External assets

[abulvenz]

When referencing external modules, the files for the asset folder should be somehow shippable. This is a proposal for a simple helper function that copies the files to the assets folder of the app that is currently compiled.

# library_module.index.py

# In the library module reference the 
# asset files with the relative file path to the including script.
@rx.page("/")
def index() -> rx.Component:
    return rx.center(
        rx.image(src=rx.asset("test.png",dir="subfolder"))
    )

During compilation those files are copied to assets/external/library_module/index/subfolder/test.png.

In case you want to make assets from your library includable for calling modules, you can expose them like this:

class Assets:
    test_png = rx.asset("test.png", "hang_it_up")
    script_js = rx.asset("my_component_logic.js")

[benedikt-bartscher]

@abulvenz how about symlinking instead of copying?
Edit: Not sure how symlinks behave on Windows

[benedikt-bartscher]

Create a variable for Path(Path(cwd) / assets / external / dir) first and use it in the next lines. Also check if the source exists with pathlib's .resolve() method

[abulvenz]

@Lendemor I hope you are fine with using symlinks here, since we are not linking directories. That seems to be the only difference. https://docs.python.org/3/library/pathlib.html#pathlib.Path.symlink_to

@benedikt-bartscher I just tested what happens when src_file is not present. It already complains No such file or directory. OK, or wrap it into a an AssetNotPresent?

[benedikt-bartscher]

@abulvenz awesome, if there is already a FileNotFound exception, I think we are fine, no additional wrapping needed

[Lendemor]

@abulvenz Sorry for delay in review, was on break for a few days.

It's passing windows CI so it should be fine I think.

I'm not sure about adding it inside app.py however, so could you move it to it's own file? Maybe inside reflex/experimental so we'll get some time to test it in real situations before making it official.

We'll also need to add unit tests for it.

[abulvenz]

Thank you @Lendemor, After v0.5.0 everybody earned a small break 🚀 . I will move it to experimental and try to add a unit test.

[Lendemor]

@abulvenz how about symlinking instead of copying? Edit: Not sure how symlinks behave on Windows

Symlink doesn't work on Windows, we had this in the beginning for syncing between assets and .web/public folder, but had to remove it for Windows.

[abulvenz]

Symlink doesn't work on Windows, we had this in the beginning for syncing between assets and .web/public folder, but had to remove it for Windows.

@Lendemor Should I change it back? 🧑‍🔧

Is anything else missing here?

[abulvenz]

@Lendemor Is it possible that I cancelled your approval by merging main? Sorry. 🥣