Portable (USB) install using 3.6.7 from nethack.org?

[cookie]

Returning to NetHack after a while, I am trying to configure the standard 3.6.7 windows build (NetHackW.exe) to run from a root folder on a USB stick - is this still possible? Whatever I try it seems to insist on creating and using files in windoze folders (ProgramData and user profile). I just want a single user setup that I can run from a USB stick...
E.g. using "sysconf" to redirect all folders:
CONFIGDIR=d:\games\nethack\config
TROUBLEDIR=d:\games\nethack\trouble
HACKDIR=d:\games\nethack
LEVELDIR=d:\games\nethack\temp
SAVEDIR=d:\games\nethack\saves
BONESDIR=d:\games\nethack\bones
SCOREDIR=d:\games\nethack\scores
LOCKDIR=d:\games\nethack\temp
...still recreates and uses the profile .nethackrc.
Have I missed something obvious? There's nothing helpful on reddit and nethackwiki.com doesn't have anything relevant either.
Any help appreciated. Mark C

[Pat Rankin]

On Friday, July 21, 2023 at 11:14:32 AM UTC-7, cookie wrote:
> E.g. using "sysconf" to redirect all folders:

[...]

> Any help appreciated. Mark C

I believe that the sysconf directive 'PORTABLE_DEVICE_PATHS' is
supposed to do exactly what you're asking for.

I've never tried it. I think you need to both uncomment it (remove
the leading hash) and change the value from 0 to 1.

[cookie]

On Friday, July 21, 2023 at 11:14:07 PM UTC+1, Pat Rankin wrote:
> On Friday, July 21, 2023 at 11:14:32 AM UTC-7, cookie wrote:
> > E.g. using "sysconf" to redirect all folders:
> [...]
> > Any help appreciated. Mark C
> I believe that the sysconf directive 'PORTABLE_DEVICE_PATHS' is
> supposed to do exactly what you're asking for.

Thanks very much Pat! This is not in the sysconf.template but I do remember reading about this - I found it again buried around line 5624 in the guidebook.txt.

Now to try not to die too often as I remember how to play...

[B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson]

On Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:14:29 -0700 (PDT), cookie wrote:

> I just want a single user setup that I can run from a USB stick...

[...]

> HACKDIR=d:\games\nethack
> LEVELDIR=d:\games\nethack\temp

> BONESDIR=d:\games\nethack\bones

In addition to the sysconfig "PORTABLE_DEVICE_PATHS = 1" setting Pat
already mentioned, you probably should consider using relative path
entries to get a _real_ portable setup, like:

HACKDIR=.
LEVELDIR=.\temp
BONESDIR=.\bones

Please note, that path settings from .nethackrc (user settings) override
these from sysconfig (system settings). Best to check that every path
points to the intended location with:

NetHackW.exe --showpaths

Some information on Windows (portable) settings can be found here:
https://www.nethack.org/v367/bugmore/WinFilePaths.txt

BeAr
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