[Stk] Improving the directory structure

[Ariel Elkin]

Hi guys,

Now that the STK's GitHub repository is established, I'd like to offer some motivations for improving the STK's directory structure.

One of my favourite features of the STK is its modularity. There's a clear loose coupling pattern; synths and filters, for instance, nicely encapsulate their functionality. Functionality across the source files is widely (and wisely) distributed. 

Yet its directory structure, doesn't really reflect that. 

Currenltly, ALL the source files are in src/, and ALL the header files are in include/. This suggests the STK is a monolithic library, but that's not really the case… 

Most use cases of STK involve a handful of its classes, the user cherry-picks them before compile time. We very rarely need every one of the 104 classes in our project. 

If I want to use, say, PRCRev, the only classes I need to include are the ones it inherits from:
PRCRev
Effect
Delay
Filter
and Stk

that's 5 classes out of 104

Another example: if I want to use, say, Wurley, I only need 12 classes. Out of the 104 classes.

It makes sense for frameworks like Pure Data or SuperCollider to build every source file, given that the user may use of any one of its constituent classes at runtime. But the STK is for programmers, and programmers make decisions, before compile time, about which classes will and will not be used . 

The STK's directory structure needs to facilitate that. We should make it easier for a STK user to cherry-pick the classes he or she will actually use. Additionally, this would give users a much clearer picture of how the library is really structured. 

I'd say a good directory structure reflects the loose coupling pattern in place, grouping classes by functionality. I propose the following:


_base/
Abstract base classes (e.g. Effect, Delay, Filter)

_filters/
All the classes that filter/effect audio (e.g. TwoPole, PRCVerb, etc.)

_synths/
All the classes that generate audio (e.g. Guitar, Mandolin, Twang, etc.)

_rawwaves/
All the raw wave files


audio_layer/
RtAudio
RtAudio
RtError
as well as the contents of src/include/:
asio, dsound, soundcard, etc. 

File_IO/
FileRead
FileLoop
FileWrite
WvIn
WvOut
FileWvIn
FileWvOut

System_IO/
RtWvIn
RtWvOut
RtWvIn

Multithreading/
All the multithreading classes:
Thread
Mutex

Networking/
All the networking classes:
UdpSocket
Socket
TcpClient
TcpServer

MIDI/
MidiFileIn
RtMidi
makemidi.c

Misc/
makefun.c
makewavs.c
sine.c


This proposal for a new directory structure is, of course, open to amendments, additions, and fixes. 

So, these are the motivations for reorganising the directory structure, and I hope I've suggested a clean way in which it can be done. 

Looking forward to your thoughts. 

Cheers

Ariel