Where should saves go?

[Kahenraz]

From a compatibility perspective you should use the Application Data folder in 2k/XP/Vista.

In my installers for example, I offer the user a choice between "Install for all users" and "Install for the current user" with a browse file dialog below. When the user chooses a radio button the dialog changes between "N:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ProgramName\" and "N:\Documents and Settings\CurrentUserName\Application Data\ProgramName\". If the user prefers to use their own folder they can specify by entering it manually or using the "Browse" button.

If you allow the installer to support relative directories here then users can install to a pen drive without having to hard-code a drive letter.

If you want your program to be compatible with a many configurations as possible on Windows you should review the "Windows File System Namespace Usage Guidelines":

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

The registry is also depreciated in Windows Vista so you will have to decide if you want to store information in easily accessible ini, xml, or custom binaries. Another good read:

http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ar...6/6523907.aspx

Originally Posted by LazerTag

So I would vote to make it the "My Documents" location with a "My Project64" folder and default named directory structure, a default named directory structure with the EXE ..

Please don't hijack My Documents:

Stop the madness: Subdirectories of My Documents

[squall_leonhart]

Project64 should default to installing its folder to the root of the HDD. past that i don't care if my settings affect others, because the emulator is what i setup in the first place, anyone else is just a player.

[wildgoosespeeder]

My opinion on this matter:

Instead of changing setting styles from "one setting for all users" to "each user has his/her own settings", have the option to switch between the two. This way this satisfies all. (I personally like the current setting in Project64 v1.6.) As for the user's directory, there is a folder called "My Games" in the "My Documents" folder.

(Windows XP)

C:\Documents and Settings\{user}\My Documents\My Games\Project64\saves

Something of that nature would work.

[Jabo]

I agree I'm kind of sick of apps hijacking my documents application data should be defacto by now - only downside is it's hard to find but we could solve that with either a shortcut in pj to open the location from pj or some kind of import/export wizard?

Anyway is there really lots of users in multi user environments? Just curious as I kind like things all self contained in one folder makes life simple.

[Smiff_]

how about: let's associate saves with pj64 (which entails changing our save filenames from .pjN.zip to just e.g. .N.pjsav - which is still a zip file though, just with its own extension, and N is the slot number). then users can double click on our saves, and as long as the rom is in their rom folder, PJ could find the rom and load the saved position. nice yes? like opening a document really.
- might also require adding a text file to the zip with the rom filename

i want to throw one more thing in before i address the topic:
i have roaming profiles setup on my home network (aswell as limited user restrictions).
what this means is: some folders are included and others are excluded from the part of the userprofile that roams; large files should (and this is MS guidelines again not just IMHO) be in \%Username%\Local Settings\AppName, and not %AppData%\AppName. this stops them roaming. save states i think are large files (for roaming purposes, considering its easily around 20MB per game if using several slots). just something else to consider please..

[Smiff_]

one important point that v1.6 users may not know:
1.7x doesn't use Windows Registry any more (it uses a single config file in the root of AppDir for both app and default plugins).
so in this regard, it's currently less compatible with Vista than 1.6 was, because different users running the app from the same dir will fight over settings.

We (hope) this is what most users prefer, but we're in the middle of this change (and not totally sure where we're heading :P). Of course older plugins and 3rd party plugins may continue to use HKCU (Registry, Current User) if they wish..

There has been no change yet to where files created by PJ64 are written (still currently subfolders of AppDir) so that's what this topic is about.

[manaman]

Hi there,

I felt the urge to sign up on this site and add my concerns. As a long time user of Project64, I am confident that you will make an informed decision and one that will be for the greater good of your product. All the same, I believe--as a user and not a developer by any means--that having the entirety of an emulator contained in one folder which may be managed directly by the user is a great system. While I know this can create problems as you outlined in your post, I have never had the need for multiple users to access my emulators. I am the only one using the computer which my emulators are on and I find no reason to have saves stored anywhere other than within a user defined folder which can be kept within the Project64 folder.

These are just the two cents from a long time and appreciative user. I hope they help,

manaman

[Smiff_]

I think there's going to have to be an option near the beginning of the install wizard to keep everyone happy:

1) "Multi-user install" (make this the default, at least on Vista and XP?). must be running installer as admin (if not admin, grey this option out and explain this). where exactly different files go i'll come to later, but no user config or saves are written to appdir (explain this also). start menu and desktop shortcuts, if selected, are added for all users on the system.

2) "Portable install" - do not need to be running the installer as admin (if not admin, this is the only option available). all files are written to appdir, so full permissions are required for use (explain this). start menu and desktop shortcuts, if selected, are added for current user only.

that about covers it? there is no 3rd option needed i think?
i'm just wondering what the default path should be for a portable install? for multiuser install its obviously %programfiles%.

edit: i realise the topic says Saves but really we have to consider all files i think..

[legend]

I still hate the fact that we're going to use an installer! There's nothing wrong with everything zipped up so users can copy it where they want or just copy the new components to their existing Pj64 location (given the majority are existing users). That way users know exactly where every file goes to, where it can be found and where everything is when it comes time to delete or change. At the very least please offer both: install package and the zip package. The zip package will still have an exe which upon 1st launch can do everything that you guys are suggesting - that is to have the "Saves" path point to a particular location. And yes, lets stick with inis and avoid the reg at all costs.

[squall_leonhart]

actually, im pretty sure most users would prefer saves to go in Documents\My Games folder rather then in application data. still ends up being per user that way.