32 minutes ago, Riamus said:
I'm not sure that you are understanding %appdata% and what a User Data Folder is. %appdata% is just the default location (%appdata%\7DaysToDie\). If you have multiple versions of the game installed, you should be setting different User Data Folders for each version. If they all use the same location, they'll all use the same mods, which wouldn't work for different versions, saves will be mixed up so you'll see everything in each version even if they aren't compatible, and logs will all be mixed together. Definitely NOT the right way to do things, and I'm guessing you're not doing that. You set up separate User Data Folders for each version. Where you put those is entirely up to you. The game may someday lose the ability to read the Mods folder within the game directory without setting up a User Data Folder pointing to that location. So it is best to have the User Data Folder set up correctly now, regardless where you place the folders (The can even all be in %appdata%\7DaysToDie\ with different subfolders- A20, A21, 1.0, etc). Only if you're only using a single location and it is in %appdata%\7DaysToDie\ do you not need to worry about doing so because that's the default location. If they are in the game directory and an update removes that from being automatically scanned, you will not have access to anything there until you add a User Data Folder location.
Setting the User Data Folder would let you place them wherever you want. That should work in all versions of the game, regardless of source.
It's fine if that's where you want to place things (until it's no longer being read). My question was regarding what is the official statement on it so I can explain to new players. It is a bad idea for anyone (or any group) to tell players they should be installing mods into the game folder. If someone wants to do that, then that's on them, but it should not be how it is explained to them as being the "right" way to do things. You'll get all kinds of people who have problems down the road with no idea how to fix them rather than giving them the correct information. That's why I wanted to verify that the information I had was still correct.
You can still set User Data Folder in the serverconfig.xml file and that is the correct way to do it if you're not using the -userdatafolder switch in the shortcut or in Steam. It may also be possible to use that switch in other platforms like GamePass, though I don't know for sure. Even if they don't allow launch parameters, you can still put it into the shortcut. Only the separate Save location was removed and now uses the User Data Folder instead of being a separate location.
I most certainly do know about %appdata%, I've been in I.T. since long before Windows even existed 😁. I maybe didn't write my previous post as clearly as i could have.
Example of folders separated correctly ~
i have Joke Mod in "F:\games\7 Days to Die\7.Days.to.Die.a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod"
it's mods (in "F:\games\7 Days to Die\7.Days.to.Die.a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod\Mods") ~
0-CustomParticleLoader
AGF-A20HUDPlus-EPatch1.0.1
AGF-A21HUDPlus-Addon1.4.0
AGF-A21HUDPlus1.8.0
Alter_PictureInPictureScopes
donovan-longerlootbags
JaWoodleDye
Joke Mod
KHA21-HPBars
Secret Pr0n (this is part of Joke Mod !)
Zed-A21-OakravenMonoBikes
it's save folder (in "F:\games\7 Days to Die\UserDataFolder\7DTD-a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod") ~
GeneratedWorlds
launchersettings.json
logs
Saves
SavesLocal
Screenshots
titlestorage
Twitch
The 2 relevant serverconfig.xml lines for Joke Mod's folder location ~
<property name="UserDataFolder" value="F:\games\7 Days to Die\UserDataFolder\7DTD-a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod" /> <!-- Use this to override where the server stores all generated data, including RWG generated worlds. Do not forget to uncomment the entry! -->
<property name="SaveGameFolder" value="F:\games\7 Days to Die\UserDataFolder\7DTD-a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod\Saves" /> <!-- Use this to only override the save game path. Do not forget to uncomment the entry! -->
I keep a separate shortcut for each version/overhaul, so for Joke Mod's shortcut to launch the game ~
Shortcut target ~
"F:\games\7 Days to Die\7.Days.to.Die.a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod\7DaysToDie.exe" -configfile=serverconfig.xml
Shortcut "Start in" ~
"F:\games\7 Days to Die\7.Days.to.Die.a21.2.(b37).Hotfix.with.Joke.Mod"
So i probably didn't word my previous post re UserDatafolder as good as i should have, hopefully this makes more sense, and my way of doing things here is the accepted 7 Days method and is valid/correct, no files or mods are mixed up between the various versions ; it's decades since i last moderated one of Europe's largest forums (ie back when i was good at uploading photos to the internet to make things easier to explain), i haven't had a want or need to upload photo's of things anywhere on the net since then so im being lazy and typing, hopefully this now makes sense (without screenshots)
*** I'm glad of your post as that post, plus this reply by me (even without screenshots) will show anyone how to properly set up separate instances, it's appreciated, i wrote my previous reply whilst working and i obviously wasn't paying enough thought to detail