Consider using XDG_STATE_HOME instead of cache folder for local config

[haarp]

Overview

Transient data such as last active database, GUI size/settings are stored in ~/.cache/keepassxc/kepassxc.ini. This means this data is prone to being deleted (as cache directories might be cleared during logout/reboot or reside on volatile storage such as ramdisks to begin with. These settings are not caches, they should go into ~/.local/share/ or ~/.local/state/ (or rather XDG_DATA_HOME) instead.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Start KXC
2. Observe file created under ~/.cache/

Expected Behavior

Use ~/.local instead

Actual Behavior

Uses ~/.cache

Context

XDG_DATA_HOME is part of the Freedesktop basedir spec.

KeePassXC - Version 2.7.5
Revision: 9d0537b

Qt 5.15.10
Debugging mode is disabled.

Operating system: Gentoo Linux
CPU architecture: x86_64
Kernel: linux 6.1.41-gentoo-HH

Enabled extensions:

• Browser Integration
• SSH Agent
• Secret Service Integration

Cryptographic libraries:

• Botan 3.0.0

Operating System: Linux
Desktop Env: XFCE
Windowing System: X11

Thanks!

[phoerious]

.local/share is explicitly not the location we want to store these things in. XDG_STATE_HOME is new and might be worth considering. At the time we implemented this, .local/cache was the closest to a semi-persistent location. XDG_CACHE_HOME is not a temporary folder, so IMHO any distribution that deletes it automatically on reboot or puts the contents in a tmpfs does it wrong.

[haarp]

You're right, XDG_CACHE_HOME is not explicitely described as being volatile, but it is considered "non-essential". There shouldn't be any detrimental effects to deleting it, other than increased delays during app startup and runtime ;) Doing so requires me to e.g. setup my KXC window again tho, which shouldn't be the case.

XDG_STATE_HOME is probably the better place for it tho.

[jNullj]

I gave the spec a quick look, i think XDG_STATE_HOME is a better fit then XDG_CACHE_HOME, if you read in the spec it seems to be similar to what you described:

The $XDG_STATE_HOME contains state data that should persist between (application) restarts, but that is not important or portable enough to the user that it should be stored in $XDG_DATA_HOME. It may contain:

actions history (logs, history, recently used files, …)

current state of the application that can be reused on a restart (view, layout, open files, undo history, …)

Should we consider XDG_CONFIG_HOME? as this looks much like a config file.

[haarp]

Should we consider XDG_CONFIG_HOME? as this looks much like a config file.

There is a separate keepassxc.ini already in XDG_CONFIG_HOME. I assumed there was a reason for this separation.

[phoerious]

The INI under ~/.local/cache contains non-essential machine-specific state information, such as the window geometry. On Windows, this is under %LocalAppData%. Linux, so far, didn't have a location for it, but now apparently does.

[haarp]

Excellent, thanks a lot!