Query about file paths in configurations - can they be relative?

[Foebane]

I have paths in all my configurations pointing to hard drive folders, archives acting as hard drives, ROMs, floppy disks, etc, etc. All of them are what I call "absolute", like this:

C:\Users\Foebane\Amiga\Games\[Game example].lha

What I would like to know is if WinUAE can point to this path, so that all but the [Game example].lha can be omitted in the configuration? So:

WinUAE config path = "C:\Users\Foebane\Amiga\Games"

and the config only mentions the [Game example].lha file?

The reason I have is that for example, all my configs work fine if the Windows User Account is Foebane, but if that changed on a re-install of Windows, I'd have to change all of my configurations to the new name.

So is a relative path possible in configs?

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Foebane

So is a relative path possible in configs?

Of course it is; that's what I use in settings and configuration files

My WinUAE setup is sitting in "C:\WinUAE" but I can move it anywhere i.e. "D:\Rubbish" or whatever due to using relative paths.



For example, the settings stored in the registry (am only listing a few settings):

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Arabuusimiehet\WinUAE]
ConfigurationPath=".\\Configurations"
FloppyPath=".\\Games"
hdfPath=".\\Hdf"
InputPath=".\\InputRecordings"
KickstartPath=".\\ROMs"
LuaPath=".\\Lua"
RipperPath=".\\Rips"
SaveimagePath=".\\SaveImages"
ScreenshotPath=".\\Screenshots"
StatefilePath=".\\SaveStates"
VideoPath=".\\Videos"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Arabuusimiehet\WinUAE\DetectedROMs]
ROM_001="KS ROM v1.0 (A1000)(NTSC) (256k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v1.0 (A1000)(NTSC) (256k).rom""
ROM_002="KS ROM v1.1 (A1000)(NTSC) rev 31.34 (256k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v1.1 (A1000)(NTSC) rev 31.34 (256k).rom""
ROM_003="KS ROM v1.1 (A1000)(PAL) rev 31.34 (256k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v1.1 (A1000)(PAL) rev 31.34 (256k).rom""
ROM_004="KS ROM v1.2 (A1000) rev 33.166 (256k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v1.2 (A1000) rev 33.166 (256k).rom""
ROM_005="KS ROM v1.2 (A500,A1000,A2000) rev 33.180 (256k) [315093-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v1.2 (A500,A1000,A2000) rev 33.180 (256k).rom""
ROM_006="KS ROM v1.3 (A500,A1000,A2000) rev 34.5 (256k) [315093-02] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v1.3 (A500,A1000,A2000) rev 34.5 (256k).rom""
ROM_007="KS ROM v2.04 (A500+) rev 37.175 (512k) [390979-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v2.04 (A500+) rev 37.175 (512k).rom""
ROM_008="KS ROM v2.05 (A600) rev 37.299 (512k) [391388-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v2.05 (A600) rev 37.299 (512k).rom""
ROM_009="KS ROM v2.05 (A600HD) rev 37.300 (512k) [391304-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v2.05 (A600HD) rev 37.300 (512k).rom""
ROM_010="KS ROM v2.05 (A600HD) rev 37.350 (512k) [391304-02] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v2.05 (A600HD) rev 37.350 (512k).rom""
ROM_011="KS ROM v3.0 (A1200) rev 39.106 (512k) [391523-01/391524-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.0 (A1200) rev 39.106 (512k).rom""
ROM_012="KS ROM v3.0 (A4000) rev 39.106 (512k) [391513-02/391514-02] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.0 (A4000) rev 39.106 (512k).rom""
ROM_013="KS ROM v3.1 (A4000) rev 40.70 (512k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.1 (A4000) rev 40.70 (512k).rom""
ROM_014="KS ROM v3.1 (A500,A600,A2000) rev 40.63 (512k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.1 (A500,A600,A2000) rev 40.63 (512k).rom""
ROM_015="KS ROM v3.1 (A1200) rev 40.68 (512k) [391773-01/391774-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.1 (A1200) rev 40.68 (512k).rom""
ROM_016="KS ROM v3.1 (A4000) rev 40.68 (512k) / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.1 (A4000) rev 40.68 (512k).rom""
ROM_017="KS ROM v3.1 (A4000T) rev 40.70 (512k) [391657-01/391658-01] / ".\\ROMs\\KS ROM v3.1 (A4000T) rev 40.70 (512k).rom""
ROM_018="CD32 KS ROM v3.1 rev 40.60 (512k) / ".\\ROMs\\CD32 KS ROM v3.1 rev 40.60 (512k).rom""
ROM_019="CD32 extended ROM rev 40.60 (512k) / ".\\ROMs\\CD32 extended ROM rev 40.60 (512k).rom""
ROM_020="CDTV extended ROM v1.00 (256k) [252606-01/252607-01] / ".\\ROMs\\CDTV extended ROM v1.00 (256k).rom""
ROM_021="CDTV/A570 extended ROM v2.30 (256k) [391298-01] / ".\\ROMs\\CDTV-A570 extended ROM v2.30 (256k).rom""
ROM_022="CDTV extended ROM v2.07 (256k) / ".\\ROMs\\CDTV extended ROM v2.07 (256k).rom""
ROM_023="CD32 Full Motion Video Cartridge ROM rev 40.30 (256k) / ".\\ROMs\\CD32 Full Motion Video Cartridge ROM rev 40.30 (256k).rom""

