Why make Dolphin now install instead of being a self-extracting archive?

Raiden · 11-10-2013, 11:05 PM #1

I've been following Dolphin for quite a long time now, and it truly is a great program (which I'm sure you all know). Heck, it's amazing that not only are the original consoles being preserved in digital form, but I can play all my Gamecube and Wii games on PC too. I guess the reason why I made this thread is to provide some constructive criticism. Was there really a necessary reason for this change? If there wasn't, why complicate things more than they need to be?

In version 4.0.1 (I haven't tried 4.0), Dolphin requires you to install the program. I don't know why it was made like this, but it just seems like a complete step backwards to me. Why? For starters, now the program goes and creates files and folders in other locations you don't want (such as 'My Documents'), rather than just be simple and all found in one location you extracted to.

Also, it seems that you actually need to uninstall the program now, where as before, you could simply move or delete the entire folder. Not only this, but it seems things would be much more of a hassle than it needs to be. I mean, if you want to move saves to another computer, not only does the program have to be installed on there, but you'll have to move specific files to that computer, where as before, I could just simply move the entire folder to where I wanted.

**RachelB** · 11-10-2013, 11:42 PM #2

https://dolphin-emu.org/docs/guides/controlling-global-user-directory/

**delroth** · 11-11-2013, 03:08 AM #3

Feel free to fork the emulator if you're not happy with the direction it's taken, nobody will miss your opinion.

***Shonumi*** · 11-11-2013, 03:26 AM #4

If you want, it is easy enough to grab VS 2010 and the 4.0.1 or 4.0 source code and compile the program yourself. That way you don't really have to use installer, just grab the binary you compiled yourself along with the necessary folders (which should come with the source code). Since Dolphin is open source, you'd be free to share your binary with others as a sort of "No Install" version for Windows users (just follow the GPL license and make any changes to the actual code public, though if you're just compiling it you shouldn't have to touch anything codewise). You can make Dolphin "portable" as well, see the link RachelB posted for more info.

I know on Linux, I can compile as many revision of Dolphin as I want (Linux has long had the same global user directory as Windows does now) and "installing" Dolphin has always been an optional last step. Usually I just compile the binary executable and run it.

**DJBarry004** · 11-11-2013, 03:41 AM #5

If there´s an advantage of making Dolphin to be included with an installer, here it is:

1- Most times, self-extracting files get damaged. It can be when being packed or when the final user extracts them.

2- The installer provides some dynamic libraries (DLLs, that´s it) that some times can´t be detected after the self-extract, and even some files that are missing in your OS in order to run Dolphin correctly.

I do understand your point Raiden, but that was a decision that the devs took about the emulator. And every Dolphin user should respect that.

Raiden · (This post was last modified: 11-11-2013, 04:42 AM by Raiden.)

(11-10-2013, 11:42 PM)RachelB Wrote: https://dolphin-emu.org/docs/guides/controlling-global-user-directory/

Thanks for the info [color=green]RachelB[/color]. I guess I can understand the general idea why, but I still don't really like it. I mean, extracting files and copying the 'user' folder from the old version to the newer one is simple enough. I guess for people like me who use Dolphin, this new way is just unnecessary extra hoops to jump through, especially if you move the program around a lot and don't want it in 'Programs and Features'. One thing I am curious about though is wouldn't you have to keep installing and uninstalling every time you want to use a different revision or new update?

(11-11-2013, 03:26 AM)Shonumi Wrote: If you want, it is easy enough to grab VS 2010 and the 4.0.1 or 4.0 source code and compile the program yourself. That way you don't really have to use installer, just grab the binary you compiled yourself along with the necessary folders (which should come with the source code). Since Dolphin is open source, you'd be free to share your binary with others as a sort of "No Install" version for Windows users (just follow the GPL license and make any changes to the actual code public, though if you're just compiling it you shouldn't have to touch anything codewise). You can make Dolphin "portable" as well, see the link RachelB posted for more info.

I know on Linux, I can compile as many revision of Dolphin as I want (Linux has long had the same global user directory as Windows does now) and "installing" Dolphin has always been an optional last step. Usually I just compile the binary executable and run it.

Okay, I could give that a try. I've never done it before though.

(11-11-2013, 03:41 AM)DJBarry004 Wrote: If there´s an advantage of making Dolphin to be included with an installer, here it is:

1- Most times, self-extracting files get damaged. It can be when being packed or when the final user extracts them.

I'd have to disagree here because I find that this happens to me rarely, and usually only because they were damaged when they were getting packed.

(11-11-2013, 03:41 AM)DJBarry004 Wrote: 2- The installer provides some dynamic libraries (DLLs, that´s it) that some times can´t be detected after the self-extract, and even some files that are missing in your OS in order to run Dolphin correctly.

Perhaps, but personally, I'd rather get OS related stuff from the original source.

(11-11-2013, 03:41 AM)DJBarry004 Wrote: I do understand your point Raiden, but that was a decision that the devs took about the emulator. And every Dolphin user should respect that.

Yeah, I know, but my thread was more of a question for why it was done, and if it was the best way.

***Shonumi*** · 11-11-2013, 04:22 AM #7

Only the stable 4.0 and 4.0.1 builds have installers iirc. Using the latest development revision, you get a folder you can extract. If you already have Dolphin folders set up in My Documents, you can just run Dolphin from that extracted folder, and it'll use your settings without requiring any additional work on your part.

**mbc07** · 11-11-2013, 04:36 AM #8

Create an empty "portable.txt" file next to the Dolphin executable and latest versions will work the same way they worked before...

Raiden · (This post was last modified: 11-11-2013, 05:21 AM by Raiden.)

(11-11-2013, 04:22 AM)Shonumi Wrote: Create an empty "portable.txt" file next to the Dolphin executable and latest versions will work the same way they worked before...

Yes, but before you can do that, you have to use the installer, and not only is the program installed into your 'Programs and Features' (I had a flickering bug using the 32-bit version), but that method still puts files in 'My Documents'. Basically, I got extra files and clutter not needed (since it makes things as they were before the 'Global User Directory').

EDIT: This is probably because I might have ran the program earlier to test it.

**RachelB** · (This post was last modified: 11-11-2013, 04:52 AM by RachelB.)

Quote:Perhaps, but personally, I'd rather get OS related stuff from the original source.

Then the installer isn't meant for you. It's meant for people who need a simpler solution. For people like you (and me, and probably most people here), who'd rather just have a zip of just the dolphin files, those are available, via dev builds. These are more up to date anyway.