Possible to do the initial --update on first run instead of on postinstall? about tldr-node-client

[waldyrious]

We could simply check if the pages/common/tldr.md file exists, as a proxy for a dedicated init file :) would that work?

[agnivade]

Note that npm's documentation recommends not to use sudo while doing install -g. But anyways, yes we can easily fix the documentation on the main site. It is mentioned in the node client repo though.

Having said that, I am not saying that we should go on with the post-install approach. Its quirky and unexpected. Coming to a proper fix, doing it in the first run would need state to be maintained in the client. We can write to a file saying that tldr has run for the first time, but that seems a bit crude. And then you have to check that file every time you run the command. I am open to other suggestions. :)

[agnivade]

Hmm .. I am thinking something like this - if we do not run the --update command post install, cache will be empty. So, upon running any command, if that page is not found, it can simply run the --update and populate the cache. This has the advantage of not running any side logic of checking whether tldr is being run for the first time or not, and also automatically solves #9 too.

Only downside is it hurts the first use. But I guess its a decent tradeoff.

[waldyrious]

Well, the first use can be just delayed (wait for the update to conclude), not outright skipped, in case you were thinking of such a workflow. This is what Homebrew does, IIRC.

[agnivade]

the first use can be just delayed (wait for the update to conclude), not outright skipped,

Of course I meant delayed :) But yea .. it still hurts.