Question 1

How does DirectoryWatcher compare to using native file monitoring APIs directly in Pascal?

Accepted Answer

DirectoryWatcher abstracts native APIs for consistency across Windows, macOS, and Linux, but may add slight overhead. It's best for cross-platform projects where a unified interface outweighs micro-optimizations from direct API calls.

Question 2

Can DirectoryWatcher detect when a file is moved or renamed?

Accepted Answer

No, it only detects added, removed, and modified events. File moves or renames might appear as a remove-add sequence, but there's no dedicated event, requiring extra logic in your application.

Question 3

How to handle errors or watcher failures with DirectoryWatcher?

Accepted Answer

The library doesn't include explicit error callbacks in its basic API. Developers must implement custom error handling, such as using try-except blocks or monitoring thread exceptions for robustness.

Question 4

DirectoryWatcher or TFileSystemWatcher for Free Pascal projects?

Accepted Answer

DirectoryWatcher offers a modern builder-pattern API and better cross-platform abstraction, while TFileSystemWatcher might be simpler but less consistent. Choose DirectoryWatcher for reliable cross-platform needs, TFileSystemWatcher for quick, platform-specific tasks.

Question 5

How to watch multiple directories with a single DirectoryWatcher instance?

Accepted Answer

The builder pattern suggests creating separate watcher instances for each directory, as the API is designed per-directory. For multiple directories, you'll need to manage multiple watchers, which can add complexity.

Question 6

Does DirectoryWatcher work with network shares or remote file systems?

Accepted Answer

It's optimized for local file systems using native APIs, and support for network drives isn't mentioned. Performance on network shares may be unreliable, so it's recommended for local directories only.

DirectoryWatcher

What is DirectoryWatcher?

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