Allow saving the configuration to $XDG_CONFIG_HOME

[nouspiro]

Describe the bug
A clear and concise description of what the bug/error is.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior from the start of waveSharp.

1. start waveSharp

Expected behavior
That config files are saved into proper location and not clutter $HOME

Operating system and version

• Linux
• Version 0.1R

Additional context
More information about XDG

[CorBer]

Hi,

Can you share a bit more details ? I am using Linux myself as the default OS. For me the files all end up at /home/USERNAME/waveSharp. I am on Linux Mint (Ubuntu clone).

cheers
Cor

[nouspiro]

Yes that is exactly problem. Config files should be stored in path specified in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME enviroment variable or if not defined then fallback to $HOME/.config and not hardcoded path directly in user home. I don't know which framework you use but Qt have method to query paths for various uses https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qstandardpaths.html

BTW Just tried Windows and that is also just create same folder C:\Users\name\waveSharp. On Windows it should be %APPDATA%

Users are not happy with dot folders in theirs home. Folder without dot is even worse. https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/971m0z/im_tired_of_folders_littering_my_home_directory/

[CorBer]

Hi,

The "must be" is not a mandatory part of freeware design I think.
I am not using QT but using freepascal for this application. I might make this an optional feature (so users can decide to store in either way) if I am sure this works on WIN/MAC/LINUX all in the same fashion. For that I will see this as a request to enhance the application with this choice. Thats not a problem and if this can be created easily it will be in the next update.

cheers
Cor

[CorBer]

This shows how I probably will try to implement this. The user can choose how to store. The directory names
are autogenerated at startup.

[nouspiro]

Please look at this method.
https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/rtl/sysutils/getappconfigdir.html

[CorBer]

Thats what I used allready ... its shows above.

[grytom]

I am using this method:

  {$ifdef UNIX}
  ConfDir := GetEnvironmentVariable('HOME') + '/.config'; // for Linux & Mac
  {$else}
  ConfDir := GetEnvironmentVariable('LOCALAPPDATA'); // for Windows
  {$endif}

[CorBer]

Hi Grytom
The getappconfigdir works fine as long as you dont add globale=true to the routine.
This is how windows (a fast test using wine) reacts.

I am sure this will work fine, hopefully also on a MAC.
But this is for the next real update as I need to test the option where a user wants to change the storage from local to config or vice versa.

cheers
Cor

[nouspiro]

grytom: Your approach on Linux it doesn't respect $XDG_CONFIG_HOME enviroment variable and second on MacOS config files should go "~/Library/Preferences/" as you can see in Qt docs I linked above.

[CorBer]

Hi,
I am going to lock this, as stated in the next update we will have this probably working and then it can be tested. Until then your settings will be stored in /home/$user/waveSharp by default. We are working on a prototype so the 0 versions are clearly not yet polished on all fronts. But the most important part is the functionality and not where we store ini and other configuration files.

cheers
Cor

[CorBer]

I have just uploaded a development version 0.1.0.19 (linux and win64) that allows storing configuration files in two ways. See the announcements section.