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#1 2022-06-23 20:10:31

bigdaddy
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Registered: 2022-06-23
Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

New user here (obviously), when I see others try and configure their downloaded programs they usually have a directory in ~/.config/$PROGRAM where they have their config files

For example in the man page for lf:

"Configuration files should be located at:
System-wide: /etc/lf/lfrc
User-specific: ~/.config/lf/lfrc"

However after downloading and installing lf found on AUR with makepkg -si, not only does it not create a ~/.config/lf/ directory it does not create a /etc/lf directory either. After realizing this, I noticed that some other programs that I have installed are in the same situation (dwm, st).

EDIT:

My workflow (based on the wiki):
git clone https://lf-repo
cd lf
makepkg -si
sudo pacman -U lf-version.pkh.tar.zst


I guess I'm just wondering if someone can point me in the right direction to look!

Last edited by bigdaddy (2022-06-24 05:03:13)

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#2 2022-06-23 20:16:38

jasonwryan
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From: .nz
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 30,424
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Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

Arch packaging specifies that nothing touches your $HOME but you.

Suckless programs don't use /etc: they are configured in config.def.h as a rule.

Last edited by jasonwryan (2022-06-23 20:17:45)


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#3 2022-06-23 20:16:59

teckk
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Registered: 2013-02-21
Posts: 518

Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

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#4 2022-06-23 20:21:14

bigdaddy
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Registered: 2022-06-23
Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files


I've seen those, however I'm wondering if I'm supposed to create my own files in .config/ and then create my own config file or is it supposed to do it automatically. I guess the poster above kind of answered my question. I'm assuming I have to make my own files, but I'm wondering how lf knows to look at my .config/lf/lfrc.

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#5 2022-06-23 20:22:38

bigdaddy
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Registered: 2022-06-23
Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

jasonwryan wrote:

Arch packaging specifies that nothing touches your $HOME but you.

Suckless programs don't use /etc: they are configured in config.def.h as a rule.


Okay so it sounds like I have to create my own program directories in .config files, because nobody is supposed to touch anything in my home dir? Let me know if that sounds right.

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#6 2022-06-23 20:35:35

jasonwryan
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From: .nz
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 30,424
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Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

Yes. Arch does the packaging, you do the configuration.


Arch + dwm   •   Mercurial repos  •   Surfraw

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#7 2022-06-23 21:02:33

qinohe
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From: Netherlands
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 1,494

Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

Hmm, I do very much agree with jasonwryan, you are resposible for creating config files in your home dir.
However, there are a few programs that create a dir in .config or a 'rc' file in your home dir.
They do that the first time you use such a program, some only create a dir.(ranger) some place 'database' files and whatnot in it(darktable) F.I. or an empty config.ini(gcolor3)+dir. in .config etcet. - this should only happen the first time you use such programs.

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#8 2022-06-23 21:04:46

Trilby
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Registered: 2011-11-29
Posts: 29,422
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Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

While each program can be different, there are two common practices for config files:

1) The package provides (i.e., pacman installs) a system-wide config file under /etc, then anyting under ~/.config/ would only need settings to override the system-wide ones.  Any user who was happy with the system-wide settings would not need their own config under ~/.config/

2) The package provides a template config file under /usr/share that the user then might copy to the appropriate path under ~/.config to make their own edits.

The case of `lf` appears to mostly follow the first of these, but there is no default config packaged.  This can also be fairly common when the software will run just fine with built in defaults with no configuration file at all.  You as the user then can create either a system-wide or user-specific config file to specify or override any settings you want to change from their built-in defaults.

qinohe wrote:

However, there are a few programs that create a dir in .config or a 'rc' file in your home dir.

True, but program != package and run != install.

qinohe wrote:

... this should only happen the first time you use such programs.

Not really true.  The software can do as it wishes with files under ~/.config.  What you describe is common, but far from a rule.  Many programs will change content under ~/.config regularly - especially programs with in-program configuration options.  Ideally such software would have documentation instructing the user on which files they should edit by hand and which one the software may change / overwrite - but this is also not really standardized in any way.

Last edited by Trilby (2022-06-23 21:08:21)


"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

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#9 2022-06-23 21:17:18

qinohe
Member
From: Netherlands
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 1,494

Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

Trilby wrote:

True, but program != package and run != install.

Agreed;)

Not really true.  The software can do as it wishes with files under ~/.config.  What you describe is common, but far from a rule.  Many programs will change content under ~/.config regularly - especially programs with in-program configuration options.  Ideally such software would have documentation instructing the user on which files they should edit by hand and which one the software may change / overwrite - but this is also not really standardized in any way.

This is true, I thought I at least mention it, thanks for your more complete answer.

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#10 2022-06-24 05:02:51

bigdaddy
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Registered: 2022-06-23
Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Installations not creating ~/.config files

Thank you guys for the insight!

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