Planning: gpodder.conf + database in download folder?

[Thomas Perl]

Hi users and developers of gPodder!

I've been thinking about moving the gPodder database into the download
folder, thereby only having one single folder that contains both the
downloads and the subscription/episode metadata and configuration. We
already do a similar thing (downloads + config/db below the app folder)
for the Windows version of gPodder.

Some pros:

* Backing up the download folder backs up the config + database as well
* Download folder could be placed on a MP3 player, thereby removing the
need for any "syncing" - the database also sits on the MP3 player, so
new podcasts can be downloaded from any machine with gPodder
installed
* On devices where gPodder runs on (i.e. N900, N8x0, ...), both the
downloads and the database are exposed over USB mass storage when
connected to a PC - the Desktop version of gPodder can be used then
to download new episodes and view downloaded podcasts while the
device is connected (the on-device version can be used on the go)
* Synchronizing (via rsync/unison) is easier - you just need to sync
the folder, and the database will also be kept in sync (but conflicts
cannot be merged :/)
* Multiple different "profiles" / "databases" are possible (i.e. you
can have one download folder that only has video podcasts and a
different one that only has audio podcasts - with separate databases
and configurations)

Some cons:

* Users might accidentally delete the database, not knowing what it is?
* Configuration data should not be placed in the download folder?
* Previous versions of gPodder won't be able to find the database, but
this can be worked around

The implementation isn't really difficult, and I think there would be
some nice advantages to getting this going. I'd like to hear some
feedback on this thought and if it's a good idea or a bad idea, and if
it would improve your use cases of gPodder (or more generally: how it
would influence your use cases).


Thanks,
Thomas

[Louis Carlioz]

Hi,

interesting suggestion that I'm already using. In fact, I made a
symlink on my N900 to point to a copy of the db located in my download
folder. Then, I usually copy the db over to my notebook where I do the
download. Then copy back the podcast files + db to the N900.
Doing it manually is a source of errors (I sometime forget to copy the
db, or mix up the versions...). Having it automatically would be
helpful in mi case.