[RFC] Change loading mechanism for *.things and *.items files

[spacemanspiff2007]

Currently when a file is edited all items from the file get removed and then the items from the file get re-added again.
This results in a log of items/things loosing the current state and runtime data.

A better solution would be in case of a file change to build a diff between the already existing items/things from the file.
Objects that were removed get deleted, objects that were change get changed and objects that were added can be added normally.

[jimtng]

AFAIK, this is no longer the case in 4.x? i.e. it now leaves the unchanged items alone and their states remain unchanged?

[spacemanspiff2007]

I think there was some work on the items loader so at least for *.items files this should work now. I'm unsure about the *.things files - I think it's still an issue there.

[jimtng]

I'm unsure about the *.things files - I think it's still an issue there.

Can you try and post steps to reproduce the issue? I just did some quick tests, it seems that changes are picked up. I can confirm this. I tried with two things in one .things file, changing one's settings also caused the other one to be "updated".

I posted a PR to fix detecting changes in .items channel configuration (e.g. for profiles), hopefully that'll get merged in the next few days.