Configuration storage survey

[Murray]

Hi everyone,

I'm busy working on getting Ad Muncher fully Vista compatible and I have one quick question to ask you all.

Currently Ad Muncher stores its configuration files (config.dat, customstrings.dat, amafstrings.dat) in its program files folder. To help with Vista compatibility we will be moving these to an appropriate "app data" folder for either the current user or all users, depending on how Ad Muncher is configured, and which configuration file it is.

So in short, Ad Muncher's configuration files would be moved from:

C:\Program Files\Ad Muncher

To something like:

C:\Users\[Account name]\AppData\Local\Ad Muncher

or

C:\Users\All Users\Ad Muncher

This would provide benefits for users under all versions of Windows (not just Vista), and really is where they should have been stored from the start.

My question is whether anyone would want an option to have Ad Muncher continue to store their configuration in the program files folder. This option wouldn't work under a normal Vista install, I don't *think* anyone would find it too useful, and it would be an added option people would have to think about when installing. So if nobody has a need for it I'll just have the installer move the config files to their new locations and be done with it.

Also note that if you need to have the configuration files stored in some other place, there will be a file in Ad Muncher's program folder that can be edited to change the locations.

If you aren't sure what any of the above means, please answer "no" to the poll question.

Thanks for taking part


Yours sincerely,

Murray Hurps

[Arjo]

I'd prefer a setting "Use same configuration for all users" which would place the config file in the "All Users" profile", vs the <myname> profile.

Or, if the user has a "personal" config, use that, and otherwise use the "All Users" by default.

I think you know what I mean

[Noctem]

I think having the option available upon installation would be nice, as I normally install AM to computers with a single user, and not normally Vista. We all know AM is no stranger to boatloads of options

Would it be possible for the install process to detect Vista and bypass or disable that particular installation option and properly use the %AppData% path?

[Murray]

I should have mentioned that there will indeed be an option in the installer to either have the single configuration shared amongst all users, or to have each user have their own configuration. So this will be possible Arjo.

Noctem: The option would also benefit restricted NT-based setups, which are not too uncommon, but it would indeed be possible to disable the "Use program files folder" option if the installer can see that that won't be possible.

And yes, Ad Muncher is no stranger to having too many options, but that's not really something I want to continue or exacerbate further

Thanks for taking the time to reply

[caryasil]

I'll use the option at work for 2 reaons. 1. no administrator rights, 2. small space for the roaming profile.
saving the configuration in the user home will lead to a problem for me.

[PoppaGnome]

I don't understand the concept that is being discussed and I must say that it doesn't worry me if changes are made as long as upgrading is simple and the program still works as good as it does now.
Yep I'm getting too old to learn new tricks lol, so the simpler the program is to install and operate the better I think it is.

[edloach]

I voted No. As you say, settings files shouldn't really be in the Program Files path. It not only causes problems under Vista, but often (I don't know about AdMuncher) for standard XP Users (rather than Admin ones, which is what most people seem to use). Users generally shouldn't have write access to the application's folder (which is why in Vista you need to install as administrator, and get prompted by UAC - automatically I believe if Setup appears in the setup file's name). I've a couple of machines at home where the wireless network cards only work for XP admin users rather than standard users, which is down to a similar issue.

[edloach]

I'll use the option at work for 2 reaons. 1. no administrator rights,

Just a quick thought - if you don't have administrator rights, how can you install software?

[marmottin]

That's a "Yes" for me.

Because I like to find my configuration files in the same folder of the related applications > cleaner.
Because I install my softwares outside of the Windows partition (yes I could move the 'My Documents', but I don't use those personal folders so the less I find inside the better it is )
And yes I use Ad Muncher at home at the moment so that's why

By the way, if you can install a software on a limited account, it should be able to write files on its folder... At least that's what I noticed when I worked on a limited account (but that was with XP).

[FlyingHorse]

I think that good programming practices dictate that the configuration data goes into:

x:\Users\[Account name]\AppData\Roaming\AdMuncher

or

x:\ProgramData\AdMuncher

if you must store configuration info in a folder. Otherwise use the registry for its intended function of storing configuration data. The reason I suggest the Roaming subdirectory is to better facilitate usage in a multi volume business environment.

Just my two cents. Also thanks for allowing us, the end user, to give feedback. I wish more software companies / programmers would follow your lead.

HTH

[addie]

x:\Users\[Account name]\AppData\Roaming\AdMuncher

or

C:\Program Files\Admuncher\settings\

[aquila2k]

x:\Users\[Account name]\AppData\Roaming\AdMuncher

[Shamurai]

x:\Users\[Account name]\AppData\Roaming\AdMuncher

This is the way it should have been done since Win2k and XP had been made available, in my opinion. User settings, except in certain applications, should always be stored in the appdata folder of either the users name directory in the users/docs & settings folder or the all users folder depending on the required interaction with user settings. Storing settings in program files, thus leaving that folder writable, causes security issues which can infect an entire system if a rogue application attempts to find writable folders inside the program files directory.

[SirDracula]

Yes, please. It can be in the AdMuncher folder or any other folder that all users of a computer have access to (e.g. configurable by the user). This is useful on home computers that are shared by multiple members of the same household. I don't want to have to maintain multiple sets of identical settings.

[Klaatu]

No.

Although more options in general is good, storing Ad Muncher configuration files to an appropriate "app data" folder with an option in the installer (to either have the single configuration shared amongst all users, or to have each user have their own configuration) like Eudora offers, for instance, will facilitate data backup and I'm religious about backing up data.

If all config files are in one folder, no need for wildcards in backup filter.