Added support for custom folder links (and shorthands for audio-related system folders) - again

[zetenynagy]

Hey @aonez - sorry, I renamed my branch and that closed the pull request.

I have implemented what you requested.
Here are the changes:

• renamed --custom-path-link to --add-drop-link
• --add-drop-link now takes multiple arguments, similar to --add-file and --add-folder
• added --skip-drop-link-check to skip custom drop folder source verification
• added --make-absent-link-folder to create nonexistent custom drop folder at requested location if it fails the verification
• moved items around in the readme and in -h

I didn't really have any time to properly test functionality though, so if someone could take a look, that'd be great. I will also try to find the time in the coming days.

(Original pull request was #151 )

[aonez]

Thanks so much @zetenynagy. I've went ahead and simplified a little the custom code and removed --skip-drop-link-check and --make-absent-link-folder, just creating the folder if it does not exist.

To be consistent with the rest of the code probably we don't even need to check and create the target folder, but feels right to do it.

@mhhollomon maybe you can try it on your environment.

[mhhollomon]

Please do NOT create a missing folder. That would be dangerous when I am running it locally during development.

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On Tue, Nov 28, 2023, 4:00 AM aONe ***@***.***> wrote: Thanks so much @zetenynagy <https://github.com/zetenynagy>. I've went ahead and simplified a little the custom code and removed --skip-drop-link-check and --make-absent-link-folder, just creating the folder if it does not exist. To be consistent with the rest of the code probably we don't even need to check and create the target folder, but feels right to do it. @mhhollomon <https://github.com/mhhollomon> maybe you can try it on your environment. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#162 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AKJ7GM4DFIV4ZIAECYPK6Q3YGWR33AVCNFSM6AAAAAA745B5ZWVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMYTQMRZGM3TKMRTHA> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[zetenynagy]

This is why I figured adding skipping the check and creating the missing folder as optional flags could be a good idea, since it is a niche use case, but can be convenient in very specific applications.

I agree with @mhhollomon - if the optional flags can't stay, I think creating the folder shouldn't happen automatically.

@aonez - what do you think?

[mhhollomon]

UPDATE

Bad news. Turns out per Apple Technical support, there is no way to sign a DMG that includes an alias into /Library that will actually allow you to copy through that alias.

(CF https://developer.apple.com/forums//thread/742317) (Note that there is special dispensation for /Application)

I will be switching to a pkg file instead.

[zetenynagy]

@mhhollomon - this is actually a more complex issue, and is dependent on many variable factors (signed/unsigned, macOS version, .dmg file system, format, double-clicking vs dragging directly on the link folder icon, etc.), so it could work for you still. See this thread: https://forum.juce.com/t/dmg-with-symlinks-to-library-audio-plug-ins/52161/15

It apparently is fixed in Ventura and newer - I'll try testing it on Sonoma possibly later today.

edit: tested a .dmg with links to both the Components and VST folders on macOS 14.1.1 and you're right, dragging it to the icon does not work - but if I open the folder via the link, and drag the file over, it works flawlessly. This .dmg was not made with create-dmg though, so I will try making my own and will test to see if it works.

[mhhollomon]

@zetenynagy - awesome! - thank you for the information - finding anything on the subject has been a chore.

My box is Sonoma and it doesn't work - but I'll need to go through the thread you linked and see if I need to change anything.

[zetenynagy]

finding anything on the subject has been a chore.

Yeah, it's such a niche topic.

Apparently on Sonoma, people are "bypassing" the fact that dragging onto the link itself is a no-go by letting the user know that they need to double-click the link and drag the file to the newly opened folder window. It's a somewhat crude solution, but it works.

[mhhollomon]

That is kinda yuck. Given that a pkg took me only a few hours to figure out how to build and sign correctly, I think I'll move to that. Pkg also allows me to install in a subdirectory rather than directly into VST3. The branding you can doing in DMG with the background image is kinda cool though.

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On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 3:14 PM zetenynagy ***@***.***> wrote: finding anything on the subject has been a chore. Yeah, it's such a niche topic. Apparently on Sonoma, people are "bypassing" the fact that dragging onto the link itself is a no-go by letting the user know that they need to double-click the link and drag the file to the newly opened folder window. It's a somewhat crude solution, but it works. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#162 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AKJ7GM2JNFJ5UKMS36TQ4KDYG6JSNAVCNFSM6AAAAAA745B5ZWVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMYTQMZSGYZTIOJWGU> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>