Unter Windows Settings on wrong location

[CanastraRF]

When I install nrfconnect and Toolchain Manager on a fresh windows I get three folder in the root of the user profile.

• %USERPROFILE%\.nrfconnect-apps
• %USERPROFILE%\ncs
• %USERPROFILE%\Nordic

The folder %USERPROFILE% is only for user data and not for program settings.

Please move this folder to %APPDATA% for settings and %LOCALAPPDATA% for caches.
Since more then 25 years they are the folder for program settings.

[datenreisender]

This issue is probably better off in the NordicSemiconductor/pc-nrfconnect-toolchain-manager repo, so I will move it there.

I am aware that some bigger (re)work on the toolchains is planned but I have no clue about the time frame and whether respecting this request is likely.

[eabase]

BUMP !

This really need to be updated...
It's getting worse, now the directories are scattered around the entire system!

Having tried to install in a specified directory: C:\ncs, instead we have:

ls C:\ncs\

   downloads
   tmp
   toolchains
   v2.3.0-rc1
   v2.4.0

and also in:

C:\Users\<username>\.nrfconnect-apps
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming

Why is it not possible to install all nRF related tools, packages and dependencies in one place?
I.e. In one top directory?

[datenreisender]

I am sorry that the current placement of files is causing you problems.

Just addressing where nRF Connect for Desktop is placing its files: If you want to use different locations for those, it is possible today but a bit cumbersome. Cumbersome, because it involves passing command line arguments, which is not a typical thing people do when invoking graphical apps.

You can use the command line argument --apps-root-dir to specify where nRF Connect for Desktop stores the apps (instead of %USERPROFILE%\.nrfconnect-apps on windows) and --user-data-dir to specify where it stores data (instead of %APPDATA%/nrfconnect).

So, e.g. by passing the command line arguments --apps-root-dir C:\ncs\nrf-connect-for-desktop-apps --user-data-dir C:\ncs\nrf-connect-for-desktop-data, these things will also be placed in folders under C:\ncs.

Please note, that this affects most files, but there are exceptions. E.g. because nRF Connect for Desktop interacts with many other tools. This becomes especially evident with the Toolchain Manager: E.g. when using it to install nRF Connect for VS Code, the VS Code extensions are placed by VS Code to where it needs them.

I am aware, that still the default placement of files could be better for nRF Connect for Desktop on Windows. But it is also unlikely that this will be addressed soon. So I am hoping that using the described command line arguments can at least help you a little bit.

[eabase]

@datenreisender

Hi Marko,

Thank you so much for the CLI argument tips. However, as you just said, it's unlikely this will be useful, for the exact reasons you mention, e.g. that VS Code uses it's own, and so does the MinGW/MSYS2 shell. It was already hell trying to locate the most basic thing like .bashrc as there were half dozen other locations to look at.

So what is the actual CLI command to apply the arguments to?

what_mystery.exe --apps-root-dir 'C:\ncs\nrf-connect-for-desktop-apps' --user-data-dir 'C:\ncs\nrf-connect-for-desktop-data'

[datenreisender]

Hi @eabase, sorry for taking so long to respond:

You would need to specify the arguments when launching nRF Connect for Desktop. E.g. if you have a shortcut to nRF Connect for Desktop on the desktop, you could right-click on it, select “Properties” and there under “Shortcut” in “Target” you probably find "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\nRF Connect for Desktop.exe". If you change that to "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\nRF Connect for Desktop.exe" --apps-root-dir C:\ncs\nrf-connect-for-desktop-apps --user-data-dir C:\ncs\nrf-connect-for-desktop-data it should work as expected.