In the actual configuration files (again only listing a few settings):

kickstart_rom_file=.\ROMs\KS ROM v1.3 (A500,A1000,A2000) rev 34.5 (256k).rom
floppy0=.\Games\3D Galax\3D Galax (1989)(Gremlin)[cr Codetapper][f AGA Codetapper].adf
hardfile2=rw,DH0:.\Games\AlarCity AGA\AlarCity AGA.hdf,32,1,2,512,0,,uae
uaehf0=hdf,rw,DH0:.\\Games\\AlarCity AGA\\AlarCity AGA.hdf,32,1,2,512,0,,uae

[DamienD]

With storing stuff in "C:\Users\<username>", it can become a bit tricky, but you could do something like:

This:

floppy0=.\Games\3D Galax\3D Galax (1989)(Gremlin)[cr Codetapper][f AGA Codetapper].adf

Becomes:

floppy0=%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Users\%USERNAME%\Games\3D Galax\3D Galax (1989)(Gremlin)[cr Codetapper][f AGA Codetapper].adf

or even better:

floppy0=%USERPROFILE%\Games\3D Galax\3D Galax (1989)(Gremlin)[cr Codetapper][f AGA Codetapper].adf

...but personally I'd avoid storing anything under "C:\Users\<username>" and then everything can become fully relative quite easily; as I've shown you in post #2

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by DamienD

...but personally I'd avoid storing anything under "C:\Users\<username>" and then everything can become fully relative quite easily; as I've shown you in post #2

The way I've set things up, WinUAE zip is extracted to Program Files (x86) and all of my ROMs, configurations, demo and game files are all in C:\Users\Foebane\Amiga. I have pinned WinUAE to the taskbar, so that makes things easy. I do it this way as it's easier for me to access the Foebane account in Windows Explorer, or File Explorer as it's known in Win10. Basically, FE/WE is less user-friendly in Win10 than Win7

I'd love to put the Amiga folder in the C:\ root. I think I'll try it tomorrow. Technically, if all my files are accessible from the WinUAE icon, I don't need to worry so much about accessing them in Explorer.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Foebane

The way I've set things up, WinUAE zip is extracted to Program Files (x86) and all of my ROMs, configurations, demo and game files are all in C:\Users\Foebane\Amiga. I have pinned WinUAE to the taskbar, so that makes things easy. I do it this way as it's easier for me to access the Foebane account in Windows Explorer, or File Explorer as it's known in Win10. Basically, FE/WE is less user-friendly in Win10 than Win7

Messy

So you have:

• WinUAE extracted to a directory under "C:\Program Files (x86)".
• Everything else under "C:\Users\Foebane\Amiga" i.e. ROMs, configurations, demo and game files.

...obviously run things how you like but not very portable or tidy

What happens if you wanted to run everything from say a USB stick without having to change settings / lines in configuration files?

Anyway, enough from me in this thread... I've given you good suggestions to think about

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by DamienD

...obviously run things how you like but not very portable or tidy

What happens if you wanted to run everything from say a USB stick without having to change settings / lines in configuration files?

Portability isn't important to me, especially not on a USB stick.

However, the %USERPROFILE% tip I will be implementing tomorrow, that's so useful.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Foebane

Portability isn't important to me

...then why do you care if everything isn't using relative paths?

That's the main reason for making things relative i.e. portability

A USB stick was just an example... I mean portability to anywhere i.e. a different base directory name / location, a totally different drive etc.

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by DamienD

...then why do you care if everything isn't using relative paths?

That's the main reason for making things relative i.e. portability

A USB stick was just an example... I mean portability to anywhere i.e. a different base directory name / location, a totally different drive etc.

Hmm, I didn't think of that. And to be honest, I have been able to easily change the paths in all of my configs with Notepad++, so I guess I was just wondering about the possibility and asked, hence this thread.

But your advice about the % stuff was useful.

[Toni Wilen]

It can only work if you have win32.hardfile_path=<base path> in same config file which probably isn't what you wanted..

win32.rom_path, win32.floppy_path, win32.hardfile_path and win32.cd_path can be listed more than one time in config file and if matching rom/floppy/hdf/directory/cd config entry isn't found in current directory, path is prefixed with _path file until valid path is found (or no path found).

