# How am I supposed to open sketches downloaded from github?

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927>\
**Category:** Processing\
**Created:** [March 4, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927 "2019-03-04T14:42:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@mono](https://discourse.processing.org/u/mono)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927/1 "2019-03-04T14:42:17Z")

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Hey there. I was trying to download sketches that other people have put on github so I could take a look at the code and get some insight on how to structure my own sketches.  
The problem I’m having is the sketch never seems to be inside an appropriately named folder , processing always tells me to place the sketch in a folder named the same as the sketch. This happens whether or not I open the main file or another, which obviously won’t work without the other files.  
Obviously it’s not an issue for me to take the files and put them all in a correctly named folder, but sometimes its not clear which file is the main file. Im wondering if there is something here I am missing or doing wrong? I’ve barely ever used github so I’m just confused why the downloads come this way. Maybe I’m supposed to do something other than just downloading the zip.

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**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927/2 "2019-03-04T14:55:10Z")

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> [@mono](#):
>
> … , but sometimes it’s not clear which file is the main file.

AFAIK, the rule is: a sketch folder must have its name match 1 of the “.pde” files inside it. 📏

So I guess you can choose any of those “.pde” files as the name for the sketch’s folder. 😉

But be warned that the chosen “.pde” filename will be the 1st tab in the PDE. 😳

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**Author:** ![mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@mono](https://discourse.processing.org/u/mono)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927/3 "2019-03-04T15:07:48Z")

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oh okay thanks,

do you know why the files dont come in a folder with a name like that? is it just what github does or is it because the uploader isn’t using the PDE or something else?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927/4 "2019-03-04T15:16:17Z")

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> [@mono](#):
>
> Is it just what GitHub does or is it because the uploader isn’t using the PDE or something else?

It’s b/c the uploader doesn’t know that uploading the sketch’s files w/o their folder will make life a lil’ more difficult for the downloader. 😐

Here’s a sketch example that had been uploaded along w/ its folder: 😇

> **[GitHub - GoSubRoutine/Grumbo](https://github.com/GoSubRoutine/Grumbo)**
>
> Contribute to GoSubRoutine/Grumbo development by creating an account on GitHub.

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**Author:** ![mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@mono](https://discourse.processing.org/u/mono)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927/5 "2019-03-05T14:44:11Z")

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that is a very… interesting sketch lol

thanks a lot for having the patience to explain the simplest things to a simpleton like myself

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2019, 2:46pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-am-i-supposed-to-open-sketches-downloaded-from-github/8927/6 "2019-03-05T14:46:50Z")

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> [@mono](#):
>
> that is a very… interesting sketch lol

Not mine. It came from:

- [Problems converting from Function programming to OOP (Object-Oriented Pragramming) - Processing 2.x and 3.x Forum](http://Forum.Processing.org/two/discussion/25204/problems-converting-from-function-programming-to-oop-object-oriented-pragramming)