Move data from tres files to real data files

[berarma]

Running "git diff" is usually painful due to tres files being text files sometimes holding lots of embedded data. Storing data with a string representation is inefficient, it uses more space that it's needed, and it makes working with these text files a bit harder.

I think data should be stored in binary data files and referenced from tres files. This would reduce the size of the project and working with tres files as text files would be easier. Loading them from Godot would probably be faster too since it wouldn't have to parse all those numbers and convert them to real data.

What do you think?

[AThousandShips]

The fact that tres files are text based is to make version control work smoother, so this goes against that core idea, you can make the active decision to do this by just storing resources and things in res files, most data in tscn files that is clunky can be stored in this way, the one exception I can think of is TileMap

[Zireael07]

I think data should be stored in binary data files and referenced from tres file

I think they are literally saying the same thing you do

by just storing resources and things in res files

Anyway tres is text based to make version control work better. If you have lots of embedded data then it's usually user error, but that (and best practices such as what AThousandShips said) should be better emphasized in docs.

[AThousandShips]

Essentially: The general suggestion for data that is human-readable is to use text formats in version control, this is why there's the option to convert tres and tscn files to res and scn files on export for example

If you find it more useful to you to use binary formats then that's a choice you can make, but I don't think doing a hybrid choice is really that helpful

(didn't see your comment before posting hence saying some of the same things lol)

[berarma]

The fact that tres files are text based is to make version control work smoother, so this goes against that core idea, you can make the active decision to do this by just storing resources and things in res files, most data in tscn files that is clunky can be stored in this way, the one exception I can think of is TileMap

Could you please point me to some explanation about how to do this? I'm still new to Godot and I haven't seen any option to store data in res and scn files. Godot automatically puts the data there.

[AThousandShips]

Meant resources, not specifically data in a scene sorry for not being more clear on that, to store the resources you need to save them as a file

[AThousandShips]

Also how should this handle if the file storing the binary data is deleted? What limits should be put to make the decision to store it one way and not another? Just some thoughts on the questions raised by this

[AThousandShips]

You still call me "he", basic courtesy to respect people's pronouns...

[AThousandShips]

I am providing polite, fair, and reasonable criticism and commentary, I am not "refusing to consider" this, I very calmly asked for examples of other programs using this concept, and I was not alone in thinking this was relevant

[AThousandShips]

Always assume positive intent from others.

Similarly, when other users offer you feedback please accept it gracefully.

For certainty, any conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting is not acceptable.

[berarma]

I am providing polite, fair, and reasonable criticism and commentary, I am not "refusing to consider" this, I very calmly asked for examples of other programs using this concept, and I was not alone in thinking this was relevant

Sorry. I talked on feelings. I shouldn't have to.

[AThousandShips]

Please take a look at the above referenced code of conduct before engaging further, this was a thoroughly unpleasant and offensive experience for me, I will leave now but do keep my suggestions and criticism in mind

[dalexeev]

I think that the main problem is long lines (example). There was a suggestion to wrap lines in tres/tscn after reaching some limit. The default context in git is 3 lines. If they are short, then this will not be a problem.