Use SQLite rather than Pickle.

README.md

@@ -20,3 +20,20 @@ current parameters.
 The "server" isn't a server at all yet.  It just generates the starfield
 so the UI script doesn't have to do it each time.  I'm just using pickle
 for data format, eventually it could use JSON (ick) or SQLite (nice.)
+
+
+Aesthetics:  maybe have a sprinkling of background stars behind the
+"real" stars (that are part of the game.)
+
+Toggle fullscreen.
+
+Controls?  Tabs?  HUD/OSD  (heads up display/on screen display)
+
+
+Fri Apr 12 12:27:56 PDT 2024
+I think I will use SQLite as teh interchange file format.  It's language
+agnostic (i mean, SQL, sure, but you can use it from any lang) and I can
+keep historical data in it rather than just the current state, eh?  No
+one will freak out?
+
+

data.py

@@ -17,16 +17,83 @@
 #    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #    along with game.  If not see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
-'''
-I could use SQLite for a data file format, or just pickle.
-'''
+from random import randint, expovariate, seed
+import sqlite3
+from poisson import poisson
 
-from pickle import load as pload, dump
 
-def save(fn, game_state):
-    with open(fn, 'wb') as f:
-        dump(game_state, f, protocol=0)
+FILENAME = './game.sqlite'
+MINIMUM_DISTANCE_BETWEEN_STARS = 160
+WIDTH, HEIGHT = 10240, 7680
 
-def load(fn):
-    with open(fn, 'rb') as f:
-        return pload(f)
+
+CREATE_TABLES = '''\
+create table stars (x INTEGER, y INTEGER, radius INTEGER)
+'''.splitlines(False)
+
+conn = None
+
+
+def initialize_db(filename):
+    conn = open_db(filename)
+    c = conn.cursor()
+    for statement in CREATE_TABLES:
+        c.execute(statement)
+    c.close()
+    conn.commit()
+    return conn
+
+
+def close_db():
+    if conn:
+        conn.close()
+        conn = None
+    else:
+        raise RuntimeError('db connection already closed')
+
+
+def open_db(filename=FILENAME):
+    global conn
+    if conn is not None:
+        raise RuntimeError('db connection already open')
+    conn = sqlite3.connect(filename)
+    return conn
+
+
+def generate_stars(width, height, minimum_distance_between_stars):
+    for x, y in poisson(width, height, minimum_distance_between_stars):
+        yield x, y, round(1 + expovariate(1))
+
+
+def main(filename):
+    print('Initializing db file', filename)
+    conn = initialize_db(filename)
+
+    print('Generating data.')
+    seed(23)
+    c = conn.cursor()
+    for values in generate_stars(
+        WIDTH,
+        HEIGHT,
+        MINIMUM_DISTANCE_BETWEEN_STARS,
+        ):
+        c.execute('insert into stars values (?, ?, ?)', values)
+    c.close()
+    conn.commit()
+
+
+def stars():
+    global conn
+    c = conn.cursor()
+    c.execute('select x, y, radius from stars')
+    yield from c.fetchall()
+    c.close()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import pathlib
+
+    if not pathlib.Path(FILENAME).exists():
+        main(FILENAME)
+    else:
+        print(FILENAME, 'already exists!  Not overwriting.')

server.py

@@ -17,26 +17,3 @@
 #    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #    along with game.  If not see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
-from random import randint, expovariate, seed
-from data import save
-from poisson import poisson
-
-
-MINIMUM_DISTANCE_BETWEEN_STARS = 160
-WIDTH, HEIGHT = 10240, 7680
-
-
-seed(23)
-
-print('Generating data.')
-state = dict(
-    width = WIDTH,
-    height = HEIGHT,
-    stars = {
-        (x, y): round(1 + expovariate(1))
-        for x, y in poisson(WIDTH, HEIGHT, MINIMUM_DISTANCE_BETWEEN_STARS)
-        },
-    )
-
-print('Saving game.state')
-save('game.state', state)

ui.py

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #
 from tkinter import *
 
-from data import load
+import data
 
 
 class App:
@@ -59,18 +59,17 @@ class App:
         print(event)
 
 
-
-
-state = load('game.state')
-width, height = state['width'], state['height']
+data.open_db()
 
 root = Tk()
-app = App(root, bg='black', scrollregion=(0, 0, width, height))
+app = App(root, bg='black', scrollregion=(0, 0, data.WIDTH, data.HEIGHT))
 app.frame.pack(expand=True, fill=BOTH)
 
-for (x, y), radius in state['stars'].items():
+for x, y, radius in data.stars():
     app.canvas.create_oval(
         x - radius, y - radius,
         x + radius, y + radius,
         fill='yellow',
         )
+
+app.frame.mainloop()