Use %LOCALAPPDATA% to store ini file for WinGet installation #1069

lostindark · 2025-08-20T06:47:03Z

With this change, notepad4 will use %LOCALAPPDATA%\notepad4 folder to store ini file if it is running from WinGet installation and keep the ini file in the exe folder unchanged. This will fix the WinGet upgrade issue.

lostindark · 2025-08-20T06:49:50Z

Also I remove %USERPROFILE% and %APPDATA% support.
%USERPROFILE% is not supposed to used for storing app configurations. It is meant for user files.
%APPDATA% will roaming across machine, but notepad4.ini contains machine specific data (e.g. window location) so we should not store it there.

Update: restored USERPROFILE and APPDATA support since people may already depend on that.

zufuliu · 2025-08-20T13:37:17Z

Instead of checking _Microsoft.Winget.Source_, how about just check whether Notepad4.ini from Notepad4.exe folder is writeable?

lostindark · 2025-08-20T18:09:37Z

Instead of checking _Microsoft.Winget.Source_, how about just check whether Notepad4.ini from Notepad4.exe folder is writeable?

Unfortunately Notepad4.ini is writable in WinGet installation folder, so we can't rely on that to check.

lostindark · 2025-08-27T05:42:41Z

@zufuliu any other comments?

src/Notepad4.cpp

Mapaler · 2025-09-17T08:37:56Z

Also I remove %USERPROFILE% and %APPDATA% support.我也删除了%USERPROFILE%和%APPDATA%支持。 %USERPROFILE% is not supposed to used for storing app configurations. It is meant for user files. %USERPROFILE%不应用于存储应用程序配置。它是用于用户文件的。 %APPDATA% will roaming across machine, but notepad4.ini contains machine specific data (e.g. window location) so we should not store it there. %APPDATA%将在机器上漫游，但 notepad4.ini 包含机器特定的数据（例如窗口位置），因此我们不应该将其存储在那里。

There are a lot of settings that I wish to roam, such as my configurations for some custom syntax highlighting.

Can we refer to the approach of Total Commander in this regard, using redirection to split the ini?

For example, the following excerpt

[Layout]
BreadCrumbBar=1
CmdLine=1
CurDir=1
DirectoryTabs=1
DriveBar1=1
DriveBar2=1
DriveBarFlat=1
DriveCombo=0
HistoryHotlistButtons=1
InterfaceFlat=1
KeyButtons=1
StatusBar=1
TabHeader=1
XPthemeBg=1
[Associations]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\User.ini
[Command line history]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\History.ini
[SplitPerFile]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\History.ini
[SyncOptions]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\User.ini
[USER]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\User.ini

If there is a RedirectSection value encountered during the section, redirect to another ini file.

This method can also be used to set different configurations for different users on the same computer.

…ation

lostindark · 2025-09-18T06:04:28Z

Also I remove %USERPROFILE% and %APPDATA% support.我也删除了%USERPROFILE%和%APPDATA%支持。 %USERPROFILE% is not supposed to used for storing app configurations. It is meant for user files. %USERPROFILE%不应用于存储应用程序配置。它是用于用户文件的。 %APPDATA% will roaming across machine, but notepad4.ini contains machine specific data (e.g. window location) so we should not store it there. %APPDATA%将在机器上漫游，但 notepad4.ini 包含机器特定的数据（例如窗口位置），因此我们不应该将其存储在那里。

There are a lot of settings that I wish to roam, such as my configurations for some custom syntax highlighting.

Can we refer to the approach of Total Commander in this regard, using redirection to split the ini?

For example, the following excerpt
[Layout]
BreadCrumbBar=1
CmdLine=1
CurDir=1
DirectoryTabs=1
DriveBar1=1
DriveBar2=1
DriveBarFlat=1
DriveCombo=0
HistoryHotlistButtons=1
InterfaceFlat=1
KeyButtons=1
StatusBar=1
TabHeader=1
XPthemeBg=1
[Associations]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\User.ini
[Command line history]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\History.ini
[SplitPerFile]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\History.ini
[SyncOptions]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\User.ini
[USER]
RedirectSection=%COMMANDER_PATH%\User\User.ini
If there is a RedirectSection value encountered during the section, redirect to another ini file.

