What feature every app should have

[Reverend Jim]

I just got a new laptop (Lenovo Thinkpad). I'd forgotten just how tedious it is to migrate from one computer to another. It's not just a matter of installing all the apps I have accumulated. That's not such a big deal. It's applying all the configuration/settings for each app.

What every app should have is two options under Settings

Settings
    Save Settings
    Load Settings

It would be so much easier if I could plug in a thumb drive, then load up each app, pick "Save Settings" and save them to the thumb drive, then do the reverse on the new laptop. Instead I have to load up each app on both computers then tediously go through all the settings so I can mirror them to the new machine. This would also be super helpful even for reinstalling an app on the same machine. Why isn't everyone doing this?

Out of all the apps I use, only one offers this feature. That app is FastStone Image Viewer.

[SCBWV]

That's a great suggestion. Do your apps keep settings in ini files or the registry? If the registry, can you export the registry settings and merge them on the new system?

[Reverend Jim]

There is no standard as to where settings are stored. Some are in ".ini" files; some are in the registry. But a proper load/save utility would easily be able to save settings in a json or xml file that the app could put back in the proper place. Exporting registry settings is an option, but how many users would be comfortable doing that? That would be very poor design.

I have my system partitioned as C (OS/Apps) and D (Data). Two apps that I like to keep state are Thunderbird (email) and Brave (browser) so I keep the cache for both in designated folders on my D drive. Thunderbird keeps a profile.ini in %APPDATA%, and Brave has a folder, "User Data" under %APPDATA% as well. I can easily (well, easily for me) edit the Thunderbird profile.ini to point to the email store on D but Brave requires a work around. I first rename "User Data" to "User Data.old", then I create a junction (hard link) named "User Data" that links to a folder on D with the same name. Neither app hs a simple method to relocate. By copying my email and User Data folders to the new laptop and "tweaking" C: I can have the same state preserved on both machines. All my bookmarks come across and all of my archived emails and calendar.

Microsoft makes it easy to move folders like "My Documents", etc. to another drive. Well, easy if you set up Windows to run from a local account (no OneDrive). If you are running from a Microsoft Account you are pretty much screwed. Microsoft still gives you the "Move Folder" option under Properties; it just dies with an error.

[SCBWV]

I'm not a fan of modern Windows directory structure. I'm sure it party to enhance security, but it's a pain.

[Reverend Jim]

I understand the necessity of having an %APPDATA% folder to handle multiple users, as well as the ability to install applications on a per-user or all-user basis, but I do not understand why we need the subfolders local and roaming for non-enterprise setups.

[fabwebstudio]

Because in most apps it’s far more complex than it seems.

Settings are often spread across multiple locations, tied to hardware, OS paths, licenses, or security data. Copying them safely can break apps or expose sensitive information. Many developers rely on OS-level syncing (user profiles, cloud sync) instead of building custom save/load systems.

FastStone can do it because it’s simple and self-contained. For modern, complex apps, the cost and risk usually outweigh the benefit.

[Reverend Jim]

Backing up settings to a local file is a security risk? Even if that was the case (which I don't think it is) why couldn't non-sensitive data be backed up? In any case, I'm not talking about things like passwords. Can you give me an example of what type of data you mean?

When I did corporate desktop support I had to ensure that all of the desktops in the control centre had the same app settings. When a new app was installed (nine desktops, and frequently more for outer offices) that meant manually configuring each workstation. I should have been able to set up one, then copy the settings.

For my personal use I prefer a Logitech Marathon 720 mouse. Using the LogiOptions+ software I can define custom actions for the various buttons on a per app basis. Backing up these settings means logging in to my Logitech account and backing up to the cloud. On every occasion where I have had to restore from a backup I have had at least half of the customizations fail to restore. In spite of multiple requests to Logitech to allow me to back up to a local file (in human readable form) they have failed to provide either a method to do that or a reason why this is not possible. They have also refused to tell me where the settings are stored locally so that I can save/restore the settings myself.

[Reverend Jim]

I have a Logitech M720 wireless mouse. I have more than a dozen apps for which I have programmed custom actions for the various buttons. The software, Logitech Options+, provides the GUI for making these customizations. It has a backup/restore capability which can be set to automatic or manual (I prefer manual). I have had to resort to a restore a few times when rebuilding or migrating to a new machine. I have never had a restore work properly. Generally it restores one or two of my customizations. Never all of them.

After a lengthy back-and-forth with Logitech regarding problems with their cloud backup/restore of mouse settings I have discovered:

1. Logitech Options+ no longer stores custom mouse settings locally, at least not in any form that I am able to save and restore myself.
2. There is no way to determine if the problem is with the backup (settings not copied to the cloud) or the restore (settings not reapplied locally).
3. Logitech refuses to provide a method to backup to a local file.
4. Logitech refuses to provide a way to verify the backup.
5. Logitech refuses to provide any useful information whatsoever.

Further investigation indicates that this is a problem Logitech has known about for years (many user complaints in forums) but has never addressed.

[SCBWV]

I dislike Logitech. They pull drivers off their site rather quickly. Not real great support 😡

[Reverend Jim]

I have found their support to be extremely unhelpful, however I have yet to find a mouse that is as customizeable. My only complaint is with the backup/restore.