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

[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.

May 2025 Update
A third empty folder is created: %appdata%\ScummVM\DLCs.

[digitall]

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.

[lwcorp]

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.

[lwcorp]

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.

[lotharsm]

These issues should now be fixed thanks to our official portable mode:

​https://docs.scummvm.org/en/v2.9.1/use_scummvm/install_computer.html#installing-scummvm

[lwcorp]

The official portable version (from 2022) allows keeping the INI next to the EXE file.
But what about cases when you don't want the INI there, but rather elsewhere decided by the user?

In fact, nowadays --config even creates a third empty folder: %appdata%\ScummVM\DLCs.

I've therefore re-opened (I hope it's okay) until --config itself is fixed (either avoid creating empty folders or at least delete them after closing the program).