[GH-ISSUE #143] app_state_folder option not working in apps section #93

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opened 2026-10-15 12:56:13 +00:00 by bsakaguchi · 3 comments

bsakaguchi commented

2026-10-15 12:56:13 +00:00

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Originally created by @csrednicki on GitHub (Nov 1, 2024).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/games-on-whales/wolf/issues/143

In documentation it is said that there is app_state_folder option in apps section. When I tried to use it, defining specific folder for application it wasn't working. I searched thru the current code and I couldn't find this option. How can I define state folder per application?

Originally created by @csrednicki on GitHub (Nov 1, 2024). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/games-on-whales/wolf/issues/143 In [documentation](https://games-on-whales.github.io/wolf/stable/user/configuration.html#_defining_apps) it is said that there is `app_state_folder` option in `apps` section. When I tried to use it, defining specific folder for application it wasn't working. I searched [thru the current code](https://github.com/games-on-whales/wolf/blob/9844022e90e5c1bae5ac464ad252f74d87f4d4d6/src/moonlight-server/state/serialised_config.hpp#L103) and I couldn't find this option. How can I define state folder per application?

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2026-10-15 12:56:13 +00:00

bsakaguchi commented

2026-10-15 12:56:14 +00:00

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@ABeltramo commented on GitHub (Nov 1, 2024):

The documentation is outdated on that part, app_state_folder can only be defined per Moonlight client with something like:

github.com/games-on-whales/wolf@9844022e90/tests/assets/config.test.toml (L13-L15)

Or you can change where Wolf will store all the app data by following this.

Would that work for you? What are you trying to achieve?

@ABeltramo commented on GitHub (Nov 1, 2024): The documentation is outdated on that part, `app_state_folder` can only be defined per Moonlight client with something like: https://github.com/games-on-whales/wolf/blob/9844022e90e5c1bae5ac464ad252f74d87f4d4d6/tests/assets/config.test.toml#L13-L15 Or you can change where Wolf will store all the app data by following [this](https://games-on-whales.github.io/wolf/stable/user/configuration.html#data_setup). Would that work for you? What are you trying to achieve?

bsakaguchi commented

2026-10-15 12:56:14 +00:00

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@csrednicki commented on GitHub (Nov 1, 2024):

What are you trying to achieve?

For example I have Steam application, I installed a bunch of games in this app. Now in moonlight I want to have each of this games as separate icons. Pretty standard. If I will create separate entries in config.toml for each of this games (and pass STEAM_STARTUP_FLAGS with proper game id) this would create folders with different Steam app installations. It would ask me for my credentials for every single game and I would have to install it again, because it will not use original Steam app but app named as game (folder created in /etc/wolf/<paired_client_id>/<app_title>).

Currently I managed to get around it by creating symlinks from game title to Steam app folder and this is working. I thought I could ditch symlinks and use this app_state_folder feature but found it isn't working. In this case app_state_folder would be pointing to Steam folder and everything would be working fine.

@csrednicki commented on GitHub (Nov 1, 2024): > What are you trying to achieve? For example I have Steam application, I installed a bunch of games in this app. Now in moonlight I want to have each of this games as separate icons. Pretty standard. If I will create separate entries in `config.toml` for each of this games (and pass `STEAM_STARTUP_FLAGS` with proper game id) this would create folders with different Steam app installations. It would ask me for my credentials for every single game and I would have to install it again, because it will not use original Steam app but app named as game (folder created in `/etc/wolf/<paired_client_id>/<app_title>`). Currently I managed to get around it by creating symlinks from `game title` to `Steam` app folder and this is working. I thought I could ditch symlinks and use this `app_state_folder` feature but found it isn't working. In this case `app_state_folder` would be pointing to `Steam` folder and everything would be working fine.

bsakaguchi commented

2026-10-15 12:56:14 +00:00

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@shawly commented on GitHub (Jun 8, 2025):

I second this, it would be great to share a state folder per app via this setting, in my case I have two apps defined Steam (Gamescope) and Steam (Desktop), the first app launches Steam with RUN_GAMESCOPE, while the second uses RUN_SWAY but with STEAM_STARTUP_FLAGS set to empty so Steam launches in desktop mode, since Steam doesn't provide some settings in Tenfoot mode, like adding different library folders. That way I can launch Steam to do some desktop work and then re-launch it with the other app to play games.

I also used the workaround of creating symlinks to my original Steam appstate folder, but it feels really hacky to do this and it will technically break new clients until I also linked their appstate folders.

@shawly commented on GitHub (Jun 8, 2025): I second this, it would be great to share a state folder per app via this setting, in my case I have two apps defined `Steam (Gamescope)` and `Steam (Desktop)`, the first app launches Steam with RUN_GAMESCOPE, while the second uses RUN_SWAY but with STEAM_STARTUP_FLAGS set to empty so Steam launches in desktop mode, since Steam doesn't provide some settings in Tenfoot mode, like adding different library folders. That way I can launch Steam to do some desktop work and then re-launch it with the other app to play games. I also used the workaround of creating symlinks to my original Steam appstate folder, but it feels really hacky to do this and it will technically break new clients until I also linked their appstate folders.

bsakaguchi referenced this issue

2026-10-15 12:59:59 +00:00

[PR #93] [MERGED] Improve manual_build docs. #357