no winboard.ini file generated after running first time

[Carter Smith]

Winboard doesn't seem to be creating an ini file.
I'd like to add a Crafty version 20x to its list of engines.
I used an install program for version 4.2.7 which indicates that Crafty 19X is being installed but it is not available in the Winboard startup dialog. I read earlier that Winboard automatically generates an ini file after its first execution but I'll be darned if I can find it. Windows can't find it either.
I'm new here so hi

[Ross Boyd]

Welcome Carter,

As a test, I just deleted my winboard.ini file and ran wb 4.2.7 and it re-created it after exit.

Maybe your startup folder is different and its creating it there?

If you're using XP/2K go to Start->Run and type cmd
Hit Enter.
In the dialog, type: dir \winboard.ini /s /a
and hit Enter

That will find every winboard.ini file on that particular drive.

HTH,

Ross

[Carter Smith]

I'm using Vista Ultimate actually... I probably will regret that for a few months, but I just built a new comp, and Vista is inevitable for me, so...
But I have already performed a search for winboard.ini and there are no results. I used the installer linked at Tim Mann's pages.
I wonder if it's something about the shortcut properties...


"C:\Program Files (x86)\WinBoard-4.2.7\winboard.exe" -cp -fcp Crafty\wcrafty.exe -fd Crafty -scp Crafty\wcrafty.exe -sd Crafty

I've used every choice to start winboard as well by now. It comes with about a dozen different ways to start it

I'll dl that ini linked in the FAQ and see if I can't juggle the particulars to get it to work with my install. I've been up all night putting some intermediate tweaks on my new rig and os settings so I'm off to bed for a few hours before school lol... :peace:

[Ross Boyd]

I'm using Vista Ultimate actually...

There's the problem...


Vista, by default, prevents applications from writing to any folder under the "\Program Files" folder. And it won't generate a visible error if your app attempts to... (I'm not up to speed on Vista yet but I believe it actually creates the file in some kind of 'sandbox' arrangement. Not 100% sure about that. Running XP here...)

Winboard tries to create the winboard.ini file where the winboard.exe resides...

You could try installing winboard in a different folder.... C:\Winboard\
for example...

Or turn off UAC (User Access Control). This will certainly fix the problem but will compromise your system security...

What a drag...

Ross

[Carter Smith]

Winboard.ini actually showed up after about a week or so. Not sure exactly when it did, but I decided to look again just the other day and there it was...

I turned off UAC within a day. I'm pro-active enough with my comp to know I don't really need that. Kaspersky Suite has served me well over the years and I feel quite comfortable with leaving everything in their hands.

The thing with Vista and the "old" XP file conventions is called... well I forget what it's called. I think they called it shadowing. I did look it up fairly soon after trying to track down some of my program data that defaults to certain subdirs of My Documents under XP. But my tree has a \Program Files and a \Program Files (x86) of which neither seem to have a problem concerning R-W permissions. (YET!) It's when you get into the old My Documents structure where things get interesting. Of course there's about what? Fifty different versions of Vista? I won't expect them all to behave the same.

I do have to admit, I like Vista more often than not. I think MS actually did some really good things with it. It was harder for me to go from 98 to XP (of course that was back in 2004 when I got my second computer after using 98SE for two years) than from XP to Vista. Some of the headaches are incredibly frustrating though I'll admit. Simple device driver support being my number one issue. I really can't see any reason why my 4 month old mouse is incapable of running under Vista. Unless of course I follow the SOP of trying it in each of my eight USB ports to find out that it works in #6 but none of the others... lol

Plus, I'm into gaming on the PC so Vista is inevitable. I didn't want to buy XP and then Vista again next year...