Feature #8175
openConfigurable config directory in Linux (shell ENV variable OR use $XDG_CONFIG_HOME)
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Description
I noticed that chirp creates a ~/.chirp configuration directory. Is there a setting
somewhere to override where this is held? I've looked at the docs and faq but
haven't seen any.
Over the past decade or so linux applications FIRST started supporting environment
variables to point to the configuration directory for the app. LATER they started
using the $XDG_CONFIG_HOME directory tree
Either one of these would be a great addition to the application
Most modern applications adhere to the XDG BASE DIRECTORY SPECIFICATION
Allowing users to set $XDG_CONFIG_HOME and the program then places it's config
directory under this directory - all major Linux distributions I think support
this as well as all the derivatives from them.
This allows the user to keep his home directory clean and less cluttered.
Basically the application checks to see if
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/
it in preference to* ~/
loading the configuration from the appropriate directory
If you are unfamiliar details can be found here: * https://specifications.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html*
It shouldn't be a big job to add but would tidy up the home directories of Linux users
thanks
ian
Updated by Rudolph Gutzerhagen over 4 years ago
see the developer list/forum for June & July 2020
"XDG patch proposed":http://intrepid.danplanet.com/pipermail/chirp_devel/2020-June/005972.html
"XDG implementation concerns":http://intrepid.danplanet.com/pipermail/chirp_devel/2020-July/005987.html
You can expand this to see the issues of migration, backward compatibility, user preferences, changing horses mid-stream, etc.