Creating a save state folder with a custom path allows you to load states from unintended slots

[kihato]

Platform / OS / Hardware:
Windows11 / i7-10700F / GTX 1660 SUPER

Flycast version: v2.5-187-g339d288df

If you create a new save state folder with a custom path,
when you run a save state in any game, the same thumbnail will be displayed for slots 2 through 10, not just slot 1, and you will be able to load the state from any slot.

[flyinghead]

Should be fixed on dev

[kihato]

Thank you! It's working great.

However, it seems there is also a issue with the VMU custom path.
The steps are as follows:

1. Create two custom paths as VMU Folders (for example, VMU and VMU2).
2. Select a Sega controller for Port A, select VMU for Slot 1, and none for Slot 2.
3. When you start the BIOS, vmu_save_A1.bin will be created in the VMU folder.
4. Exit the game and move vmu_save_A1.bin from the VMU folder to VMU2.
5. Start the BIOS again.
6. the vmu_save_A1.bin in VMU2 will be deleted and forcibly moved to the VMU folder.
   

   flycast/core/hw/maple/maple_devs.cpp

   Lines 432 to 433 in ead4b51

   	// VMU file is being renamed so save it fully now
   	// and delete the old file

This also happens when launching any game while Per Game VMU A1 is enabled.

[flyinghead]

This is working as designed: previously the VMU file to read was also searched in the game ROM location (as an easy way to move a ROM and its VMU to a different machine). Savestates are also searched in the same location if not found in the data directory. However, this location might be read-only so nothing should be saved there.
Deleting the old VMU file is due to migrating from legacy VMU naming (ROM name) to the new naming scheme (game ID) for the A1 VMU, so that VMU files are only migrated once. Obviously this won't work if the ROM location or custom path is read-only... Another issue here.

With the addition of custom paths, this creates additional complexity, which was to be expected. And I found other issues with this PR already, although disabling most of it on Android should fix them.

[kihato]

@danprice142 and @flyinghead,
Thank you both very much for your time and for adding such a great feature.

I tested it with the settings shown in the image below.
It works very well for the paths of the BIOS, Savestate, Controller Mapping, and Cheat folders.
However, subfolders are not searched, so the relevant files must be placed directly under the custom path.
It also works very well for Texture Pack folder paths.
It's very convenient because it searches all subfolders of the gameID folder or textures/gameID folder directly under the custom path. (If both folders exist, the gameID folder takes priority.)

Regarding the VMU folder, it would be better not to create a second folder because of the specifications you taught me last time.
Regarding the game save folder, the second folder is not searched, but is this also by design? (The second path shown in the image does not work.)

[flyinghead]

However, subfolders are not searched, so the relevant files must be placed directly under the custom path.

Yes, this is by design. I don't feel this is needed for these paths.

Regarding the VMU folder, it would be better not to create a second folder because of the specifications you taught me last time.

Right, I might change it to a single folder then. I'll think about it.

Regarding the game save folder, the second folder is not searched

This isn't by design so it could be a bug. I'll have a look to find out.

[flyinghead]

I changed the VMU Path and the Game Save Path to a single directory instead of a list.

[kihato]

I checked and it's ok. Thank you for fixing the issue quickly!