Should BYOND games have custom file extensions?

ID:152585
 
May 23 2006, 5:13 pm
I'm currently working on a project that uses 'chart' files to save and load a non-atomic map. I can use any file extension I want to save the chart, but I don't know which to use. I could just use a .txt file, but I don't want them confused with any random .txt file the host or user may own, and I don't want my map editor trying to open unrelated .txt files. I could make my own file extension, probably along the lines of .ipc (iain peregrine chart), but that comes with it's own set of problems: custom file extensions conflict with other programs; the OS won't recognize the file type; etc.

What do you think I should do in this case? When it comes to BYOND games and custom file extensions, what do you think is a good rule of thumb?
May 23 2006, 5:15 pm
If only your BYOND program is going to be reading and writing to this file, I don't think it would matter much, since the OS isn't going to do anything to it.

~~> Unknown Person
May 23 2006, 9:18 pm
In response to Unknown Person
yer ^_^ what he said, I myself use .dat for just about everything, as I have not yet found anything else that uses it.
May 23 2006, 9:23 pm
In response to Zmadpeter
Zmadpeter wrote:
I myself use .dat for just about everything, as I have not yet found anything else that uses it.

You obviously haven't been looking very hard. =P

My advice is to just pick an extension that makes sense and run with it, knowing that it probably will conflict with other extensions. Extension conflicts happen all the time; and if it's a BYOND game doing it, then you actually can't tell Windows to associate the extension with your program anyway. So even if there is a collision, no harm done. If someone pokes around in your game's folder they might see some Interactive Publisher Pro Church Edition Project Data files, which will look odd but won't affect the functionality of either your game or that Interactive Publisher thing (whatever it is).
May 24 2006, 1:37 am
Use

data.lawl

or

data.vernon


Better-

data.rlygr8
May 24 2006, 5:38 am
I don't think it matters much, but if you're concerned, you can always add .byond as a second extension.

Lummox JR
May 24 2006, 5:39 am
In response to Elation
Pfft, those don't adhear to the *.3 standard system...

Not that *.3 means anything, it hasn't ment anything since the days of 8.3

Hmmm

data.lol
data.rat
data.gr8

Much better.
May 24 2006, 6:33 am
I usually go with a generic .sav file, assuming it is a BYOND savefile. If its not a savefile, name it as anything that it can be opened with. If it can be opened as a textfile, name it .txt. If it can't be opened as anything, name it as what it is, such as a .cht file.
May 24 2006, 12:08 pm
I use .config files, .sheet files, and .xml files in my current project. No big problem.
May 24 2006, 5:33 pm
In response to Scoobert
Scoobert wrote:
Pfft, those don't adhear to the *.3 standard system...

What, you're still stuck in the days of DOS? Wake up to the real world, we're all using long filenames these days! =)

Long extensions are just fine.
May 24 2006, 5:55 pm
In response to Crispy
.crispy
May 24 2006, 6:05 pm
In response to Elation
I'm not an extension - I'm the full deal!
May 25 2006, 7:29 am
In response to Crispy
crispy.fulldeal
May 25 2006, 7:54 am
This is gonna be a little off-topic... but why use different extensions? I just use the ones that were given to me.

What would the benfits be to using seperate extensions?

§atans§pawn
May 25 2006, 5:05 pm
In response to Satans Spawn
If your game uses data files with a custom file format, then giving them a different extension just indicates that they're a different type of file. It's not necessary, but it doesn't do any harm either.
May 26 2006, 3:33 am (Edited on May 26 2006, 9:58 am)
In response to Elation
Elation wrote:
Use data.lawl or data.vernon
Better- data.rlygr8
?
What'd I do now? Why's everyone talking about me?? What are those dots?!
May 26 2006, 4:42 am
In response to Crispy
 
Can be just about anything: text, graphic, or general binary data. There is no specific structure for a .DAT file. You can use an editor like EditPad Pro to look inside a .DAT file and possible determine its contents and relationship with a program. If you are looking for information on the file INDEX.DAT please see the FAQ.

see unused <_< just a data file
May 26 2006, 10:27 am
In response to Zmadpeter
Zmadpeter wrote:
> Can be just about anything: text, graphic, or general binary data. There is no specific structure for a .DAT file. You can use an editor like EditPad Pro to look inside a .DAT file and possible determine its contents and relationship with a program. If you are looking for information on the file INDEX.DAT please see the FAQ.
>

see unused <_< just a data file
OBJECTION!

You just dug your own hole, Mad Peter. By providing that evidence, you proved that a .dat file is used. Sure, it may be just a data file, but it's still (commonly) used.

Also, those DM tags are neat.