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[2.0.51] custom path.write-data not compatible with Steam cloud

Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 5:01 pm
by SHADOW13
I wanted to use Factorio with user/data dir of my choice, but keeping Steam Cloud.

Configuration:
- config-path setup:

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config-path=D:\Documents\My Games\Factorio\config
use-system-read-write-data-directories=false
- config.ini (in that location set above):

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[path] 
write-data=D:\Documents\My Games\Factorio
sidenotes:
- could not get "%userprofile%\Documents\My Games\Factorio" to work but not relevant to the issue (would be nice if game recognised the path though)
- "use-system-read-write-data-directories" config does not seem to matter, true or false (likely due to hardcoded paths)


However custom paths do not work well with Steam cloud:
- starting Factorio on Steam still starts with Steam syncing/downloading cloud saves to "%appdata%\Factorio\saves" (sync expected, location not so much any more)
- the games does not pick up the files from there any more (which is kinda expected)
- game does not syncs files between appdata folder and my custom one
- I assume changing steam sync folder dynamically/on the go isn't possible (especially since the sync kicks in before games starts and after it stops)

Solutions:
maybe, at the simplest solution, the game could sync files that are backed to Steam between "%appdata%\Factorio" and custom folder locations?

Re: [2.0.51] custom path.write-data not compatible with Steam cloud

Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 6:09 pm
by Rseding91
Thanks for the report however this is simply outside of what's supported with the steam cloud sync logic and Factorio.

At best, you could try symlinking the folder somewhere else and see if it works.

My personal suggestion:
just get one huge M.2 SSD and store everything on the same drive. It makes all of these kinds of issues go away and everything "just works".

Re: [2.0.51] custom path.write-data not compatible with Steam cloud

Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 8:36 pm
by SHADOW13
Thanks, I think indeed symlinking might be easier.
Just confirmed it seems to work just fine.

For future reference, easily done in console: (rename/move/backup existing Factorio folder first)

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mklink /j %appdata%\Factorio "%userprofile%\documents\my games\Factorio"