Feature request: either obey XDG fs paths, or let us override MACKUP_CONFIG_FILE, CUSTOM_APPS_DIR

[kergoth]

See http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html. ~/.config/mackup/* would be ideal, rather than cluttering up the homedir with yet another dotfile.

[mwilliammyers]

huge 👍

[lra]

So mackup should look at the $XDG_CONFIG_HOME env var and try to look for the .mackup.cfg and all the custom application files? All in addition to the usual $HOME place?

Makes sense?

[mwilliammyers]

It would be either/or:
So if $XDG_CONFIG_HOME is set it would look at: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/mackup.cfg (notice these files/dirs are not invisible), if it is not set, then it will look at: $HOME/.mackup.cfg. I'm wondering how the ~/.mackup directory (for custom app.cfg files or to override default app.cfg files) would be represented as well... Maybe they would just be in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup alongside mackup.cfg?

See the --global option under the git docs for a good example of how they obey the XDG spec.

[lra]

Ok then:

1. try $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/ and $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup.cfg if they exist.
2. if not, try $HOME/.mackup/ and $HOME/.mackup.cfg
3. if not, no config.

Make sense?

[kergoth]

Sounds reasonable to me.

[mwilliammyers]

It is customary for every app/package to have their own directory in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME (or any other XDG directory), so it would be:

1. try $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/ and $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/mackup.cfg if they exist.
2. if not, try $HOME/.mackup/ and $HOME/.mackup.cfg
3. if not, no config.

That way the only directory mackup ever interfaces with is: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/

I love this package by the way. Nice work!

[lra]

Can't we have 2 things: the mackup config .mackup.cfg and the custom application database, mackup/*. But in the custom application database, there can be one for mackup, so in your suggestion, mackup/mackup.cfg would lead to bothe the mackup config, and the application database entry for mackup.

Unless we move everything one level deeper, e.g.$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/mackup/* =(

Can you link to any reference to this "customary" behavior?

[mwilliammyers]

Am I understanding you correctly that, as it stands right now does it:

1. try: $HOME/.mackup/mackup.cfg
2. if not, try:$HOME/.mackup.cfg
3. if not, no config.

If you want to keep it consistent between XDG and non XDG, it could behave like your original suggestion:

1. try $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/ and $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup.cfg if they exist.
2. if not, try $HOME/.mackup/ and $HOME/.mackup.cfg
3. if not, no config.

[lra]

No, $HOME/.mackup/mackup.cfg and $HOME/.mackup.cfg are 2 different things.
The former is a custom app database entry for mackup, the later is the mackup config.

[mwilliammyers]

Ok that makes a lot more sense.
Then you original suggestion:

1. try $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup/ and $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mackup.cfg if they exist.
2. if not, try $HOME/.mackup/ and $HOME/.mackup.cfg
3. if not, no config.

is definitely the way to go.

So basically: $HOME is interchangeable with $XDG_CONFIG_HOME except that in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME you don't hide the directories or files...

[lra]

ok let's do it then, PR welcome ;)

[mwilliammyers]

Awesome, Ill see if I can do a PR soon

[NorthIsUp]

added this #1987