protonscr

Don't forget steam library when directory isn't found on steam launch

steamopen reviewed
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#4383 · opened 2016-04-03 by ChristophHaag · updated 2020-12-09 · 3 comments · github
CChristophHaag 2016-04-03 github

So I have a steam library on an external hard disk that is sometimes mounted and sometimes not.

When it is not mounted and the steam library isn't there, steam removes it from the list of libraries it knows. So the next time I mount it and start steam, I have to set it up again.

Iimakiro 2018-08-07 github

Hello,

Any progress on this topic please? it´s been two years on limbo with multiple duplicates closed, so it´s an active community request.

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2020-12-09 github

Steam for Linux client automatically reverts to default library location without warning the user.

Issue transferred from https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/7517.
@skilo83 posted on 2020-12-09T02:19:58:

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date):
    Built dec 7 2020 at 18:04:33
    Steam API: v20
    Steam package versions: 1607372145
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu):
    ubuntu 20.04 LTS
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: [Yes/No]
    No
  • Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes/No]
    Yes

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Describe what you expected should happen and what did happen. Please link any large code pastes as a Github Gist

The Linux client will automatically use the default steam library location if it cannot find the user specified default location, and it does so without even warning the user about it. This is a huge problem because steam usually has it's default location on the system drive. If the end user is unaware of what drive the steam client is using as the default, it could easily eat up all the system drive space and possibly lock up the system. There should be some prompt letting the user know or even better. Just throw an error and don't just assume that drive doesn't exist anymore and revert back to it's own default location without asking first.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Create a new default library location on a secondary drive
  2. Have the drive NOT mounted at boot
  3. Start steam for Linux client and download a game. You will see the client automatically defaults back to it's original default library location without warning the user.
Kkisak-valve maintainer 2020-12-09 github

To be fair, the issue I just transferred here isn't an exact match, but it is close enough that that if a Valve dev looks into it, both should be considered at the same time. #1279 is also tightly related.

Upstream links