The "PluginData" request again

[Gordon Dry]

There are still some mods out there with changeable settings like UI window positions and these settings are NOT stored inside the Plugins\PluginData folder so every time a UI window was moved and the game is started later the MM will patch everything from the scratch.

So I do a request to place a sticky note to all modders to avoid that.

[TheRagingIrishman]

7 hours ago, Gordon Dry said:

There are still some mods out there with changeable settings like UI window positions and these settings are NOT stored inside the Plugins\PluginData folder so every time a UI window was moved and the game is started later the MM will patch everything from the scratch.

So I do a request to place a sticky note to all modders to avoid that.

Better to just ask for that to be changed in the individual mod thread if you find one that isn't using /PluginData

[DStaal]

I actually have a request on this, since the topic's come up...

Currently the standard is: GameData/<ModName>/PluginData/<files>.  This has the benefit of being easy to install, but has severe disadvantages when upgrading, and it's easy to inadvertently delete all your personalization data, saved information, etc.  It also complicates the 'clean install' instructions of 'remove the mod's folder, and replace it with a fresh download', in the cases where the mod uses persistant data that the user might want to keep.  

I would like to propose the use of this format instead: GameData/PluginData/<ModName>/<files>.  This is slightly harder to install, as you may need to merge PluginData folders - but only slightly.  And it gives great advantages in upgrading and replacing mods, as the PluginData folder will naturally be preserved.  (And for the truly clean reinstall, it will only add a slight additional piece, in removing the PluginData sub-folder.)

Overall, I think this would in general reduce the load on the users, as the upgrade action is preformed most often, vs. the install 'truly clean reinstall' which are performed only intermittently.

[magico13]

12 minutes ago, DStaal said:

I would like to propose the use of this format instead: GameData/PluginData/<ModName>/<files>.

In this case I'd almost prefer the use of the PluginData folder that already exists in the main Kerbal Space Program folder, but it adds a problem when including config files in the download since there's not just a single GameData folder to merge.

As a mod author, I'll do whatever is the most common (and thus expected by a user). I don't anticipate it moving away from GameData/<mod>/PluginData since that provides a single repository for a mod where it can do whatever it wants without accidentally messing with anyone else.