Question Sorting AddonPackages into custom subfolders in "VAM/AddonPackages/..."

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... I've heard it's BAAAAAD to do that (Yes, I like my shit sorted into folders according to addonpackage author).

Is it? Why?
 
It breaks dependencies. Meaning scenes you download that use other VAR packages would need to use your exact same folder scheme. Same if you want to release a scene, it will reference to your folder scheme, it won't work for anyone who just puts everything in the AddonPackage folder. At least this was the case last time I tried, which was when the VAR system was introduced, so it might have changed.

However, yes, being able to put VARs in folders would help. But it requires VAM to be able to handle it without breaking dependencies.
 
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Hey Mac! Thanks for the reply. I'm a bit torn here - On the one hand, I'm the newb, and you're the experienced developer and longtime user.

And I wouldn't bet that my interpretation of what constitutes a broken dependencies is accurate and exhaustive - I usually learn about the existence of a bug from Meshed's anouncement that he fixed it ... ?

Otoh, I've stored the vast majority of my stuff in subfolders of /AddonPackages/ - including my homegrown morphpacks that my favorite homegrown custom model heavily depends on - and VaM 1.2.0.10 has not done anything that I, with my limited understanding, would interpret as breaking dependencies. It finds the meta.json of a package stored in a subfolder of AddonPackages. It flags dependencies on vars that I am actually missing (though most of the flags are creator's referencing specific versions of files in their meta.json, rather than just using .latest). I haven't yet caught it flagging packages as missing that do I have.

But as I said, my not noticing anything is ... not really what you'd call proof of very much at all, I'm afraid.

I reallyreally don't mean to question your skill or expertise - but could I maybe impose on you and ask you to make a quick & dirty test whether the issues you were experiencing still persist in 1.2.0.10 (whenever you have a few minutes to spare)? I don't mean bughunting - just plonking a single .var that's referenced in one of your current fav scenes into a subfolder, leave it there for a bit, see what happens?
 
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I have a ton of subfolders in my AddonPackages folder and never had a problem with it

though most of the flags are creator's referencing specific versions of files in their meta.json, rather than just using .latest)
VAM will fetch the latest version if you don't have the specific version.
 
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Ok, I've removed the thread's 'Question'-tag, as I consider it 'answered as best as one could reasonably expect unless Meshed himself chimes in, or someone comes up with a description how to reproduce an error'. Following Occam's admonition, there's no reason to assume the existence of a problem unless there's tangible evidence (even though absense of evidence is not the same as evidence of absense) - and right now, I don't even know what precisely the error is I lack evidence for.

Note this is not to mean that we here have performed exhaustive tests and 'busted a myth' or something - it's just that due to VaM's dynamic status as a work in progress and incomplete documentation, people have to rely on word of mouth to some degree, and that has resulted in eg. advice that was pertinent with earlier versions persisting in the collective mind of the community past the update that made it obsolete. I don't feel the evidence I currently have warrants potentially adding to the confusion.

If you want to chime in - even to add yet more evidence of absense - please feel welcome to do so.
 
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Just stumbled across this thread after searching for vam dir structure.
I also sort vars in their creators subdir. After some time I got fed up moving vars and decided to make a small python script.
I've packed it into an exe, you might find it usefull for sorting: vamtb 0.2
 
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