Uninstall not successful completely

Lucio

Hi all. I am a long time user of doomsday engine and I've never had problems using version 1.9.0, neither with Hexen, nor with Doom.
I wanted to try to install the realase 1.9.8 to try it with Hexen.

The problem is this: after unpacking the resource pack ver. 1.0 / 20070504, I launched the program and when it appeared the message "Loading addons" the wheel has stopped and the program crashed.
So, I completely uninstalled it to see if a clean install would solve the problem, but when I reinstalled in a new path (ex. d:\ instead e:\) it in the section "addons", it shows the old resource pack as if it were unpacked and ready to be loaded, but in fact, the "\snowberry\addons" folder is empty.

I would like make to detect it the presence of a new resource pack the "jXRP XCCP.box1", but he continues to show the old package in the sections"addons" as if the folder doesn't empty and not charge me the new one.

Do you know how can I do to fix this?

I have Windows 7 64-bit SP1, Core Duo E8400, GeForce 560 Ti as video card.

Sorry for the bad english, I hope you understand me the same

Thanks for all!

Sobol

Hi, on Windows 7, Snowberry makes a directory in documents folder. Look for 'Users\[user name]\Documents\Doomsday Frontend\addons' and clear it.

Lightning Hunter

Sobol wrote:

Hi, on Windows 7, Snowberry makes a directory in documents folder. Look for 'Users\[user name]\Documents\Doomsday Frontend\addons' and clear it.

I wish no programmer would EVER do this. To me, it makes no sense whatsoever to place any game files into Users\Documents. When I choose the location to install a program like Doomsday (I.E. C:\Doomsday), I want it installed to that folder ONLY. When config files are stored in different folders, it makes a mess of things. I always organize my computer how I want it, and not how somebody else wants it. When a new folder is forcefully created in Users\Documents, it messes everything up. Screenshots go to the wrong place, config files, etc.. it makes it way more difficult to make a backup of Doomsday. Instead of just copying the primary Doomsday folder to my external HD, I have to also dig around the Users\Documents section and backup the config files there, too (and I always forget where it is). It's silly.

DaniJ

Storing user data to the user data directory isn't a new fad. This is the recommended place for user data on all platforms Doomsday supports. This isn't a decision a hive mind of programmers has taken, its one laid down by the operating systems we support.

However, if you want to store your user data in the Doomsday install directory you are able to do so by adding the -nohome argument to the Snowberry shortcut.

Lightning Hunter

DaniJ wrote:

Storing user data to the user data directory isn't a new fad. This is the recommended place for user data on all platforms Doomsday supports. This isn't a decision a hive mind of programmers has taken, its one laid down by the operating systems we support.

However, if you want to store your user data in the Doomsday install directory you are able to do so by adding the -nohome argument to the Snowberry shortcut.

I understand that Microsoft (and possibly other platforms) want us to put user information there, but why do developers feel the need to do what they say? Microsoft suggests a lot of ridiculous things that I completely ignore. I mean, what is the advantage to having a folder in Users\Documents? Why is it better to have two game folders with information instead of just one? How is that useful? I already have shortcuts to my most used game folders on my desktop. The last thing I should have to do is create a shortcut to Users\Documents also. Microsoft always seems to add additional steps to Windows, when all they do is irritate users like me who know what they are doing. I just installed Windows 7 for the first time on my new computer, and I spent HOURS getting rid of all the junk I didn't need (and adding advanced features that Microsoft removed since XP). I swear, eventually operating systems will become so geared toward the dumb user that we will only have a few buttons to click with a thousand tutorials per button.

Anyway, I apologize for my rant. It's not directed at Doomsday (or you) directly; I just don't understand the logic behind a second game folder contained within Users\Documents. If you can think of a useful reason for it, then maybe I'll change my mind.

