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From: "Michael F. Stemper" <michael.stemper@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Subject: Re: Best practice for config files?
Date: Sat, 24 May 2025 10:05:01 -0500
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On 22/05/2025 15.27, Stefan Ram wrote:
> "Michael F. Stemper" <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote or quoted:
>> Should I specify the location of the config file with a command-line
>> option, or is requiring the program to be executed in the directory
>> containing the configuration file considered acceptable practice?
> 
>    It was me who digged out this "platformdirs" "user_config_dir"
>    API using a source code search on my harddisk without any help.
>    But then I asked my buddy, the chatbot, to explain how to
>    use it, which I include here, followed by some more words
>    of my own at the end. Chatbot:

[massive snip]

>    On Linux:
> 
> ~/.config/YourAppName

[another one]


Wow, if that's the best practice, I'll settle for second-best!

Somebody who wished to remain anonymous contacted me via email and
suggested that I could have my cake and eat it, too. I am going
ahead with having a default location for the config file, as well
as a command-line option to specify a different file. Blindingly
obvious!

And the default will not be in the directory in which the program
is being run. Your post reminded me of the existence of $HOME/.config
which is obviously the right place for it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

-- 
Michael F. Stemper
I refuse to believe that a corporation is a person until Texas executes one.