Vista Compatible Storage

[David Walters]

Hi, I hope you don't mind me posting a code snippet, but I have solved this problem already and it's good to share, right

My initial request is: Can you change 3d-Coat to read shaders from the user data folder as well as the installation directory?

The code I've posted below will generate a valid path (on both XP and Vista) to the user's application data folder, either:

C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Roaming (on Vista) or

C:\Documents and Settings\%user%\Application Data\ (on XP)

where you are free to read and write data without any access restrictions.

The reason I ask is that, as you probably know, files written to the Program Files folder normally, actually end up being written instead to the "virtual store" ( C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore ) which can lead to a variety of problems with mismatches, etc. - as you can imagine.

Ultimately I'd love to see all of the volatile data that 3d-Coat uses (undo, etc.) to use the user data folder:

* Avoid the need for the UAC elevation on startup which looks a little bit unprofessional (sorry!)

* Allow UNDO to live on a different disk, which might help people with a small C: partition and their user folder on some other drive?

* Allow editing of shaders in this location without UAC interfering, this might help developers?

* License data file can exist even when you uninstall, or install in a different directory?

I've probably not explained myself very clearly and I can hopefully clarify what I mean, I found this quite a hard issue to explain

I'm sure it probably doesn't seem like such a big thing either, but I think making an application that lives harmoniously with Vista is a good long term goal.

char profile_folder[ MAX_PATH ];

if SUCCEEDED( SHGetFolderPath( NULL, CSIDL_APPDATA | CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE, 
	NULL, SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT, profile_folder ) )
{
	// Append company / title suffix
	strcat_s( profile_folder, sizeof( profile_folder ), "\\Pilgway\\3d-Coat\\" );

	// Get the base length
	const size_t length = strlen( profile_folder );

	// Create Directory Tree, skip drive
	for ( unsigned int i = 2; i < length; ++i )
	{
		if ( profile_folder[ i ] == '\\' || profile_folder[ i ] == '/' )
		{
			// Briefly turn into a NULL terminated c-string
			profile_folder[ i ] = NULL;
			_mkdir( profile_folder );
			profile_folder[ i ] = '\\';
		}
	}

	// Create home directory
	_mkdir( profile_folder );

	// Debug
	printf( "home_path = %s\n", profile_folder );
}

[Andrew Shpagin]

I agree, it is important. Just need to find some time. I have not still done your previous request... But I remember.

Thank for piece of code. I hope I will use it some day.

[David Walters]

Thanks!

I can't imagine how long your wish list is already - you really are outnumbered by the people who love this software, and everyone wishes to see it grow!

I'm sure you'll get there in the end!