FS-UAE Launcher portable?

Ahoi Together,

yesterday I was trying to make a portable version of FS-UAE. So, I ended up getting FS-UAE portable, but not FS-UAE Launcher, 'cause I couldn't find information on that.

Is there a tutorial?

My config files in the $EXE directory (all with the same content) for FS-UAE (and yes, I was confused a bit by the tutorial: which is the first place and name FS-UAE looks for a config file, and what is the difference between all the different possible config files?):
Config.fs-uae
Default.fs-uae
FS-UAE.conf

# set base documents directory, where the other directories
# (configuration, controllers, etc.) will be created/used
base_dir = $EXE/documents

# set directories of media images (floppies, harddisk, cdroms, etc.)
cdroms_dir = $EXE/documents/images/cdd
floppies_dir = $EXE/documents/images/fdd
floppy_overlays_dir = $EXE/documents/images/fdd_overlays
hard_drives_dir = $EXE/documents/images/hdd
flash_memory_dir = $EXE/documents/images/flash_memory

# set Kickstarts directory
kickstarts_dir = $EXE/documents/roms

Thanks in advance and kind regards

[FrodeSolheim]

Hi, yes FS-UAE looks for config files in several locations (for different use cases), including looking for it in the same directory as the executable.

But there is another solution for making FS-UAE Launcher (and FS-UAE when started from the Launcher) portable:

If you create the file "Portable.ini" (it can be an empty file) in a directory, this directory will be the base directory for FS-UAE *if* the Launcher program is placed in this directory or somewhere below this directory. (Disclaimer: I have not really tested this very much).

So you can e.g. have:
Somedir/FS-UAE/Portable.ini
Somedir/FS-UAE/Programs/ <- put FS-UAE and Launcher here for example?

and the default directories will automatically be stored like this:
Somedir/FS-UAE/Floppies
Somedir/FS-UAE/Kickstarts

The only things that will be currently stored outside this directory are:
- the settings file for FS-UAE Launcher
- temporary files

Ahoi Again,

First things first:
@FrodeSolheim: thank you for your fast reply!


Maybe my main question was not precise enough, so I will try it again:

>> [..] Is there a tutorial? [..]
So, there is no tutorial or documentation on that issue, or is there one, and I couldn't find it?


And now some further questions:

>> [..] config files in several locations (for different use cases) [..]
Hm, any interest in explaining which use cases? Or is there a document explaining that (http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/configuration-files is not helping much)? Are there any plans to work on that. Is help needed on this?

>> [..] If you create the file "Portable.ini" (it can be an empty file) [..]
If file can be empty, I guess, it can also contain something :] Is there a documentation (Deja vu :] I know, this question appears often in my postings...)

>> [..] and the default directories will automatically be stored like this [..]
Is there any chance (at the moment) to force fs-uae/fs-uae launcher to use the directories I entered in one of the configuration files (e.g. config.fs-uae)? Because at the moment it creates e.g. "Kickstarts" even if in the configuration file (e.g. config.fs-uae) an other directory (e.g. $EXE/../roms) is entered.

>> [..] The only things that will be currently stored outside this directory are: - the settings file for FS-UAE Launcher [..]
What are the reason for doing it this way, when there is a "portable.ini" present? Are there plans to change that in the future (so that I don't have to think about that all the time {... 1) I have to make FS-UAE Launcher Portable. 2) I have to save the world. 1.) I have to make FS-UAE...} :] )


For clarification (please, correct me if I am wrong): The order fs-uae looks for the configuration files is:

- 1: [Relative Configuration File]> $EXE/config.fs-uae
$EXE/config.fs-uae
When both, <config.fs-uae> and <fs-uae.conf> are in the same directory, <config.fs-uae> has higher priority.

- 2: [Hidden Default Configuration File]> $HOME/.config/fs-uae/fs-uae.conf
As I did not know, where it should be stored under Microsoft Window Systems I tried it in the $EXE path:
$EXE/fs-uae.conf
And yes, if <config.fs-uae> is not present in the $EXE directory, this file is loaded.

- 3: [Default]> Documents/FS-UAE/Configurations/Default.fs-uae
$EXE/Config.fs-uae


-- What's the idee behind the [Hidden Default Configuration File]?

-- What's the difference between [Relative Configuration File] and [Hidden Default Configuration File]?


