Settings are reset to default

[jb2233]

I have SSV v4.21.1 running on Win7 64bit Pro

I am experiencing an issue whereby my settings are being reset to their default at random times.  The settings include:
- "Start with windows"
- "Default new file name" and "custom date format"
- "hot keys - standard"

I have experienced this issue with both the portable and installed versions of the program.

This is very frustrating, is there fix for the problem?

Many thanks,
John

[mouser]

You've posted in the DesktopCoral thread but mention SSV.. Am I right in assuming you are talking about Screenshot Captor?
If so I'll move this post to the Screenshot Captor section.

[jb2233]

Thank you, newbie mistake and thanks for the spell check pickup

John

[mouser]

Ok moving this to SC discussion where we can continue.

[mouser]

Let me ask a question first, is it resetting stuff to defaults, or are your settings being completely blanked out.  Here's how to tell -- go to for example the "Hotkeys and Shortcuts" tab and look at the top set of dropdown boxes.  Are they BLANK or are they set to some default values?

[jb2233]

They are set to the default values I change the "Ctrl+Alt+PrtScrn" to "Repeat Region", it defaults/changes back to the default 

[mouser]

Ok that suggests that the program may be having a hard time saving it's settings file, the question is why.

Are you using the portable version or the installer? Did you transfer your settings from one computer to another? If using the installer, did you install someplace other than the default location?

Try this first: Make a change to one of these settings (hotkey, starts with windows, whatever but something that you will remember), and then MANUALLY EXIT SC, and restart it.  See if the setting you changed gets reset or not.

And see if that setting gets lost the next time your others do.

[jb2233]

I was using the portable version, I deleted it because it was having the same issue.

Currently it’s installed via the installer in the default location : C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenshotCaptor

I changed the “acquire from scanner” to Ctrl+Shift+Alt+B from none, it was still set after stopping and restarting SC

Next time I notice the other settings have changed I’ll check it as well

There is only configdir.ini on the PC in the above location at it has no active statement - all comments

I am the local admin on this PC

[jb2233]

previous entry should say "...only one configdir.ini..."

[mouser]

Check also for a Configdir_Default.ini file in the SC directory.
One of the ways this not-able-to-save problem can occur is if people move a portable configdir (or configdir_default) file from their old portable install to the new one.

The other thing to check is that it is saving its settings file (ScreenshotCaptor.ini) where you expect (by default: C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor\ScreenshotCaptor.ini).

[jb2233]

I think you nailed the problem “ScreenshotCaptor.ini” was not where it should be

I uninstalled and reinstalled it again using the defaults

The problem is that my (inherited) PC was modified, they created (somehow) a new “My Documents” and the ini is located there : D:\MY_DATA\DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor    not in    C:\USERS\

See attachment for contents of  D:\MY_DATA\DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor\ScreenshotCaptor.ini

However, when I setup my preferences in the fresh install it found the folder and created a new ini file

Can I use the    ConfigDir.ini    with    CONFIGDIR=D:\MY_DATA\  to force SC to find the ini file?

[mouser]

Can I use the    ConfigDir.ini    with    CONFIGDIR=D:\MY_DATA\  to force SC to find the ini file?

yes.

BUT note that SC should be able to use it wherever it can write it -- so if its saving it in "D:\MY_DATA\DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor" there is nothing wrong with that, and that shouldn't cause any problems.
As long as applications have permission to write into that directory.

[jb2233]

So far as I can tell by looking at Security level for the folder there are no restrictions on who can write to them

My question, I suppose, is will SC always look in the right place given that are two My Documents folders?

If I do use the ConfigDir.ini file does the entry need to start in column 1, obviously with no //

[mouser]

My question, I suppose, is will SC always look in the right place given that are two My Documents folders?

as long as it's started by the same user it will look in the same place..

Regarding the ConfigDir.ini file, the important thing is to not have // at the start of the line you want to use -- as you guessed that indicates a comment.  Other than that it should just work.
It's easy to find out -- just try it and see if it saves it's settings where you told it

[jb2233]

Many thanks for your assistance, it's greatly appreciated

I will not use the configdir.ini at the moment and see if the issue recurs

[jb2233]

yesterday after resetting my preferences i made a copy of my ScreenshotCaptor.ini file.

this morning when i started the pc the preferences had been reset to their defaults.  when i looked at the in explorer the modified time for the ini file was when i started the pc - this may or may not be relevant.  i've attached the reset file, in case you're interested.

restoring the backup ScreenshotCaptor.ini file obviously reset the preferences as i set them.

i will try using the CONFIGDIR=D:\MY_DATA\ option to see if that resolves the issue.

do you have any other suggestions?

[mouser]

See if the D:\MY_DATA\ works and let's go from there.
The only thing I can think of is if your other directory is somehow not "ready" at startup time...

[jb2233]

i changed the configdir to D:\my_data\, when i restarted SC the ini files were created in that folder, ie \DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor was appended to the path

i tried moving  \DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor  to different drive, and the default settings were used, but the ini files were not created in the base folder used as it was above

see attachments

[jb2233]

my apologies, the previous post has an error

when i moved the ini files to another drive the ini files were created in the base folder ie not the \DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor folder

when i copied my ini file to that base folder and restarted SC my preferences were in place

i'll see the current set up works, however, i believe there is still an issue or two to be looked at...

[jb2233]

this morning the ini file in the base folder specified in the configdir.ini (CONFIGDIR=C:\Applications\) was overwritten with the default settings - this has been working since July 27.

i stopped SC
replaced the default file with a copy of my ini file
restarted SC

and my custom settings were restored, ie set as they should be

so the issue seems to be that for some reason the existing ini file is recreated with the default settings

[mouser]

The only reason I can imagine that would happen is if for some reason when SC is starting up it isn't finding or is failing to load it settings file.  Which I suppose could also happen if the settings file gets corrupted..
I am using the same OS as you (win7 x64) and have never had this happen.  Your documents/settings aren't on a network drive, right?

[jb2233]

all files are on the local C: drive, i am the local administrator

i have SC starting with windows, could the setting file's opening be timing out due slow response during windows startup?

i could try starting SC manually after windows has finished initiating - would this be worthwhile?

BTW as per earlier shouldn't the ini files be placed in a subfolder (DonationCoder\AppName\) of the specified folder? not in the specified folder

[mouser]

i could try starting SC manually after windows has finished initiating - would this be worthwhile?

I'm not sure why there should be any problem reading the settings file if the drive is a local one, but if the problem is that the file is not accessible at startup, this might solve the problem.

Please do try that and see if it helps.  The other possibility -- if the settings are somehow corrupted during save at shutdown time -- you could try solving by unchecking the box labeled "skip saving settings on shutdown" on the first tab in options.
Again, this should not be happening, but while we are entertaining ways to identify what's going wrong, that might be worth a try.  I'd sure love to know what is actually going wrong.

[jb2233]

the "skip saving settings on shutdown" was already unticked

i'll try starting it manually and see what happens

[mouser]

the "skip saving settings on shutdown" was already unticked

you could try ticking it.