Opened 7 years ago

Last modified 14 months ago

#9664 new feature request

BACKENDS: Win64 - Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata% thus breaking portability (create portable mode)

Reported by: lwcorp Owned by:
Priority: normal Component: Port: Win64
Version: Keywords: portable
Cc: Game:

Description (last modified by lwcorp)

Using --config="conf\scummvm.ini" means I get to use a portable version for an INI file under ScummVM's own folder.

But using it still creates the blank folders %appdata%\ScummVM\Saved games and %appdata%\ScummVM\Icons (which are blank as scummvm.ini contains alternative locations for extrapath and savepath).

Please avoid creating anything in %appdata% to ensure portability especially as empty folders are meaningless anyway.

October 2021 Update
Until #11412 (log command line parameter), which just entered an official release, there was also %appdata%\ScummVM\scummvm.log, which can now be avoided.

Change History (13)

comment:1 by csnover, 6 years ago

Keywords: conf config removed

comment:2 by digitall, 5 years ago

Component: ToolsPorts

comment:3 by digitall, 5 years ago

This is for usage of ScummVM as a portable application, so it needs to not create files outside of it's own installation folder:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_application

This is mainly for Win32 when running off a USB stick, but ensuring this kind of operation is useful for debugging / development even on other operating systems.

comment:4 by digitall, 5 years ago

Component: PortsPort: Win32

comment:5 by lwcorp, 4 years ago

Component: Port: Win32Port: Win64

Actually it's true for Win64 too (which so far only exists as a daily build).
It's a bit ironic that the forbidden scummvm.log documents "Using configuration file: conf\scummvm.ini" which could have been an indicator that there's a folder clash.

I wonder if what this ticket describes is part of what stopped the ScummvVM PortableApps version.

Last edited 4 years ago by lwcorp (previous) (diff)

comment:6 by henke37, 4 years ago

Keywords: portable added

comment:7 by raziel-, 4 years ago

Summary: Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata%BACKENDS: Win64 - Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata%

comment:8 by lwcorp, 2 years ago

Description: modified (diff)

comment:9 by lwcorp, 2 years ago

Description: modified (diff)

comment:10 by lwcorp, 2 years ago

Now that #11412 (log command line parameter) has just entered an official release, at least the log file can be avoided. But there is still the futile creation of a blank (sub)folder %appdata%\ScummVM\Saved games (even though my CONF file defines the save folder elsewhere).

I've even tried using --savepath=PATH but it too made no difference.

comment:11 by lwcorp, 2 years ago

Summary: BACKENDS: Win64 - Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata%BACKENDS: Win64 - Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata% thus breaking portability

comment:12 by lotharsm, 22 months ago

Summary: BACKENDS: Win64 - Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata% thus breaking portabilityBACKENDS: Win64 - Conf parameter still creates files in %appdata% thus breaking portability (create portable mode)
Type: defectfeature request

comment:13 by lwcorp, 14 months ago

Description: modified (diff)
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