update API and path checking logic

API.md

@@ -25,43 +25,48 @@ Checks the file specified through `path` returning true if it exists, and false
 ### mkdir
 **Usage:** `datalib.mkdir(path)`
 
-Make a directory at the specified `path`.
+Make a directory at the specified `path`. Returns `true` if directory already exists.
 
 ### rmdir
 **Usage:** `datalib.rmdir(path)`
 
-Recursively delete all contents of a directory (files, sub-directories, etc...)
+Recursively delete all contents of a directory (files, sub-directories, etc...). Returns `false` if directory does not exist.
 
 ### create
 **Usage:** `datalib.create(path)`
 
-Create file in location specified by `path`. Returns true if already exists, nothing if creation is successful, also printing like output to the log.
+Create file in location specified by `path`. Returns `true` if already exists, nothing if creation is successful.
 
 ### write
 **Usage:** `datalib.write(path, data, serialize)`
 
-Write data to file. File path is specified in `path`. Data to write is specified with field `data` and supports any value including strings, booleans, and integers. The `serialize` option tells datalib whether or not to run `minetest.serialize` on the data before writing, and is by default set to `true` if left blank.
+Write data to file. File path is specified in `path`. Data to write is specified with field `data` and supports any value including strings, booleans, and integers. The `serialize` option tells datalib whether or not to run `minetest.serialize` on the data before writing, and is by default set to `false` if left blank.
+
+### append
+**Usage:** `datalib.append(path, data, serialize)`
+
+Append data to file. File path is specified in `path`. Data to append is specified with field `data` and supports any value including strings, booleans, and integers. The `serialize` option tells datalib whether or not to run `minetest.serialize` on the data before writing, and is by default set to `false` if left blank.
 
 ### read
 **Usage:** `datalib.read(path, deserialize)`
 
-Load data from file (`path`) and return through variable `data`. The `deserialize` option tells datalib whether or not to run `minetest.deserialize` on the data before returning, and is by default set to `true` if left blank.
+Load data from file (`path`) and return through variable `data`. The `deserialize` option tells datalib whether or not to run `minetest.deserialize` on the data before returning, and is by default set to `true` if left blank. Returns `false` if file does not exist.
 
 ### copy
 **Usage:** `datalib.copy(path, new)`
 **Shortcut:** `datalib.cp(path, new)`
 
-Copy the contents of a file to another file. `path` indicates the location of the original, while `new` indicates the path where the copy will be placed.
+Copy the contents of a file to another file. `path` indicates the location of the original, while `new` indicates the path where the copy will be placed. Returns false if file specified by `path` does not exist.
 
 ### table.write
 **Usage:** `datalib.table.write(path, table)`
 
 Write table to file. File path is specified in `path`. Table to write is specified with field `table` and is designed for use with tables. The only difference between `write_table` and `write_file` is that `write_table` always serializes the data with `minetest.serialize` before writing because tables cannot be directly written to files, however, they must first be converted to strings through serialization.
 
-### table.load
+### table.read
-**Usage:** `datalib.table.load(path)`
+**Usage:** `datalib.table.read(path)`
 
-Load table from file (`path`) and return through variable `table`. The only difference between `load_table` and `load_file` is that `load_table` always deserializes the data with `minetest.deserialize` to convert previously written string back to a table.
+Load table from file (`path`) and return through variable `table`. The only difference between `load_table` and `load_file` is that `load_table` always deserializes the data with `minetest.deserialize` to convert previously written string back to a table. Returns `false` if file specified by `path` does not exist.
 
 ### dofile
 **Usage:** `datalib.dofile(path)`

init.lua

@@ -54,12 +54,16 @@ function datalib.mkdir(path)
       os.execute('mkdir "'..path..'"') -- create directory with os mkdir command
       return
     end
+  else
   end
   f:close() -- close file
+  return true
 end
 
 -- remove directory
-function datalib.rmdir(path)
+function datalib.rmdir(path, log)
+  if not io.open(path) then return false end -- file doesn't exist
+
   -- [local function] remove files
   local function rm_files(ppath, files)
     for _, f in ipairs(files) do
@@ -98,7 +102,6 @@ end
 
 -- write to file
 function datalib.write(path, data, serialize, log)
-  if datalib.exists(path) ~= true then return false end -- check if exists
   if not serialize then local serialize = false end -- if blank serialize = true
   local f = io.open(path, "w") -- open file for writing
   if serialize == true then local data = minetest.serialize(data) end -- serialize data
@@ -109,7 +112,6 @@ end
 
 -- append to file
 function datalib.append(path, data, serialize, log)
-  if datalib.exists(path) ~= true then return false end -- check if exists
   if not serialize then local serialize = false end -- if blank serialize = true
   local f = io.open(path, "a") -- open file for writing
   if serialize == true then local data = minetest.serialize(data) end -- serialize data
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ end
 function datalib.copy(path, new, log)
   if not datalib.exists(path) then
     datalib.log(path.." does not exist. Cannot copy file.")
-    return path.." does not exist."
+    return false
   end -- check if path exists
   local old = datalib.read(path, false) -- read
   datalib.create(new, false) -- create new
@@ -143,7 +145,6 @@ end
 
 -- write table to file
 function datalib.table.write(path, intable, log)
-  if datalib.exists(path) ~= true then return false end -- check if exists
   local intable = minetest.serialize(intable) -- serialize intable
   local f = io.open(path, "w") -- open file for writing
   f:write(intable) -- write intable