Thanks in advance and kind regards

[FrodeSolheim]

Regarding Portable.ini - FS-UAE Launcher only checks for the presence if this file. It could in theory read some Portable setup related information from this in the future, if needed. Nothing planned though.

Yes, the FS-UAE config file search order you listed is mostly correct (note that some of the file names you have printed have the wrong case. Does not matter on Windows, but it does on e.g. Linux. It is Config.fs-uae for example).
Also if you are wondering why some features are there, sometimes the answer is because they where added at some point, for example to fullfil someones wish, and in some cases there are better alternatives available but the old feature is kept to avoiding breaking older setups..

The reason FS-UAE first looks for Config.fs-uae in the same directory as the FS-UAE executable is to allow for creation of packages with FS-UAE and games bundled together. See for example http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=65563. This is the "Relative Configuration File".

The most common usage from the start of FS-UAE was to either point FS-UAE to a specific config file as a parameter (in this case, the default config search path does not apply), and to load the default config (Default.fs-uae) if no config was explicitly loaded. Documents/FS-UAE/Configurations/Default.fs-uae was this default file.

Because FS-UAE created Documents/FS-UAE and some people got annoyed at this, I added the option to alternatively load $HOME/.config/fs-uae/fs-uae.conf. This was loaded before FS-UAE created the default directories, and so it became possible to change Documents/FS-UAE to something else using the base_dir option. But of course, this only worked when loading the default config. This is the "Hidden Default Configuration File".

With recent development versions, a better solution is to use the FS_UAE_BASE_DIR option, as this will apply also when loading any configuration file (http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=66653). This is environment variable is also respected by FS-UAE Launcher.

If you want to specify where the FS-UAE directory should be located (instead of Documents/FS-UAE), either use FS_UAE_BASE_DIR (http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=66653), or use the Portable.ini (the latter only works if you actually put the executables in this directory or below it. - FS_UAE_BASE_DIR works also with installed versions of FS-UAE).

Alternatively, you can create a shortcut/launcher which starts FS-UAE or FS-UAE Launcher with the --base-dir=full-path-to-some-directory argument.

Finally, the use of Portable.ini and Launcher settings: The reason the settings are not currently stored inside the FS-UAE directory is because the consequences are not fully considered yet. The problem is that the point of "Portable Apps" is often to put them on an USB device or something, and being able to run the same program on multiple computers. But you may not want the same settings on all computers. For example, on a slower computer, you may have tweaked the launcher settings for better performance, but you don't want these to apply on the fast computer. Also, the settings file stored the current state of the program so it can be reloaded on startup. But this includes paths which may not be present on another computer.

There is no tutorial / documentation for the Portable.ini stuff (apart from what I have written here). The reason for this is that I haven't tested it any much, and don't consider it fully supported / done yet. It was created because someone needed a function like this, but it may need more testing and perhaps also more thought put into it before I commit 100% to it.

Ahoi Amigos and Amigas,

>> [..] Regarding Portable.ini [..] Nothing planned though.
Pity, but okay.


>> [..] the wrong case. Does not matter on Windows, but it does on e.g. Linux [..]
I know, but I am a lowercase apologist (whenever possible) ;]


>> [..] if you are wondering [..] old feature is kept to avoiding breaking older setups [..]
Oh no: Historically evolved! In the last few month I heard that reason so often. I guess I have to make friendship with that one :]


>> [..] FS-UAE and games bundled together [..] This is the "Relative Configuration File". [..]
Weird... but hey: why not. And "Relative Configuration File" is my preferred one.


>> [..] point FS-UAE to a specific config file as a parameter [..] and to load the default config [..] if no config was explicitly loaded. [..]
Makes sense.


>> [..] Because FS-UAE created Documents/FS-UAE and some people got annoyed at this [..]
I see. For myself: I am not annoyed, but like to adopt it to my own path system. Anyway, I couldn't (FS-UAE Lauchner still generates directories instead of using mine: CD-ROMs, Floppies, Hard Drives, Kickstarts) and stores files outside the folder (%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\fs-uae\launcher.settings).


> [..] reason for this is that I haven't tested it any much, and don't consider it fully supported / done yet. [..]
Okay.

Thanks in advance and kind regards

[FrodeSolheim]

I could in theory allow the Launcher to read the (relative) paths for the other directories and/or settings file from Portable.ini, if you're using that. Not really difficult to implement - But of course, this would add yet another layer of functionality/complexity/code to maintained, and you would have actively contributed to the historically evolved "problem"