[kraqh3d]

I'm not using profiles, but the info is in profiles.xml. Why does Xbmc save a path for the "master" user? You cant move the folder easily. I know, I just tried and it took me a little while to figure why I had no sources and an empty library. Shouldn't the master user UserData folder always be in the same location relative to the executable?

[jmarshall]

It allows you to move it so that it can be outside of the folder completely (eg in ~/.xbmc on *nix or U: on xbox or whatever)

Whether or not there's issues with how it does it is a different story

[kraqh3d]

of course, but shouldn't that be a manual change? why not default it to relative path?

[jmarshall]

No idea as I've never used said feature. Perhaps you could sort out what it currently does and how we should be handling it and explain for all of us who've never used it?

I'm not really sure how we should be handling the whole userdata profiles issue (and in particular where profiles.xml should go)

[kraqh3d]

that's the other thing... where does profiles.xml really belong? it's not really part of the "user data". maybe that should be moved to system as well? it tells the system where to find the userdata locations.

(and take a look at the stacking thread again. i was editing my post while you were posting.)

[jmarshall]

The trouble with that is it needs to be writeable I presume as when you create a new profile it needs to write where the location is.

So there's 2 separate issues:

1. We need a file (or something) telling XBMC where the masterusers' userdata folder is. This need not be writeable from XBMC.

2. We need a file within the masteruser's profile telling XBMC where the other user profiles are. This needs to be writeable from within XBMC.

Cheers,
Jonathan

[kraqh3d]

#1 needs to be writable so that Xbmc can update the location of the master user's userdata folder if its not in the "assumed" place (ie, the userdata folder thats relative to the executable.) Or would it be up the master user to manually change this if they so choose to move it?

[jmarshall]

It would be up to the master user. Obviously XBMC will have a default (such as ~/.xbmc on linux and Q:\userdata on xbox) but it'll read it from this location file (if it exists) as appropriate.

[kraqh3d]

then it would stand to reason that the profile for the master user should be q:\userdata for windows as well, no? mine had the "real" path which is why it like being moved.

[Martomo]

I guess you could create the folder structure by what is personalized, or create an sort of fallback system.

Everyone uses keymap.xml and the thumbnails folder, because the thumbnail that is used is linked to the file in the database, I assume at least.

So let's say you have Q:\UserData and the folder structure would be better if it's something like this:

\keymap.xml Fallback - Make sure there is default keymap.xml, because without one there no controls defined.
\profiles.xml Store profiles data
\rssfeeds.xml Fallback - Default RSS feeds, got to have some news
\master\ Master profile folder, every XBMC has an master profile
\master\favourites.xml Master user favorites list
\master\guisettings.xml Master user settings/preferences
\master\sources.xml Master user source list
\master\database\ Master user database, links the files to thumbnails.
\profiles\ Profiles directory
\profiles\martomo\ User profile directory, generated by profile name input
\profiles\martomo\favourites.xml User favorites list
\profiles\martomo\guisettings.xml User settings/preferences
\profiles\martomo\keymap.xml Custom - User customized keymap.xml, overwrites default keymap.xml if valid.
\profiles\martomo\rssfeed.xml Custom - User custom RSS feed
\profiles\martomo\sources.xml User sources list
\profiles\martomo\database\ User database, links the thumbnails to the files.
\thumbnails\ Every thumbnail available is stored in this directory

I didn't know where to put the other files/folders that are in the userdata folder, I don't use that much visualizations
Please correct me if I'm wrong about thumbnail/database handling, anyway it's just an idea/suggestion.

[kraqh3d]

actually, code for a default keymap was already committed a few days ago. if a user keymap.xml is found, it "extends" the default so that you don't need a full copy of it, but just the bits you want changed.

[Martomo]

actually, code for a default keymap was already committed a few days one. if a user keymap.xml is found, it "extends" the default so that you don't need a full copy of it, but just the bits you want changed.

Nice, had my XBMC crash in the past a few times, because I deleted the keymap.xml

Got a question, what are the folders, PictureIcon and visualisations used for in UserData and are they user defined?

Also forgot to put \profiles\martomo\advancedsettings.xml to the example list, seeing that's also user defined, right?

[kraqh3d]

I think PictureIcons is used by the tuxbox client. Visualizations has the music visualizations. It's arguable whether or not they belong in UserData. They *could* be user specifc, but they need'nt be. It's probably better if they aren't. For visualisations, it may be possible to allow loading presets from both a default location and a userdata location for those few users who may need that.

I think AdvancedSettings.xml is user specific. It should be loaded from the user profile location.

[Martomo]

Thanks for the detailed answer.

Also noticed this is in the Windows forum, another suggestion about the location of the UserData folder, maybe it would be better if you put it in,
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\XBMC\
Or else the whole point of profiles would kinda get lost, seeing every Windows XP user has his own (master) profile.

[kraqh3d]

when running in "-p" mode, i think profiles.xml is probably still in the "local" userdata folder, but all the profile definitions point to c:\documents and settings\userfoo\xbmc\userdata or something like that.