=== <path /> ===
Location Using A Path
<path ev=”installlocation” path=”DeusEx”/> The path tag lets us specify an actual folder name, but sitll allows us to do so in a format that can adjust automatically for any system. This is attained via environment variables. The environment variable will be replaced with whatever the appropriate path from the system is, and prepended onto the provided path.
The environment variables available for use: allusersprofile A Windows folder that contains data common to all the users. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:ProgramData Windows XP C:Documents and SettingsAll Users altsavepaths This is catch-all folder, it could be literally anywhere. I know it’s not much to go on :( appdata Contains the application data for a particular Windows user. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataRoaming Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME%Application Data commonapplicationdata Contains application data that is common to all users Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:ProgramData Windows XP C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data desktop A per-user folder that contains the files store on a user’s desktop. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%Desktop Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME%Desktop drive Refers to the root of a drive. Any drive. Here are some common examples: Linux /mnt/sda1 Windows C:D:G:T:flashshared Stores cached Adobe Flash data. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataRoamingMacromediaFlash Player#SharedObjects Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME%Application DataMacromediaFlash Player#SharedObjects installlocation This means that the game keeps its saves in its install folder. Here are some common examples: Linux /usr/bin /var/shared Windows C:Program Files C:Program Files (x86) (Common for games on 64-bit Windows) C:Games localappdata Contains the local settings for a particular Windows user. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocal Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME%Local SettingsApplication Data public A special folder only on certain versions of Windows for storing user data common to all the users. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:UsersPublic savedgames A folder only on certain versions of Windows specifically for storing saved games. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%Saved Games startmenu The folder that contains the files for Windows’ start menu. There is one for each user, and a global one that all users share. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 User: C:Users%USER%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuGlobal: C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart Menu Windows XP User: C:Documents and Settings%USER%Start Menu Global: C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersStart Menu steamcommon This is the location where Steam keeps games that don’t use its integrated GCF system (which is most games). Here are some common examples: Windows C:Program FilesSteamsteamappscommon steamsourcemods This folder contains the files for mods for Valve’s Source game engine. Here are some common examples: Windows C:Program FilesSteamsteamappsSourceMods steamuser This location stores per-user settings, saves and cache files for Valve’s game distributed through Steam. Here are some common examples: Windows C:Program FilesSteamsteamapps%STEAMUSERNAME% steamuserdata This folder stores Steam Cloud data. This data is automatically backed up onto Steam’s servers. Here are some common examples: Windows C:Program FilesSteamuserdata%STEAMID% ubisoftsavestorage The save location used by the Ubisoft Game Launcher Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalUbisoft Game Launchersavegame_storage%RANDOMNUMBERS%Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME%Local SettingsApplication DataUbisoft Game Launchersavegame_storage%RANDOMNUMBERS%userdocuments The user’s document folder. Here are some common examples: Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME%Documents Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME%My Documents userprofile This folder contains all the files related to a particular user. Here are some common examples: Linux /home/%USERNAME%/ Windows Vista, 7 & 8 C:Users%USERNAME% Windows XP C:Documents and Settings%USERNAME% Different versions of a game can install to all kinds of locations, so if a game keeps its saves in the install folder we have to specify as many different install paths as we can discover. For Deus Ex, the CD, Steam and GoG.com versions all install to different locations, so we add a path element for each one:
<path ev=”installlocation” path=”DeusEx”/> <path ev=”installlocation” path=”GOG.comDeus Ex”/> <path ev=”steamcommon” path=”deus ex”/> If we’re lucky, the game keeps its saves somewhere other than the install folder, which usually means that all versions of the gam use the exact same path. A good example, and one that most games follow these days, is using the “My Documents” folder. Deus Ex’s sequel, Invisible War, was wise enough to do this:
<path ev=”userdocuments” path=”Deus Ex - Invisible War”/> This will check each user’s My Documents folder for a path called “Deus Ex - Invisible War”, and should work for the disc, Steam, Impulse, Gog.com or any other versions of the game. This is not universal unfortuantely, as some games (like Alan Wake) use different folder names for different versions, despite all using folders like My Documents.