Manages the resources currently loaded in project "memory".
• Resource Loader: Manages the Resource Loading (ResourceLoader::Load(path));
• Resource Importer Manages the Resource Importing (Creating the objects and caching if its necessary)

Pseudocode:

// Resource Loader
Ref<T> ResourceLoader::Load(path)
{
    //detect resource type
   if(ResourceRegistry::Exist(resource))
   {
        return resource;
   }
    else
    {
          resource r = ResourceImporter....
          ResourceRegistry::Add(r)
          return r;
    }
}

//Resource Importer

//Check if the imported resource is cached...
//If not cache it and load it
if is cached load the cached file

//Usage Example

        Ref<Texture> a = ResourceLoader::Load<Texture>(path);

[HugoPlacer]

The base of the Resource Management is implemented. Few things that are missing:

• [x] Think to move all the Resource Related Classes from .cpp/.h to .h.
• [x] Think if SaveToCache and LoadFromCache should be converted to Templates
• [ ] Port Model Resource Management and Serialize Models and Meshes
• [x] Think of making the Importer dependant of the Loader
• [x] Think of removing the Importer and Instead Manage the Resource Importing from the Loader and the Cache form a ResourceCache class.
• [ ] Add A way to check if the cache is old, and re do it.
• [x] Make the system more flexible to be able to choose if the resource will be cached, the caching format and be able to save the resource in a folder outside of the cached folder (for example for saving a material as a json).
• [x] Create a Resource Saver that allow you to save the resource in the project directory (for example for saving a material as a json).

[HugoPlacer]

After a lot of tears and pain I managed to refactor the Resource Management to cover all the Coffee Engine needs. The Templates are gone. A ResouceSaver and a CacheManager has been added and the ResouceImporter is no longer a static class but it is part of the ResouceLoader.

Even so, there are still some things to polish:

• [ ] Manage the Mesh Resource
• [ ] Manage the Material Resource
• [ ] Add a way to check if the cache is old, and re build it.
• [ ] Resources that are only owned by the Resource Manager are not removed

[HugoPlacer]

To better manage the Resources that are only owned by the Resource Manager are not removed. I'm in some ways to solve it.

• Make the reference to the pointer in the ResourceManager a weak_ptr
• Add a custom deleter to the shared pointers created by the Resource Manager that removes his key from the resource registry when are not used by anyone. (what happens if then I import a model that has references to textures that are not loaded. It will ocurr a slowdown?)
• Add a way to check if the key exists in the Resource Registry and if it does not exist load the resource. (This is already done by the ResourceLoader)

[HugoPlacer]

I think we need to add UUID's to the Resource Manager to be able to serialize the meshes

[HugoPlacer]

• [ ] Add the import parameters to the .import (for example if the texture is srgb or not to conserve the import configuration of the first import).

[HugoPlacer]

Two new problems I have encountered today. Today I added that when the LoadDirectory is called generates all the .import files of the project. Then the Resource Loading uses the .import instead of the original file for loading.

• First problem, that makes that the editor internal resource (shaders, etc...) do not have a .import and this causes that every time that a internal resource is requested to be loaded it search it's .import file and how it can't be found it generates a random uuid and in consequence adds a new instance of this resource to the Resource Registry. This causes to have a duplicated internal resources by 9423042380 times. (this is very bad) The solution is to make this resources be embedded into the source code. This way when the runtime is created it find this resources.
• Second problem, how the .import file is created in the same pass as the loading pass it has no time to created and do not detect .import files that has been created.

I can't handle this anymore. I fucking hate the Resource Management, is unbearable. Is a rabbit hole of problems. Is the less satisfying thing I made in my entire life. Being executed with the Garrote Vil is better than this shit.

[HugoPlacer]

I embedded all the CoffeeEngine Shaders in the source code. Is missing the texture and the TextMesh.glb.

The .import system is working!!! When the .import is created the original file is no longer need it. With the Model does not work bc the Model is not in the cache.

Add to the LoadDirectory to eary test if the file has a .import? ...