clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> Am 07.10.2018 um 21:15 schrieb Shinzo:
>
> > It seems that the default directory layout fallback is not working as expected.
>
> Just so that we're on the same page here: Be aware that there is an OLD
> default directory layout and a NEW default directory laout.
>
> The v3.6 (and earlier) default layout had the sample scenes, include
> files and master INI files inside the program's installation location.
>
> The v3.7 (and later) default layout has the sample scenes, include files
> and master INI files inside the user directory.
>
> This change was made because since Vista, users no longer have write
> access to the program directory (not without hassle anyway); so it would
> have been a pain to change the master INI file, or even just render a
> sample scene for giggles.
>
> > When installing POV-Ray 3.7 with INSTALL-DIR and USER-DIR pointing to the same
> > directory the installer puts everything in the install dir and nothing to the
> > user documents directory. Running POV-Ray then works just fine. However if you
> > then make a backup copy of the directory and uninstall POV-Ray and then run it
> > from the prevously made backup directory it will tell you with a dialog
> > something like:
> >
> > POV-Ray is not installed.
> > Using default directory layout.
> > Directory ***** is default directory.
>
> Yes, that is to be expected: The choice of INSTALL-DIR and USER-DIR is
> normally stored in the registry; uninstalling will also wipe out this
> information.
>
> If you then run POV-Ray without properly installing it, POV-Ray will
> again presume the (new!) default locations for INSTALL-DIR and USER-DIR.
>
> >
> > While previous versions prior to 3.7 then worked fine the current version won't
> > find the include files because it searches for them in the user documents
> > folder.
>
> Previous versions didn't have to make this distinction.
>
> > It doesn't use the default directory layout nor it uses the user-dir given
> > during installation.
>
> It /does/ use the new(!) default directory layout; that's exactly what's
> causing you trouble. And what installation? Since you've uninstalled.
> that installation you had done much earlier remains nothing more than a
> fever dream.
>
>
> > I used the default directory layout fallback with previous versions to make a
> > portable version of POV-Ray which I could put on an USB-Drive without the need
> > to install POV-Ray on the system.
>
> Yes, the bad news is that POV-Ray v3.7 does not support "portable
> installation" (or whatever you want to call it).
>
> This leaves room for improvement, but it is not a bug.

First thanks for the reply and the detailed explanation. I personally don't
understand why the team had to make the user-documents folder the new default
directory layout. Onestly this negiglates the sense and purpose of a "default
directory layout" as it would only make sense when it would take grip only when
POVRay is NOT installed and has written NOTHING to user documents directory.
This is exactly the message I get from the dialog at the first start.

And btw. the dialog tells me that the new default directory is indeed the new
backup
directory. So someone is now lying to me and it seems it's the dialog about the
new default directory.

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