JS: Simplify Switching Main Datasource

[chris-alexander]

Rewrite the angular files so that switching between running the app from Firebase and running the App from Local JSON is easier.

[chris-alexander]

I've managed to refactor the code to use a variable for switching the datasource. I am looking at the options for using an environment variable instead or even the use of flags when we run gulp: e.g.

gulp --env=production

hopefully this won't take long to figure out. I will submit a PR when it is ready.

[artitudinale1]

ok no probs. I'm writing gulp for dist now. My idea is trying to have the dev environment run on a port let s say 3000 and dist env running on other so with just

gulp

they run everything but in different location. I ll try to submit EOP today so you can refactor and improve with switcher local/firebase. Is that ok?

[chris-alexander]

The /dist folder needs to be a compiled version of the app that can be deployed as static assets to gh-pages. So it needs:

• [ ] JS bundled and minified.
• [ ] SASS compiled to CSS and minified
• [ ] all other assets to be copied over (HTML, PNG, etc)

So it wouldn't run on a port. When we implement it as a full-stack app then we will need a port and to run it on a server like express, but for now all we need is the static compiled assets.

[artitudinale1]

I'm not talking about a port for serving outside, but for testing. I have created two instances of browserify one serving /dist/app and other /dev/app So you can check both are fine . It' s just for testing not deploying.

[chris-alexander]

Oh ok fair enough. :+1:

[chris-alexander]

So I want to do this in 2 stages:

1. Refactor the Angular code to change the data source based on a variable (ready to merge now)
2. Wait for the gulp build task to be finished and some tasks which replaces the text where the variable is defined (using gulp-replace) for the following scenarios:
   • by default when you run gulp = Local JSON
   • a flag to run with Firebase in dev: gulp --prod = Firebase
   • when the build task is run (gulp build) it will change the variable to run from Firebase

One downside to this setup is that if you change the variable manually it will ignore what you have put and replace it based on the scenarios above.

[artitudinale1]

"One downside to this setup is that if you change the variable manually it will ignore what you have put and replace it based on the scenarios above." That s why I'm not too keen to use gulp for it and I d try to go with a external config file or something like this. I will look into it asap and let you know.

[chris-alexander]

ok cool let me know what you come up with 👍

[chris-alexander]

I think I should still do it for the deploy task to ensure that we are always working from Firebase before deploying. What do you think?

[artitudinale1]

Absolutely go for it :+1: