rainmeter.ini default location - file is not writable -- best location for ini file?

[RogerDingo]

heya

im trying to configure our rainmeter install so that its available for all users that log onto a server... basically want to find out where the ini file should be stored.

as it stands the rainmeter.ini file contains the skinpath location as that has been changed to the rainmeter folder.

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
Logging=0
SkinPath=C:\Program Files\Rainmeter\Defaults\Skins\
ConfigEditor=C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe

this is working fine and no issues... skins are present in rainmeter.

the rainmeter.ini file is located in the following location

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Rainmeter

to launch the application theres a shortcut to rainmeter.exe in the appdata startup folder
C:\Users\myname\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

i get the error

rainmeter.ini is not writable. Settings will not be saved. Quit Rainmeter and move the settings from:
C:\Program Files\Rainmeter\rainmeter.ini
to

C:\usera\myname\appdata\roaming\rainmeter\

alternatively, simply remove the file(settings will be lost) and it will be automatically recreated on next launch

I think its permissions related but it doesnt make sense as domain admins have full access.
running the shortcut as administrator does launch rainmeter but not in the logged on session.. it runs it as administrator so you cant actually see it
also thinking it might be Sophos AV............

not really sure as to whats going on so thought id ask to see if anybody has experienced something similar?


cheers,

[jsmorley]

1) You can't store Rainmeter.ini or any skin files in C:\Program Files in Windows. That is a protected folder, and applications are not allowed to write there after they are initially installed.

2) You can't "share" Rainmeter.ini files with multiple users. That just doesn't make sense. They are going to move skins around on their screens, load and unload different skins, pretty much anything they do with Rainmeter, and those changes will be written to the Rainmeter.ini you attempt to share. So everyone will be stepping on everyone else.

And no, you CAN'T "lock down" Rainmeter so it is always the same for every user, and they can't change it. Rainmeter is by design just not written to support that. Each and every user MUST have full write access to Rainmeter.ini.

Feel free to share "skins" as you like, but do NOT attempt to share Rainmeter.ini. That needs to be specific to each user.

[RogerDingo]

im having whats described in this post

https://forum.rainmeter.net/viewtopic.php?t=23082

but i can confirm that my admin account has full control over rainmeter.ini
effective access shows all green ticks for the ini file

[jsmorley]

The long and the short of it is that if you are thinking about standing up Rainmeter in a company environment, and the idea is that you deploy a single copy of Rainmeter to a bunch of users, and they all get the same skins on their screens that measure and display something you feel benefits the organization as a whole, uhm... Forget it. It won't and can't work.

[jsmorley]

im having whats described in this post

https://forum.rainmeter.net/viewtopic.php?t=23082

but i can confirm that my admin account has full control over rainmeter.ini
effective access shows all green ticks for the ini file

Your admin account will NOT have full control over Rainmeter.ini if you put it in C:\Program Files. Windows doesn't work that way. Sure, you can go manually change/add/delete stuff from there, but you will get a UAC prompt every time you do. Programs that are installed there do not have any right to change stuff in that folder.

[RogerDingo]

hmm.. ok thanks for the info

one thing is that we have rainmeter running on our w10 workstations and regardless of whos logged in the skin loads up and displays the correct details. Saying this its only 1 user logged on at a time as its a workstation.
i wasnt the one who set this up so not entirely sure how its been configured.

from what im understanding.... you are saying that multiple users on a server cannot run the same skin/rainmeter.ini file.. ok makes sense.
both users cannot edit the ini file at the same time.

so as the default install puts the ini file into the users local profile and from there you can edit etc.


thanks for the clarification..need to go back and think about what to do now


cheers

[jsmorley]

You must allow each user to install Rainmeter on their system. It can be either installed in "normal" mode, or if you want, in "portable mode". Be very, very aware however, that if they install it in "portable mode", it must be in a folder that the user has full and unfettered read/write access to. You simply cannot effectively "share" installations of Rainmeter between users.

What you can do, and about the only thing you can do, is go in "after the fact" and Change the SkinPath setting in each and every user's Rainmeter.ini to a common location. They must have read access to that of course, but don't require write access to the "skins".

So while you cannot share Rainmeter installations, nor can you "lock down" any given installation, you can share "skins" and stop changes to those.

Be aware though, that any user can simply go change SkinPath in Rainmeter.ini any time they want...

Rainmeter is designed to be a "hobbyist" application, recklessly and gleefully allowing whoever is running it to have complete control over everything about it.

[RogerDingo]

ok no problem... guess its back to the drawing board for us

at least i learnt a lot about how the app works


thanks for your help