[Feature Request]: Store library data in separate location

[MachCoyote]

Checklist

• I am using an up-to-date version.
• I have read the documentation.
• I have searched existing issues.

Description

Library data is currently stored in a .TagStudio folder inside the folder of the library in question. This somewhat undermines the goal of not using sidecar files and contributes to folder clutter, especially at scale. It would be nice to be able to store library data in a centralized location, or perhaps at the root of the drive.

Solution

Allow the user to define a directory where all Tag Studio library data is stored.

Alternatives

Place all Tag Studio library data at the root of the drive, rather than the root of the library folder.

[Tishj]

So all libraries will need a unique identifier to avoid collision?
I don't fully understand why you want this feature.

Whether it's ~/.TagStudio/<identifier>/tagstudio.sqlite or <library_path/.TagStudio/tagstudio.sqlite you'll still need the same amount of folders, they'd just be closer together

If this was talking about metadata that is shared across libraries then I agree, but that already exists
I'm not sure where it lives on Unix but for Windows it lives in appdata

[Tishj]

It makes some sense when we're talking about decoupling the library from the folder, which I think is proposed in a separate issue. So a library doesn't necessarily have just a 1-to-1 relation with a folder.

[MachCoyote]

you'll still need the same amount of folders, they'd just be closer together

That's kinda the point. It's not really about raw folder count, more about distribution and not having a ton of .TagStudio folders scattered throughout my filesystem which I have to see whenever I'm browsing through it.
My "Assets" folder is for my assets and my assets only, not their tag data too.
To me using these ""sidecar folders"" aren't much different from using sidecar files, just to a much lesser extent.
If they're off in a specific folder somewhere the user never needs to see or interact with them unless neccessary.
Centralizing it would also make it simpler to backup all of my tag studio library data in one go.

[MachCoyote]

This would also allow tagstudio to function within directories/libraries it doesn't have write access to as well now that I think about it.