This method can also be used to set different configurations for different users on the same computer.

This goes beyond the scope of this change. You should open a different issue to track it.

lostindark · 2025-09-18T06:05:44Z

@zufuliu I updated the PR to restore support for PROFILE and APPDATA, please take another look.

zufuliu · 2025-09-18T12:04:25Z

Before applying the change, I'm going to rewrite FindIniFile(), current code is bit complicate (e.g. CheckIniFile() been called 5 times, so likely the rfidList loop and your winget check code), also TestIniFile() and CreateIniFile() seems can be eliminated.

notepad4/src/Notepad4.cpp

Lines 546 to 548 in fd22083

    
           FindIniFile(); 
        
           TestIniFile(); 
        
           CreateIniFile(szIniFile);

zufuliu · 2026-01-07T10:47:27Z

I'm going to integrate the change with some simplifications:

Only check path contains magic string .Winget., I think this should be enough, if this cause problem, we can check a longer magic name. Maybe we could just check WinGet? web search shows installed packages path is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages, C:\Program Files\WinGet\Packages or C:\Program Files (x86)\WinGet\Packages).
CheckIniFile() will be adjusted to search program folder later for winget installation.

Also I remove %USERPROFILE% and %APPDATA% support.
%USERPROFILE% is not supposed to used for storing app configurations. It is meant for user files.
%APPDATA% will roaming across machine, but notepad4.ini contains machine specific data (e.g. window location) so we should not store it there.

Maybe these could be removed, and restored when people use these folders.

lostindark · 2026-01-07T19:16:05Z

I'm going to integrate the change with some simplifications:

Only check path contains magic string .Winget., I think this should be enough, if this cause problem, we can check a longer magic name. Maybe we could just check WinGet? web search shows installed packages path is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages, C:\Program Files\WinGet\Packages or C:\Program Files (x86)\WinGet\Packages).

CheckIniFile() will be adjusted to search program folder later for winget installation.

Also I remove %USERPROFILE% and %APPDATA% support.
%USERPROFILE% is not supposed to used for storing app configurations. It is meant for user files.
%APPDATA% will roaming across machine, but notepad4.ini contains machine specific data (e.g. window location) so we should not store it there.

Maybe these could be removed, and restored when people use these folders.

I think check the parent folder with .Winget. is enough. Notepad4 is a portable package, which should always be installed to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages.

zufuliu · 2026-01-08T10:01:12Z

Should we also copy Notepad4 DarkTheme.ini? unlike the empty Notepad4.ini file, it is regularly updated when a new scheme is added.

…llation, PR #1069.

…, PR #1069.

.

zufuliu · 2026-01-08T13:00:36Z

The changes (changed to case sensitive search WinGet) were committed.

notepad4/src/Notepad4.cpp

Lines 6418 to 6422 in ae37bce

    
           if (StrStr(tchModule, L"WinGet") != nullptr || StrStr(tchModule, L"Chocolatey") != nullptr) { 
        
           	// %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages 
        
           	// ChocolateyInstall 
        
           	portable = false; 
        
           }

Notepad4 DarkTheme.ini is still not copied, I think it can be copied at three times:

on first run inside FindIniFile():

notepad4/src/Notepad4.cpp

Lines 6502 to 6510 in ae37bce

    
           if (status == IniFindStatus::Program && !finder.portable && finder.appData != nullptr) { 
        
           	// copy ini to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Notepad4 
        
           	PathCombine(tchTmp, finder.appData, WC_NOTEPAD4); 
        
           	SHCreateDirectoryEx(nullptr, tchTmp, nullptr); 
        
