Topic proposal: Use and proper placement of module configuration/data files

[techthoughts2]

Topic

Some modules are simple and self contained. Others have external download dependencies, or user specific settings. Some have independent theme files (ex. oh-my-posh). Where should these be stored?

Why should this be included?

There is not a lot best practice established on where files used by a module should be stored. Some potential use cases:

• Module will download external dependency files ( an updated data set - for example).
• Module wants to support user configurations for varied behavior
• Module has some external configuration such as themes

Where should these files be stored? Where should they be stored to ensure that the module is cross-platform?

Just a thought. Would be nice to have a brief section that basically hit this high level point:

If your module will be working with files that don't ship with the core module file set, you should use the following location for storing and working with those files...

It could be something straightforward like this which I've seen used:

function Get-ThemesLocation {
    $folderName = "PoshThemes"
    if ($PROFILE) {
        return (Join-Path (Split-Path -Parent $PROFILE) $folderName)
    }
    return "~\${$folderName}"
}

Or maybe that's horrid and there is a much preffered way.

I think it would add a lot of value to have an established, best practice way of downloading/writing to/referencing external config files that worked on windows/linux/macos.

[devblackops]

Were you thinking about a section on how to use the Configuration module or PSFramework's configuration system?

[techthoughts2]

Those look like they would belong in the same section, yes. In reviewing those it seems like it adds additional use cases.

• Module will download external dependency files ( an updated data set - for example).
  • Didn't see how either linked module would handle this. Ex being something like - module is for doing something with football stats and downloads a daily/weekly football stats file to interact with.
• Module supports saving and loading settings
  • Seems like both Configuration/PSframework have options here
• Module wants to support user configurations for varied behavior
  • Seems like both Configuration/PSframework have options here
• Module has some external configuration such as themes
  • This is a custom configuration data set - don't see how either handles directly.
• Module needs to use temp/persistent cache
  • PSframework

Yeah - I'm not advocating for a whole chapter on this topic or anything but I think there is value in providing guidance/suggestions on this.

• Do module creators have the option to handle it themselves for external config/cache/downloaded files if they don't want to take on other module dependencies (Configuration / PSFramework) - if so where is the best practice locations/paths they should be looking to engage for cross platform support?
  • Alternatively should they be highly encouraged to take these module dependencies. If so, why? When would you choose one over the other, etc.
• Sample scenarios of how to handle the above 5 use case scenarios