Add the ability to specify the settings folder so that Processing can be portable

[processing-bot]

In GitLab by @SebCanet on Oct 1, 2015, 22:01

Hi, I'm working in schools and I would to use a portable version, usable on USB stick. Also because there are securities, and as I work in different school there are different securities. On Processing3 I didn't find all the option I could find in Processing2 preferences to make quite portable (because it still write in c:\Users\AppDatat\etc

Thanks a lot for helping me.

[processing-bot]

Created by: ingroxd

Hi,
preferences.txt file should allows you to give the program relative paths, that includes smartcards ("." or "..").
Try playing with it!

[processing-bot]

In GitLab by @SebCanet on Jun 4, 2016, 00:38

Hi,
no, even with modification (on any version of Processing) like "sketchbook.path.three=perso", it always uses/creates a folder in "c:\Users\AppDatat\Roaming\Processing\preferences.txt

[processing-bot]

Created by: ingroxd

I think it is meant to save configs from one version to another!
I usually have a copy of processing folder in my USB stick and I paste it in Documents folder every time I need it...
I know it is a poor workaround, but it is better than nothing.

Compromises are that you use always default preferences and you copy processing folder again from Documents folder to USB stick in order to have always the latest version of your files!

Ah, another thing...
This way makes processing "discard" of your last opened files because of its location is always in Roaming folder.

I'm sorry for a quite late reply.

Hopefully enough some developer will see our request of portability and would include it in the next version...
I'm using 3.2.3 and it is still not fully portable.

[processing-bot]

Created by: olliebean

A very belated reply, but seeing as the issue is still open... I have managed to make Processing (v3.5.4) fully portable in Windows by placing a batch file (e.g., ProcessingPortable.bat) in the same directory as the program, containing the following code:

SETLOCAL
SET USERPROFILE=%~dp0\settings
processing.exe

Running the batch file will start Processing, with the current user profile directory redirected to .\settings, so all the AppData\Roaming\Processing files will go in there. You'll still need to change the Sketchbook location in the settings to a relative path. (And remember always to run Processing via the batch file, not by running the processing.exe file directly.)

[processing-bot]

Created by: ingroxd

Thank you @olliebean [:

[processing-bot]

In GitLab by @SebCanet on Jul 12, 2021, 10:12

Many thanks! But it still is not a solution for Processing, like a setting, or something 'automatic' when you create a folder named 'portable' in Arduino IDE.
I'll post it on v4 github repo.
Thanks.

[processing-bot]

Created by: benfry

No need to repost the same issue in the new repo (or in the case of processing/processing#6189, in the same repo).

If I have a chance to re-implement this, I'll just move the issue over once finished.

[processing-bot]

Created by: benfry

Will be possible in 4.0 beta 4 as of 1a49263.

With the latest version of the source, or with beta 4 when it's posted, create a file called settings.txt in the lib folder that's part of the download. Put settings.path=/path/to/your/folder in there and give it a shot.

[processing-bot]

In GitLab by @SebCanet on Feb 18, 2022, 00:30

Hi,
in fact your solution is only for settings folder. In second time, launch Processing, it will create new files in this setting folder. Open "preferences.txt" and change line 79 "sketchbook.path.four".

[processing-bot]

Created by: benfry

You can set that by modifying defaults.txt.

The original issue here was that it wasn't possible to override the settings path because it used a native location, and is checked before preferences.txt (and defaults.txt) are loaded.

[processing-bot]

Created by: github-actions[bot]

This issue has been automatically locked. To avoid confusion with reports that have already been resolved, closed issues are automatically locked 30 days after the last comment. Please open a new issue for related bugs.

[processing-bot]

Created by: benfry

Added documentation about these features here: https://github.com/processing/processing4/wiki/Preferences#sketchbook-and-settings-location