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.

[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.