Where is screenshot_dir?

[Paul Gilmartin]

[     0.618][INFO] [ This is Stellarium 26.2 (v26.2.0) - https://stellarium.org/ ]
     0.619][INFO] Operating System: macOS Sequoia (15.7.9)

stellarium --help tells me:
--screenshot-dir  : Specify directory to save screenshots

Is this a path
o relative to user_dir?
o absolute?
o relative to the directory in whhic
  the "stellarium" command issued?
o other?

Is this best set in the config panel or by
editing config.ini?

(For example, "--user-dir" is relative to the
directory in which the "stellarium" command issued.)

Is this made clear for all path-like options?

Using an external monitor, both command-s and
control-s simply turn the screen all black ane
I find no screenshot.

--
Thanks,
gil

[Alexander V. Wolf]

Пн, 24 авг. 2026 г. в 05:15, 'Paul Gilmartin' via Stellarium <stell...@googlegroups.com>:

[     0.618][INFO] [ This is Stellarium 26.2 (v26.2.0) - https://stellarium.org/ ]
      0.619][INFO] Operating System: macOS Sequoia (15.7.9)

stellarium --help tells me:
--screenshot-dir  : Specify directory to save screenshots

Is this a path
o relative to user_dir?
o absolute?
o relative to the directory in whhic
   the "stellarium" command issued?
o other?

As you defined…

Is this best set in the config panel or by
editing config.ini?

As I remember on macOS it will ~/Documents/Pictures/Stellarium by default (details in SUG)

(For example, "--user-dir" is relative to the
directory in which the "stellarium" command issued.)

Is this made clear for all path-like options?

Using an external monitor, both command-s and
control-s simply turn the screen all black ane
I find no screenshot.

With best regards, Alexander Wolf.

[Paul Gilmartin]

On 8/23/26 16:23, Alexander V. Wolf wrote:
> Is this best set in the config panel or by
>> editing config.ini?
> As I remember on macOS it will ~/Documents/Pictures/Stellarium by default
> (details in SUG)

My fault, thanks.  Long ago I had set a special value and forgotten it.
I deleted the line to revert to default.

Now a mystery.  I have followed instructions in
<https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/work-in-multiple-spaces-mh14112/mac>
to make my external monitor the default, which works.
however, when I
  537  rm xfig.ini  #  ... to use all defaults
  538  stellarium --config-file  xfig.ini &
it opens on the built-in screen.  Is there something
in my config.ini which might override the OS setting?

The difference seems to involve the lines in config.ini:
-screen_number                             = 0
+screen_number                             = 1

The value1works. the value 0 does not.  guide.pdf does
not enlighten me.

Also, Stellarium seems  to have  created config.ini with a line:
-screenshot_dir                            =
"Save Settings" removed than  line.

--
Thanks again,
gil

[Alexander V. Wolf]

Hi!

пн, 24 авг. 2026 г. в 07:59, 'Paul Gilmartin' via Stellarium <stell...@googlegroups.com>:

On 8/23/26 16:23, Alexander V. Wolf wrote:
> Is this best set in the config panel or by
>> editing config.ini?
> As I remember on macOS it will ~/Documents/Pictures/Stellarium by default
> (details in SUG)
My fault, thanks.  Long ago I had set a special value and forgotten it.
I deleted the line to revert to default.

Just for clear understanding - Stellarium check the path at startup and set the default value if the property isn't set.

 

Now a mystery.  I have followed instructions in
<https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/work-in-multiple-spaces-mh14112/mac>
to make my external monitor the default, which works.
however, when I
   537  rm xfig.ini  #  ... to use all defaults
   538  stellarium --config-file  xfig.ini &
it opens on the built-in screen.  Is there something
in my config.ini which might override the OS setting?

The difference seems to involve the lines in config.ini:
-screen_number                             = 0
+screen_number                             = 1

The value1works. the value 0 does not.  guide.pdf does
not enlighten me.

It's a bit complicated case. As I understand you have laptop with built-in screen and probably you have connected external monitor. At startup Stellarium checks number of monitors via Qt mechanism and tried running on monitor 1 (screen_number = 1 - so, probably it's an external monitor), if it not possible then it trying run on default one. Of course you may have virtual screen and it can be invisible by default (it can be part of complicated projection system via OBS for example) and you can define default startup Stellarium on it. Other case - changing numbers of monitors on-the-fly - Stellarium can't follow it because we don't implement this behavior.

So, the good questions here: how much monitors you're have and which is you want to startup?

 

Also, Stellarium seems  to have  created config.ini with a line:
-screenshot_dir                            =
"Save Settings" removed than  line.

Please define main/screenshot_dir in your config file  if you want to use specific directory for screenshots (important note: you should have permissions for writing files into this directory). The variable screenshot_dir couldn't be empty.

--

With best regards, Alexander

[Paul Gilmartin]

Remember the difference between developers and users.
o A developer works with a  Single application, and is most comfortable
  if the user interface is uniform across all operating systems.
o A user works with a single system, and is most comfortable
  if the user interface is consistent overall applications.

On 8/24/26 22:31, Alexander V. Wolf wrote:
> Just for clear understanding - Stellarium check the path at startup and set
> the default value if the property isn't set.

I tried:
    /Applications/Stellarium.app/Contents/MacOS/stellarium --screenshot-dir stell-sc
reens
and see in log.txt:
    [     0.361][DBG ] Creating directory  "stell-screens"

I believe "DBG" means it failed.  It would be very helpful if that message showed
The full path, whether DBG for failure or INFO for success.

> Now a mystery. I have followed instructions in
> <
> https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/work-in-multiple-spaces-mh14112/mac

Assign apps to spaces(not very complete, now that I read it carefully.)
I'll try to attach a screenshot of the pop-up from the Dock.

>> to make my external monitor the default, which works.
>> however, when I
>> 537 rm xfig.ini # ... to use all defaults
>> 538 stellarium --config-file xfig.ini &
>> it opens on the built-in screen. Is there something
>> in my config.ini which might override the OS setting?
>>
>> The difference seems to involve the lines in config.ini:
>> -screen_number = 0
>> +screen_number = 1
>>
>> The value1works. the value 0 does not. guide.pdf does
>> not enlighten me.

screen_number is not described in guide.pdf D.???; it should be.
That it's complicated makes an explanation more necessary, not less.

>It's a bit complicated case. As I understand you have laptop with
> built-in screen and probably you have connected external monitor.

> at startup

The (incomplete) instructions from Apple work for other applications.
screen_number adds nothing useful, only complexity.

--
Thanks,
gil

[Georg Zotti]

DBG means "debug". A simple note that something is happening. This can be configured away, see 6.2.1. 

Sorry for the inconvenience. You found screen_number=1. Good. Because our Apple systems test department in our user support division on our campus 42 does not have your multi-screen setup. 

Oh, there is no campus 42?  No user support division? Ah indeed, the three of us just assume users can find out some solutions for minor platform specific issues by themselves. We then will joyfully accept improved paragraphs with such findings into our user guide for the next.