One possible way is to provide the files (or even LateralGM) as a zip *alternative* to users who want that,
Yes as a separate release, I may actually try that first and let everyone test it first before making more long term decisions on the matter.
First, it affords us the ability to easily store LateralGM on certain mediums without adding write permissions requirements to that medium (for example, a CD).
Actually, I see what you mean and I agree, but none of the resources I am talking about actually require writing by the IDE unless the user manually wants to write to the files outside the IDE which they would have to do anyway. So either way you have a jar or a folder with a jar and all LGM's files on a non-writable disk. So I see what you are saying, but that really only is relevant for those of the resources LGM would write to which currently is none unless maybe we added a dialog for editing the keyboard shortcuts like Studio does, but I don't plan on that because editing the text file itself is likely to be a lot easier and quicker.
Thanks for the Wiki link, however most of it I was already aware of, I had already considered a dialog for LGM as well that would ask where enigma-dev is located on the first run.
Attempt to create those directories. An installer will often handle this, but I want to avoid requiring an installer. LGM could try to create those directories, probably with the user's permission, and if it's even possible.
I agree, I do not want any installers either, but what Harri suggests seems like a relatively good idea as well, but I just always found it to be uncommon knowledge to the layman user. Having those directories already there gives them some degree of freedom in figuring out what does what without having to go the internet and come here and ask us how they can override internal files.
I will say that I have considered writing executables for LGM however, so that I can at least see an icon for LGM's attached process in Task Manager, which Eclipse does as well.
This should be what LateralGM already does. It's just not obvious because it's hard to tell:
Yes exactly, so perhaps we could add an "Unpack" option underneath the two Explore menu options, and also delegate a callback to the ENIGMA plugin in case it wants to unpack anything. Then the question however does become, should LGM remove these files internally? Because we essentially end up with two copies of them then.
* Give in-program easy links/access to those directories. Commonly a button or link will open the user's file browser pointed to the directory. You'd just need a good spot to put this button (or these buttons)
Actually, we already have one under the help menu that I added when Studio added theirs, it opens the executable working directory of LGM, so when you run from eclipse it just opens your project folder, if you run it with enigma-dev it will open that up in your file explorer, the button is "Explore LateralGM" and we also have the option "Explore Project" right underneath of it.