DaniJ

The main reason behind it is to prevent users from inadvertently or perhaps unwittingly breaking their system by messing around with the application's installation. Logically speaking there are two entirely separate types of data which an application must manage a) data which is integral to the application itself (such as executable binaries and support files such as UI graphics) and b) user level data such as configuration settings and documents. By separating the two it greatly reduces the potential for breakages and furthermore, allows the applications to be installed into a write-protected area on your system.

The other benefit to the scheme is that multi-user support becomes relatively trivial in a well implemented application. For example, a system shared by multiple users can all have their own Doomsday configurations which exist entirely separately from one another. This means that user B can readily configure Doomsday according to their own preferences without worrying about how this might affect other users.

Naturally there are of course ways to implement the same sort of functionality without storing that information into another directory. However, surely it is better to adopt a common model used by many applications rather than roll out our own solution to the problem.

That said, on a system with a single "power-user" this separation might seem somewhat redundant and in many ways obtrusive. However, by default we assume the common model because it is what most users have come to expect.

Lightning Hunter

DaniJ wrote:

The main reason behind it is to prevent users from inadvertently or perhaps unwittingly breaking their system by messing around with the application's installation. Logically speaking there are two entirely separate types of data which an application must manage a) data which is integral to the application itself (such as executable binaries and support files such as UI graphics) and b) user level data such as configuration settings and documents. By separating the two it greatly reduces the potential for breakages and furthermore, allows the applications to be installed into a write-protected area on your system.

This is what I mean about dumbing down the process for the masses. Microsoft does this with every new version of Windows, and it drives me insane. I understand it from a business standpoint, but some programmers make it a necessity that is not even configurable. I think Doomsday should have an option during the installation screen for this, for example. Otherwise, I have an unnecessary folder created in Users\Documents.

That said, on a system with a single "power-user" this separation might seem somewhat redundant and in many ways obtrusive. However, by default we assume the common model because it is what most users have come to expect.

Don't you think this just about describes every Doomsday Engine user? I seriously doubt there are two people in the same household that play Doomsday. I also don't know of anyone that has come to expect a game to store information in User\Documents. Since the dawn of gaming on PC, games have always installed to a single folder of the users choice, and every bit of data for that game is stored there. This is what users have come to expect. I am always tricked when I learn there are config files stored in Users\Documents, because I don't expect it. Another complaint I have is that every single program places their data in a different folder contained in Users\Documents. For example, Doomsday stores everything in Users\XXXX\Documents\Doomsday Frontend (and is actually the only program there so far). Most other programs are stored in Users\XXXX\Local\Appdata. some are even stored directly in Users\XXXX. That's not convenient at ALL. My user folder has become a maze of random folders created from various programs. I don't want to have to memorize any of that. How am I supposed to back up any of that information?

DaniJ

Adding an option to the installation is a nice idea certainly. We might look into that once we drop Snowberry.

In my experience pretty much every game I install these days puts its user data in Users\<user-name>\Local\Appdata. Granted, Doomsday is currently using Documents (however this came about during the development of Snowberry, back before Vista was launched, so it is to be expected).

The idea being that you simply backup the whole of your User data folder and thats that. Furthermore, Windows will automatically copy everything in there if you decide to upgrade or migrate. This seems far more logical to me and saves the user from actively having to think about backing up myriad different parts of their system.

Unfortunately, Microsoft didn't do what they should have done and made the system mandatory and enforced it for all applications. The lack of this is what has resulted in the current situation where some apps do and others don't (or do differently).

However, whether or not you or I agree with this principally, it is undeniable that the vast majority of computer users appreciate the benefits of this model - i.e., that they don't have to think about it and know immediately where their stuff is (approximately, at least).

Bob Hoskins

Just to throw my 2 cents in: me, my son and my brother all play Doomsday using the same machine and have slightly different settings so having the separation of a user's configuration away from the main folder is great for us. It's what we expect with any game/application. For someone in your position Lightning Hunter (which I agree may well be the majority of people) I can see how this would be deemed an unnecessary level of separation. The suggested idea of an option during installation is a neat solution.