It is much easier to make all configs relative to winuae path. It does not need to be inside winuae directory, for example something like ..\..\directory_2_levels_outside_of_winuae_path\path\to\game.lha should work.

Actually path does not need to be relative to winuae.exe, you can use -datapath command line to set winuae's "current directory". This probably is easiest solution.

[Foebane]

I've moved my main Foebane data folder from C:\Users\Foebane\Foebane to C:\Foebane, makes things easier. What I like is that essentially, my Amiga folder is on the same level as WinUAE, but on different paths, namely:

C:\Foebane\Amiga
C:\Program Files (x86)\WinUAE

I have put things this way as it will at least lead to a shorter path, and it's independent of the User accounts on Windows. And if down the road, even the C: drive isn't the same on a different computer, I can change to the % variable DamienD suggested.

My only issue is that I wonder if I should be storing files in the C: root together with the main Windows system folder etc, but I think they tell PC newbies to avoid that. But I'm an experienced Windowsphile.

[Mclane]

I never separate an Emulator from its roms/ disks/ images / etc, Always one folder with all inside in various sub folders..

Way too easy to lose stuff which is why I don't like emulators using the USER area to store configs, saves etc as you can so easily forget to move those if you install a new disks or as I like to do, refresh Windows from time to time to remove the unwanted junk I've played around with and deleted mostly.

Nothing worse than firing up your new cleaned out Win install and go play a game only to find you forgot the users dirs etc for saves etc and you now have to start again or just sob

Technically its always been deemed safer to use a separate drive for Windows and your programs but its not really an issue as from day one PC wise a C:\ was the source for all your stuff as disks drives back then were pretty damn expensive. The only annoyance I have with Win7 is that bloody always expanding Winsxs folder in the windows dir, if you have a small drive it starts to be a pain but although I have bigger drives I don't have any other SSD drives as yet and I love those speedy little buggers.

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by Mclane

I never separate an Emulator from its roms/ disks/ images / etc, Always one folder with all inside in various sub folders..

My Amiga folder in C:\Foebane contains all of my ROMs, disks, images, all the configurations, even the System.hdf file itself, with backup zips of the System.hdf file that I can easily extract to revert to a "fresh install" of ClassicWB if something goes wrong. Everything Amiga-related is in this folder.

I keep WinUAE in C:\Program Files (x86) simply so I can update it when a new version comes out, none of the information I mentioned above is kept there. Then, when WinUAE is extracted to its folder, with nothing else added, I simply pin the exe to the taskbar and point WinUAE to my Amiga folder for configurations, etc in Paths. It's really quite straightforward.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Foebane

I keep WinUAE in C:\Program Files (x86) simply so I can update it when a new version comes out, none of the information I mentioned above is kept there. Then, when WinUAE is extracted to its folder, with nothing else added, I simply pin the exe to the taskbar and point WinUAE to my Amiga folder for configurations, etc in Paths. It's really quite straightforward.

You don't need to install WinUAE to use or update it; just extract the .ZIP file.

You can extract into "C:\Foebane" so it's all in the same folder.

...but having all your collection i.e. "ROMs, disks, images, all the configurations, System.hdf" in one folder without sub-directories to organise things must be a real nightmare to manage...

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by DamienD

You don't need to install WinUAE to use or update it; just extract the .ZIP file.

You can extract into "C:\Foebane" so it's all in the same folder.

...but having all your collection i.e. "ROMs, disks, images, all the configurations, System.hdf" in one folder without sub-directories to organise things must be a real nightmare to manage...

I don't install WinUAE, I extract the zip. I'm sure I said that.

Sorry, I didn't mention that the Amiga folder is the root, and I do have several subdirectories:

C:
| Foebane
| | Amiga
| | | Demos
| | | Games
| | | Kickstart
| | | System
| | | Workbench

The Demos folder is broken up into subfolders for each of the eight configs I use and contain the demos that work best on them, including one for WHDLoad.

Games contains a WHDLoad subfolder with room for a second subfolder for ADFs if I wish.

Kickstart is where the ROMs are, and WinUAE points directly to it.

System is where the System.hdf (ClassicWB Lite) goes.

Workbench is simply the Workbench 3.1 ADFs I use when setting up ClassicWB Lite.

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Actually path does not need to be relative to winuae.exe, you can use -datapath command line to set winuae's "current directory". This probably is easiest solution.

Thanks, Toni, I implemented this via shortcuts and they work a treat!

This tip certainly solves a problem that (as far as I know) couldn't be solved with configurations such as A500 quickstart and so forth, so when I used these ones before, I always had to manually set the path in the file requester. But now these shortcuts with this parameter do what I always wanted with these particular configs.