[Chimera-users] Preferences file location

[Thomas Goddard]

Hi Jean-Francois,

  In a previous message I suggested looking at the Chimera Preferences
dialog, category Preferences, to see where the preferences file is
saved.  But I don't recommend changing that setting.  Changing the
setting only changes where Chimera preferences are saved for the
current session.  Next time you start Chimera it will not use that
location unless it is the first preferences file Chimera finds.  Why
not?  Because Chimera can only remember settings by placing them in
the preferences file so it does not save the location of the
preferences file even if you press the Save button on the dialog
because it would not be useful.  I believe Chimera looks in the 3
places listed in that menu in the listed order (preferences,
.chimera/preferences, $HOME/.chimera/preferences) and uses the first
location where the file exists.  So if you have a file called
preferences in the directory where Chimera starts and you change the
menu setting to ".chimera/preferences" then any new preference
settings will occur in ".chimera/preferences".  But next time you
start you will still get the settings from the preferences file in the
start-up directory and not the newer ones in file ".chimera/preferences".

  This is so confusing I am going to report it as a bug.

	Tom