How do I create a completely separate configuration of XY?

[admin]

This question comes up from time to time, so here is a possible answer. It makes a copy of your current configuration, which then goes its own way:

1) Make a complete copy of your current settings in a separate location (this will be the App Data folder of the new configuration): Click File | Settings Special | Backup Application Data Folder... and select some (preferably) empty folder, say E:\XY_alt\.

2) To run XY with this alternative configuration, create a Windows shortcut that loads the XYplorer.ini file located in the new App Data folder:
XYplorer.exe /ini=E:\XY_alt\XYplorer.ini

Done.

[klownboy]

Hey Don, now that you brought this up, for years I've had a similar second configuration of XYplorer using another ini file XYplorer_gallery.ini which uses a special ini config for a gallery mode. I open this version of XYplorer in a second instance using:
run """<xy>"" /ini=XYplorer_Gallery.ini /path=""$cur_folder"" /script=""::ThumbsConf(0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1);loadlayout('thumbs');
It's opened with a single keystroke defined in User commands; the same keystroke will close that second instance if it's open.

However, when I open that second instance and click on Tools > Configuration, the Config titlebar reflects the latest version I'm currently using (makes sense since I'm using the same XYplorer exe), but the actual ini file, XYplorer_Gallery1.ini will be the version it was initially made with. In my case, the ini line for LastVer=24.60.0100. When I'm in the second instance, is there some way to force the update of that ini file to the very latest version of XYplorer? Or do I have to start the special ini file as you mentioned in your post to get a proper update.

I think part of the reason may be that I've only used that special ini file and I have not established a different and separate application data folder as you mentioned. That copies everything including thumbnail caches and I don't want that. I just want to use the special ini file not a whole different data folder setup. Thanks.

[admin]

File | Save Settings should handle that.

[klownboy]

Thanks Don, it has been a long time since I used that second instance method. Now I mostly just change to different thumbnail view settings. As you mentioned, File > Save Settings does work. I also used File > Settings Special > Save Configuration as... and that works fine as well. In a way I like the Save Configuration as...better in this situation since it will open the folder with the special ini file highlighted so the user knows it's saving the proper configuration file (in case for example, you were in the wrong instance, like instance 1 instead of instance 2). Thanks again.

[admin]

Just to make sure: Save Configuration as... ONLY saves XYplorer.ini under a new name. All other settings files remain unchanged and will be used by both INIs.

[klownboy]

Just to make sure: Save Configuration as... ONLY saves XYplorer.ini under a new name. All other settings files remain unchanged and will be used by both INIs.

Okay thanks Don, glad you mentioned that. In my case, I do only want to save the ini file and nothing else but my initial reason for the question was to make sure the ini is updated to the latest XYplorer version. On my tests using File > Setting Special > Save Configuration as..., the ini file was updated to reflect the latest version as did File > Save Settings. Though I was only checking the line LastVer=24.60.0100 I didn't look to see if all the other settings were updated to reflect the latest updates like tweaks and other things.

[admin]

The INI is only updated when it is written, and that only happens when settings are saved.