Config being overwritten.

[Scottx125]

So I recently reinstalled Wallpaper Engine into the exact same location as the old and kept a backup of the config, yet every time I put the old config into the main folder and rename it. Every time I launch wallpaper engine it overwrites it wiping the data.. Any ideas?

[Tim]

Are you sure it's overwriting the config rather than extending it? Compare the two versions, probably you changed your Windows account name, the config file uses your Windows account ID as a way to store your wallpaper settings "per Windows user".

Check the "overwritten" config file for your Windows user and check the old config file for your Windows user, likely they simply don't match. In that case all you need to do is to update the Windows user ID in the config file.

Look for this part in the config, where "YourUser" is your actual username:

	"YourUser" : 
	{
		"general" : 
		{
			"browser" : 
			{

[Scottx125]

They are both the same, by override it's not extending it. It literally changes the file from 200 odd KB to 8KB.

[Biohazard]

In that case the program can either not write to the file at all, so it's creating a new one, or the config is damaged in some way.

Regarding the first issue you should ensure that the file is not read-only, for example, and regarding the second issue you could paste the entire config here: https://jsonlint.com/ and check if it's not broken. If it says "valid json" then it should be fine.

[Scottx125]

Yup, just did that, it's returning as valid JSON. Also the file is not set to read-only.

[Scottx125]

Would sending the config file help in solving this?

[Biohazard]

Please try using the new config: are you able to setup wallpapers normally, restart the PC and it all works fine? Or does it also overwrite the file because it is unable to work with it?

[Scottx125]

Yeah I can set up new wallpapers just fine. But as soon as I try to replace the JSON code inside with my backup code or rename my backup to config and replace the existing one. It just over-writes it.

[Biohazard]

Okay, please send the old but also the new config to [e-mail] as email attachments so we have a point of reference.

[Scottx125]

I figured out how to fix it. I made sure to completely delete wallpaper engine from my system. Then I reinstalled it and before I launched it for the first time I put the old config in and it worked first time. Seems like it doesn't like using an old config if it has the chance to create it's own one first.

[Biohazard]

I think I might know what the issue was, have you ever fully closed Wallpaper Engine entirely before replacing the config? If it wasn't closed then it wouldn't know that the file was replaced and write whatever it loaded at the beginning.

Anyway if that's not it then nvm, at least it seems to work now.

[Scottx125]

Originally posted by Biohazard:

I think I might know what the issue was, have you ever fully closed Wallpaper Engine entirely before replacing the config? If it wasn't closed then it wouldn't know that the file was replaced and write whatever it loaded at the beginning.

Anyway if that's not it then nvm, at least it seems to work now.

Honestly I can't recall, I would have imagined I did but I honestly can't remember.

[Falcon]

Originally posted by Tim:

Are you sure it's overwriting the config rather than extending it? Compare the two versions, probably you changed your Windows account name, the config file uses your Windows account ID as a way to store your wallpaper settings "per Windows user".

Check the "overwritten" config file for your Windows user and check the old config file for your Windows user, likely they simply don't match. In that case all you need to do is to update the Windows user ID in the config file.

Look for this part in the config, where "YourUser" is your actual username:

	"YourUser" : 
	{
		"general" : 
		{
			"browser" : 
			{

THANK YOU FOR THIS! Changing this made it work instantly. I don't have to sort my 500 Wallpapers in my 20 different Folders again and again! @ Developers: Please make it easier to access old settings. Add an Backup option in the Settings or something, would be great!