[tor-bugs] #2498 [Vidalia]: Vidalia is not honoring the data directory although specified in the command line option

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#2498: Vidalia is not honoring the data directory although specified in the
command line option
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    Reporter:  toruser1  |       Owner:  chiiph  
        Type:  defect    |      Status:  reopened
    Priority:  major     |   Milestone:          
   Component:  Vidalia   |     Version:          
  Resolution:            |    Keywords:          
      Parent:            |      Points:          
Actualpoints:            |  
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Changes (by jrklein):

  * status:  closed => reopened
  * resolution:  invalid =>


Comment:

 I've continued to look at this and my current results contradict my
 earlier testing.  Can someone else follow these steps and confirm in case
 my environment is just hosed?


 1) Remove all configuration files from default locations
 rm -r -f ~/.tor/ ~/Library/Vidalia/

 2) Create custom configuration files in a custom datadir
 cat ~/.vidalia/vidalia.conf
 [Tor]
 ControlPort=9051
 TorExecutable=/Applications/TorBrowser_en-US.app/Contents/MacOS/tor
 Torrc=/Users/jrklein/.vidalia/torrc

 cat ~/.vidalia/torrc
 AvoidDiskWrites 1
 DataDirectory /Users/jrklein/.vidalia
 GeoIPFile /Users/jrklein/.vidalia
 Log notice stdout
 SocksPort 9050
 SocksListenAddress 127.0.0.1

 3) Launch Vidalia and specify the custom datadir
 ./Vidalia.app/Contents/MacOS/Vidalia --datadir=/Users/jrklein/.vidalia

 4) Vidalia displays the following dialog:
 "Vidalia was unable to star Tor.  Check your settings to ensure the
 correct name and location of your Tor executable is specified."  Show
 Settings | Cancel | Help

 5) When I click "Show Setting", I see the following values:
 General->Tor: tor
 Advanced->TorConfig: /Users/jrklein/Library/Vidalia/torrc
 Advanced->DataDirectory:  EMPTY

 EXPECTED RESULTS
 Vidalia should be able to find Tor instead of displaying the error in step
 #4.
 Vidalia should display my settings instead of displaying the defaults in
 step #5.

 If I specify the same/valid Tor path as shown in the vidalia.conf from my
 custom datadir and restart Vidalia, it works fine but it writes it's
 settings to the default locations.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/2498#comment:6>
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