FileSystem API

[awstanley]

As the FileSystem API got hosed during the 2018 API rewrite, it needs to be redesigned.

The various discussions we've had on Discord seem to point to the following considerations:

• reversingspace::storage is the current API support, which is designed to be used by archives (or as the underlying system);
• Either some kind of mounting system, or a hashing system, is needed as a frontend. There are various approaches here and it seems to be indelicate to impose a fixed structure here for read and write, but that it's not inconsiderate to assume a userland directory is a traditional system (typically something like %APPDATA% on older Windows systems, or ~/.<product> on Linux).

The issue is two part:

1. Should there be an imposed read system in front (and if so, should it be templated or plugin-driven to allow a storage server)?;
2. Should the userland directory be implemented such that it has zero requirements other than a path (i.e. you could use SDL or whatever technique to generate your path, pass it in, and the system interprets and executes it)?

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Additional consideration comes from games like Factorio which allow for custom userland directories to be set. I'm not sure if this is a direct point of relevance here.

This library could also use a CMake option to include or exclude preference directory selection (e.g. %APPDATA% for Windows 7, whatever the nominal path is on Windows 8/8.1/10). Such a system would likely require iteration over older directories, though given the Windows 10 minimum, and the common path selection in Windows 7/8/8.1 anyway, it's probably best to use the (Microsoft) prescribed standard (whatever that is at the moment).

[awstanley]

Additional note that storage::Directory is scheduled for removal or redesign.

I can't think of a sane reason to build a directory system when std::filesystem now contains one, but there may be a reason.

The redesign would likely be more for archive/package building, and thus unpacking/extraction should it be needed, though the question becomes whether or not it's worth it.

Adding for consideration: @Brand2 @Legendsmith @metasymphony

[awstanley]

8

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