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zellfaze-zz / dnd-generator

Random Character Generator for D&D
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Implements Frictionless Open Data Packaging #32

Closed zellfaze-zz closed 10 years ago

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

This pull request implements frictionless open data packaging support into the D&D Character Sheet generator, resolving #28. This allows for data to be stored in "packages" that can be easily added and removed from the software. Data about different things (such as classes) can be stored across different packages or even different files within the same package. The extras directory has been renamed to data.

Most of the code is lazy loaded, which is to say that the assets for the package aren't actually loaded until the first time that they are used. This should cut back on loading times for the program as our data volume grows, but it does mean that the browser will have to periodically load more data in. This shouldn't be a problem on most computers and most Internet connections though.

To use this system you begin by creating a packageFileList object, which can be instantiated with a parameter telling it where to load for its loading file. If it is not passed such a parameter, it will load from data/load.json. The load.json file contains a simple array that lists which folders contain packages that need to be loaded. Each folder listed should have a datapackage.json file containing metadata about the package and a list of the package's data files. The packageFileList object's constructor, using the data from load.json, attempts to create a packageFile object for each package. Those that are successfully created are stored in an array. You can access this array using the getLoadedPackages method, which returns a promise that is resolved as soon as the packageFileList object is finished loading.

Each packageFile has, once it has loaded, a series of read-only properties allowing you to access the package's metadata. The resources property though in particular is noteworthy as it returns an array of dataFile objects.

Each dataFile object has properties for all of its metadata along with a method called getData. The json file containing the data for the dataFile object is lazy loaded when getData is called for the first time. getData always returns a promise that is resolved once the data file is loaded.

Generally you will not access dataFiles or packageFiles directly, but instead will work through dataStore objects. There is a dataStore class for each type of data file (class, feats, skills, etc.). Once instantiated a dataStore object can be passed either individual dataFile objects, or a packageFile object from which they will load any valid dataFiles for them. You can then use methods on the dataStore object to query all of the dataFiles it knows about for the data that you need. dataStore objects always return promises for their queries because it is impossible to know if all of the needed dataFile objects have loaded their data yet. After the first use of a dataStore object most promises should resolve close to instantly.

Lines 12-19 of base.js are example code showing the process of creating a packageFileList and passing its packages on to instantiate a namesDataStore object.

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

Ha, sorry. I'm going to fix this so that it merges correctly. Apparently merging the JSON cleanup messed this up.

GitTeamYes commented 10 years ago

ah crap, sorry. Thought I would have to do the previous merge before I did this one

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

It would have conflicted either way.

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

Weird. According to git on my computer this should merge cleanly. Well let me know if you see any problems with this and I'll merge it if you don't.

Because I merged the json Cleanup branch the changed files is wrong now. You only need to look over base.js and load.js.

GitTeamYes commented 10 years ago

the merge button does not like me, I can not merge. Ill look at the base and load files but Im not too sure what Im looking for. My knowledge of JS is minimum

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

Merge button is greyed out because Github can't merge it automatically. I'll merge this with manually with your approval.

You're looking for anything that stands out to you as obviously wrong. I need to teach you more Javascript. XD

GitTeamYes commented 10 years ago

There are not just 3 json files!!!!!! other than that, it went over my head completely. looks good to me!

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

Sounds good. I'll merge.

zellfaze-zz commented 10 years ago

And I'll commit a change that removes some of the obsoleted code that confused you. I had left it in to reduce conflicts, but honestly, that's a terrible reason to do so.