Change login data location to AppData

[hhaddow]

I have a PC with multiple users (one for me and one for each of my kids) and each user has own steam account
I am still having to use the old workaround of each user having their own steam install location to allow them to stay logged in after another person has used steam
If login data was stored in AppData each user would stay logged in between sessions while only having one install

It would also be more secure as logins would be at user level rather than the current system-level login (currently if you log into a steam account then change user, that steam install remains logged into to that steam account)

[Satoru]

Note moving the login data to appdata really has nothing to do with how the steam client maintains login sessions

[hhaddow]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Note moving the login data to appdata really has nothing to do with how the steam client maintains login sessions

How so? each user has their own appdata folder, if the steam login (ssfn etc) files was stored there (by steam) instead of program files (x86) surely to login would then be tied to the user instead of the system? (or are you talking about a user moving it which would obviously would do nothing)

[Supafly]

Originally posted by hhaddow:

Originally posted by Satoru:

Note moving the login data to appdata really has nothing to do with how the steam client maintains login sessions

How so? each user has their own appdata folder, if the steam login (ssfn etc) files was stored there (by steam) instead of program files (x86) surely to login would then be tied to the user instead of the system? (or are you talking about a user moving it which would obviously would do nothing)

Program files is default location but it's not the only install location. Mine is here
D:\Steam

Appdata maybe user specific but Steam doesn't use that. I can logout of this windows account login on another and still load Steam without needing to login on it because Steam isn't linked to windows user accounts. Only way for that to work is to have Steam installed to different locations for each windows users.

Mines on D: I had my kids on E and F. Neither could access anyone elses Steam drive as I had that blocked via Windows. Did mean Steam was installed 3 times.

Each now have their own computer but that was the only solution I found worked to prevent use all have to login everytime

[aiusepsi]

Steam keeps user data in its own install location only because that was the usual procedure in the Windows 9x era, and they've never changed it since. It's long, long overdue for migrating over.

[hhaddow]

Originally posted by Supafly:

Originally posted by hhaddow:

How so? each user has their own appdata folder, if the steam login (ssfn etc) files was stored there (by steam) instead of program files (x86) surely to login would then be tied to the user instead of the system? (or are you talking about a user moving it which would obviously would do nothing)

Program files is default location but it's not the only install location. Mine is here
D:\Steam

Appdata maybe user specific but Steam doesn't use that. I can logout of this windows account login on another and still load Steam without needing to login on it because Steam isn't linked to windows user accounts. Only way for that to work is to have Steam installed to different locations for each windows users.

Mines on D: I had my kids on E and F. Neither could access anyone elses Steam drive as I had that blocked via Windows. Did mean Steam was installed 3 times.

Each now have their own computer but that was the only solution I found worked to prevent use all have to login everytime

Yea that's the workaround I've been using, although what I do is have partitions just big enough for steam and then use the library feature to let them share downloads on common drives
(you also have to go through the process of enabling family sharing on each install)

[hhaddow]

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

Steam keeps user data in its own install location only because that was the usual procedure in the Windows 9x era, and they've never changed it since. It's long, long overdue for migrating over.

yea it was standard practice back then, I wonder if they haven't changed it just in case a small minority of people are still running 9x/XP?

At the end of the day this is a request for a QOL feature, it's probably not high on their list of priorities, that said given the fact that you stay logged in after changing windows user does it seem like a bit of a security issue as well.

[Snapjak]

Originally posted by hhaddow:

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

Steam keeps user data in its own install location only because that was the usual procedure in the Windows 9x era, and they've never changed it since. It's long, long overdue for migrating over.

yea it was standard practice back then, I wonder if they haven't changed it just in case a small minority of people are still running 9x/XP?

Considering Steam won't work on anything older than Win7, that's not a realistic scenario.

It just needs to be changed though getting Valve to do such things can be a chore.

[hhaddow]

Originally posted by Snapjak:

Originally posted by hhaddow:

yea it was standard practice back then, I wonder if they haven't changed it just in case a small minority of people are still running 9x/XP?

Considering Steam won't work on anything older than Win7, that's not a realistic scenario.

It just needs to be changed though getting Valve to do such things can be a chore.

Well, all we can do is hope they read their Suggestions / Ideas sub-forum

[RiO]

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

Steam keeps user data in its own install location only because that was the usual procedure in the Windows 9x era

It was actually already an anti-pattern recommended against by Microsoft by the start of the 9x era. Windows 95 already had profile-isolated AppData; Documents; etc. folders.

When Steam was built, it was already being built counter to then-current OS specifications.