           	PathAppend(tchTmp, &tchTest[finder.nameIndex]); 
        
           	CopyFile(tchTest, tchTmp, TRUE); 
        
           	// always use %LOCALAPPDATA% for non-portable installation 
        
           	pszFile = tchTmp; 
        
           }

on first use inside FindExtraIniFile():

notepad4/src/Notepad4.cpp

Lines 6548 to 6550 in ae37bce

if (FindUserResourcePath(defaultName, lpszIniFile)) {

return;

}

on first save inside Style_Save():

notepad4/src/Styles.cpp

Lines 898 to 903 in ae37bce

    
           if (np2StyleTheme != StyleTheme_Default) { 
        
           	if (!CreateIniFile(themePath)) { 
        
           		NP2HeapFree(pIniSectionBuf); 
        
           		MsgBoxLastError(MB_OK, IDS_CREATEINI_FAIL); 
        
           		return; 
        
           	}

in any cases, it will become out of sync when a new scheme is added.

zufuliu · 2026-01-08T13:13:26Z

I think check the parent folder with .Winget. is enough. Notepad4 is a portable package, which should always be installed to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages.

Instead of search path for magic strings, maybe we can add a registry (e.g. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Notepad4\portable) to indicate whether current installation is portable. menu "Settings -> Advanced Settings -> Use Portable Settings" can be added to toggle the registry and copy ini files between exe folder and %LOCALAPPDATA%\Notepad4.

…rst run, PR #1069, issue #834.

zufuliu · 2026-01-09T11:50:15Z

I think it can be copied at three times:

Just coped (commit 99498e4) on first run that requires less code.

lostindark changed the title ~~Update notepad4 to use %LOCALAPPDATA% for WinGet installation~~ Use %LOCALAPPDATA% to store ini file for WinGet installation Aug 20, 2025

zufuliu added ✅enhancement 📦packaging / distributing 💪help wanted labels Aug 20, 2025

zufuliu reviewed Aug 27, 2025

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Mapaler mentioned this pull request Sep 17, 2025

Modify the configuration redirection mode #1086

Open

Update notepad4 to use %LOCALAPPDATA% to store ini for WinGet install…

db3c971

…ation

lostindark force-pushed the main branch from 8fdb7ab to db3c971 Compare September 18, 2025 06:00

zufuliu added the ini label Sep 21, 2025

lostindark added 3 commits October 20, 2025 18:20

Merge branch 'zufuliu:main' into main

64341c2

Merge branch 'zufuliu:main' into main

9e902c5

Merge branch 'zufuliu:main' into main

b08f31c

zufuliu removed the ⏸delayed label Jan 7, 2026

zufuliu added this to the v26.01 milestone Jan 7, 2026

zufuliu pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jan 8, 2026

Use %LOCALAPPDATA% to store INI file for WinGet or Chocolatey insta…

7284f17

…llation, PR #1069.

zufuliu pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jan 8, 2026

Stop search INI in %APPDATA%\Notepad4 and %HOME%\Notepad4 folders…

cce404b

…, PR #1069.

zufuliu added a commit that referenced this pull request Jan 8, 2026

Case sensitive search WinGet and Chocolatey to reduce time, PR #1069

ae37bce

.

zufuliu mentioned this pull request Jan 9, 2026

Updating through winget is not smooth #834

Closed

zufuliu linked an issue Jan 9, 2026 that may be closed by this pull request

Updating through winget is not smooth #834

Closed

zufuliu added a commit that referenced this pull request Jan 9, 2026

Also copy Notepad4 DarkTheme.ini to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Notepad4 on fi…

99498e4

…rst run, PR #1069, issue #834.

zufuliu mentioned this pull request Jan 9, 2026

Change INI location for portable package or change how INI distributed in zip assets #1142

Open

Use %LOCALAPPDATA% to store ini file for WinGet installation #1069

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