On the ML4W Discord channel, users are regularly wondering how to preserve their user defined settings/configuration in their ML4W Dotfiles implementation when an update of the ML4W Dotfiles is done.
People are then sometimes referred to the ML4W youtube channel and/or the ML4W Dotfiles wiki.
In both places the info on this aspect of the ML4WE Dotfiles is outdated.
- on the public repository page in the top menu there is a link to the dotfiles wiki
- a search on "protect" in the search bar beneath "Pages" on the right (after expanding "Pages") leads to 2 links in the search result:
- Protect-your-configuration-and-customize-the-installation with outdated info and Protect-your-personal-configuration with NO info
Another place with outdated info in this respect is: https://ml4w.com/os/configuration/preserve-config
Perhaps the time has come to update the wiki regarding this.
I have a text suggestion for this documentation:
Functionality to modify your ML4W configuration and protect these modifications during an update of ML4W Dotfiles
For a lot of settings, you have an option to define your own version of this setting as opposed to the default setting
There are two kinds of settings that you can change: the configuration file driven settings (using NNN.lua) and settings that can be altered using a seperate app
The first kind of alterations can be done by replacing the relevant configuration file ("default.lua") with a custom version
- To do this, copy the relevant default.lua, open it in your editor, make your changes, and save the file under a DIFFERENT name in the SAME directory as the default.lua
The alterations in the lua file driven settings that can be preserved, can be done in 2 places in ML4W Dotfiles:
1. in de ML4W Settings App ML4W Sidebar (SUPER + CTRL + S) -> Settings
A. Appearance tab: Animation, Decoration Variants, Window Variants, Workspace Variants
B. System Settings tab: Keybinding Variants, Monitor Variants, Environment Variants, Window Variants, Launcher, Layout
2. by means of a direct edit of the relevant configuration file in the ML4W Welcome App:
Sidebar -> Welcome -> Menu item Settings -> Keyboard ("input.lua") & -> Gestures
The app driven modifications that can be preserved are:
1. monitor setup with the application NWG Displays: Sidebar -> Welcome -> Menu item Settings -> Monitors
2. Hyprland GUI using the application HyprMod: Sidebar -> HyprMod
3. the wallpaper with the wallpaper picker: Sidebar -> Wallpaper iocn -> Wallpaper picker
4. time-our befor screen is locked and consequently the system goes to sleep: ??? where ???
5. determination of either laptop or desktop usage: Sidebar -> Settings -> System Settings tab -> choose laptop.lua or default.lua
6. for the remaining configurable and preservable settings, see:
A. Sidebar -> Welcome -> several menu items
B. Sidebar -> Settings -> the various tabs in the ML4W Settings app
C. Sidebar -> HyprMod
During the update, all occurences of the default.lua files are updated to the latest version
During the update, you have the option to indicate per setting whether your own configuration should be reactivated after the update
To prevent missing out on possible changes in the default.lua's over time, it might be wise to compare your own configuration file with the default configuration file now and then
On the ML4W Discord channel, users are regularly wondering how to preserve their user defined settings/configuration in their ML4W Dotfiles implementation when an update of the ML4W Dotfiles is done.
People are then sometimes referred to the ML4W youtube channel and/or the ML4W Dotfiles wiki.
In both places the info on this aspect of the ML4WE Dotfiles is outdated.
Another place with outdated info in this respect is: https://ml4w.com/os/configuration/preserve-config
Perhaps the time has come to update the wiki regarding this.
I have a text suggestion for this documentation:
Functionality to modify your ML4W configuration and protect these modifications during an update of ML4W Dotfiles
For a lot of settings, you have an option to define your own version of this setting as opposed to the default setting
There are two kinds of settings that you can change: the configuration file driven settings (using NNN.lua) and settings that can be altered using a seperate app
The first kind of alterations can be done by replacing the relevant configuration file ("default.lua") with a custom version
The alterations in the lua file driven settings that can be preserved, can be done in 2 places in ML4W Dotfiles:
1. in de ML4W Settings App ML4W Sidebar (SUPER + CTRL + S) -> Settings
A. Appearance tab: Animation, Decoration Variants, Window Variants, Workspace Variants
B. System Settings tab: Keybinding Variants, Monitor Variants, Environment Variants, Window Variants, Launcher, Layout
2. by means of a direct edit of the relevant configuration file in the ML4W Welcome App:
Sidebar -> Welcome -> Menu item Settings -> Keyboard ("input.lua") & -> Gestures
The app driven modifications that can be preserved are:
1. monitor setup with the application NWG Displays: Sidebar -> Welcome -> Menu item Settings -> Monitors
2. Hyprland GUI using the application HyprMod: Sidebar -> HyprMod
3. the wallpaper with the wallpaper picker: Sidebar -> Wallpaper iocn -> Wallpaper picker
4. time-our befor screen is locked and consequently the system goes to sleep: ??? where ???
5. determination of either laptop or desktop usage: Sidebar -> Settings -> System Settings tab -> choose laptop.lua or default.lua
6. for the remaining configurable and preservable settings, see:
A. Sidebar -> Welcome -> several menu items
B. Sidebar -> Settings -> the various tabs in the ML4W Settings app
C. Sidebar -> HyprMod
During the update, all occurences of the default.lua files are updated to the latest version
During the update, you have the option to indicate per setting whether your own configuration should be reactivated after the update
To prevent missing out on possible changes in the default.lua's over time, it might be wise to compare your own configuration file with the default configuration file now and then