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Big file systems make computers run more slowly. This problem is most noticeable for laptops. On a project that I am currently working on, I am using multiple versions of three frameworks: The Flex SDK (source and asdoc), the MicroStrategy Flex SDK and the BlazeDS source tree. The result is thousands of files, which take hours to copy and slows down disk access even when I'm not programming.
Because these files are only read and never written, the solution is to not unzip them, and to only access them from within the zip files that they were provided. This facility is called a "local loopback filesystem" on Linux, and "accessing compressed folders" under Windows.
Eclipse/Flex Builder has native support for accessing compressed folders as if they were regular folders, but that functionality is not fully exploited. Ant tasks need O/S level support to enjoy this feature.
Results are dramatic. Usage is very simple. What's not to love?
Windows
On Windows, I use the free Pismo File Mount Audit Package. It provides the ability for zip files to be mounted as virtual drives.
Linux
On Linux, use fuse-zip. It provides the ability for zip files to be mounted on any directory mount point.
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I love the idea; I have a mountain of SDKs and such that would be great to keep zipped up.
I'm wondering though if there is a difference to keeping that folder "compressed" by the windows OS. Also wondering how the compile times are affected. I do a lot of building and while shrinking the size of these libs would be great I wonder how it would affect build times when I have to add decompressing stuff to my already stressed (and small) processor on my laptop. Have you run any comparison tests?
Quiet a great to mount and to make zips.I do a lot of building and while shrinking the size of these libs would be great I wonder how it would affect build times.
Dr. Britt Borden MD
I wish I found this sooner. I just paid a guy a huge hourly rate to do this very thing for me. I don't want to gripe too much because I'm sure I would have messed it up somehow. That seems to be what I do. That's why I've bookmarked Insideria. I'm trying to learn stuff but I'm having second thoughts. Best,
Alex