[dmenu] Cache on start option?

[Roger]

Is there a cache on start of /bin folders option vs only when we select
the hot key to trigger dmenu?

Reason being, it might be preferred to cache the bin following DWM start
vs, when somebody finally gets to executing dmenu.

ie.

1) Start DWM
2) After start of DWM, execute DMenu -cache (to cache/scan all bin
folders into $HOME/.dmenu).

3) Somebody finally executes DMenu to choose an application immediately
vs. waiting for DMenu to also cache (all bin folders).

VS. Currently,

1) Start DWM
2) Wait for DMenu to be executed by somebody, then somebody has to sit
and wait for DMenu to cache bin folders before choosing their
application.

[Kris Maglione]

Post by Roger
1) Start DWM
2) After start of DWM, execute DMenu -cache (to cache/scan all bin
folders into $HOME/.dmenu).
3) Somebody finally executes DMenu to choose an application immediately
vs. waiting for DMenu to also cache (all bin folders).

Start dwm from a script.

Post by Roger
VS. Currently,
1) Start DWM
2) Wait for DMenu to be executed by somebody, then somebody has to sit
and wait for DMenu to cache bin folders before choosing their
application.

It takes a few miliseconds.

[Roger]

Post by Kris Maglione

Post by Roger
1) Start DWM
2) After start of DWM, execute DMenu -cache (to cache/scan all bin
folders into $HOME/.dmenu).
3) Somebody finally executes DMenu to choose an application immediately
vs. waiting for DMenu to also cache (all bin folders).

Start dwm from a script.

Already done via .xinitrc.

Post by Kris Maglione

Post by Roger
VS. Currently,
1) Start DWM
2) Wait for DMenu to be executed by somebody, then somebody has to sit
and wait for DMenu to cache bin folders before choosing their
application.

It takes a few miliseconds.

... depending on size of bin folders.

/bin $ du -kh --max-depth=0
7.9M

/sbin $ du -kh --max-depth=0
21M

/usr/bin $ du -kh --max-depth=0
551M

/usr/sbin $ du -kh --max-depth=0
43M

... of course, rm -f /usr/bin/* would speed things up. ;-)

[frederic]

dmenu can read items from stdin. You may create the cache yourself with
e.g. "ls -1 -colors=never /bin >cache", then do "dmenu <cache" etc. Look
at the dmenu_run script for details.

[hiro]

Post by frederic
"ls -1 -colors=never

Hah! (please excuse my Schadenfreude in case this was inappropriate)

[Roger]

Post by frederic
dmenu can read items from stdin. You may create the cache yourself with
e.g. "ls -1 -colors=never /bin >cache", then do "dmenu <cache" etc. Look
at the dmenu_run script for details.

Bingo! I'll give it a try when I get a chance. Thanks! ;-)

[Kris Maglione]

Post by Roger

Post by Kris Maglione
Start dwm from a script.

Already done via .xinitrc.

Then just generate the cache at startup.

Post by Roger

Post by Kris Maglione
It takes a few miliseconds.

... depending on size of bin folders.

The size of the binaries is of absolutely no consequence, only
the number of directory entries.