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  "path": "/viewtopic.php?p=449937#p449937",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-09T09:31:47.000Z",
  "site": "https://forum.luanti.org",
  "tags": [
    "cris"
  ],
  "textContent": "> Now, you should probably be using the zip as I mentioned\n\nI see what you mean about using the .zip, but in my case the .zip ends up mixing Luanti data and configuration with the software binaries, so it doesn’t really fit the setup I’m aiming for.\nIdeally, the user would be able to choose where Luanti data and configuration are stored. Because of that, I went with the .exe, which at least allows a clear separation between Luanti data/config and Luanti binaries via MINETEST_USER_PATH. The downside is that this approach is no longer fully portable, since it depends on an environment variable.\n\n> but rather than setting the environment variable globally through system settings, you could create a batch/.cmd file that launches the program with the environment variables set up as you like them, resolving relative paths if you have to. That's just how it goes with launching things with arguments in any complicated fashion - Windows' \".lnk\" shortcuts* can launch with a static list of arguments, but that's got the drive letters and so on baked-in.\n\nThanks for the suggestion. For my use case, the batch/.cmd approach feels a bit cumbersome (for example, no straightforward icons and a console window appearing, unless additional tools are used), and many typical Windows users may not feel very comfortable working with .bat/.cmd files.\n\n> so you're trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.\n\nI’m actually trying to keep a nicely separated data/binary portable installation, and the current options make that a bit harder than it could be.I think it’s generally good practice to separate binaries from configuration and data (in Luanti’s case, for example, the worlds).\nWould it be possible to consider something like a --run-dir argument, or a luanti.config file with a line such as LUANTI_USER_PATH=D:\\xxx\\? This is a pattern I’ve seen in many other portable programs, and it works quite well in practice. It keeps installation simple for users who don’t care about separating data and binaries, while also giving those who do care the flexibility to organise their data as they prefer.\n\nStatistics: Posted by cris — Mon Mar 09, 2026 09:31\n\n* * *",
  "title": "General Discussion • Re: In Windows, is there a luanti.exe argument to specify what the MINETEST_USER_PATH environment variable specifies?",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-09T09:31:47.000Z"
}