Changing the Location of the Profile Folder in .config

wanageeska

Hi all,
Could someone tell me if it's possible to move the user profile folder out of .config and put it on another partition? I need to work offline quite frequently so have been downloading emails locally. However, the profile folder has ballooned and maxed out my home partition.
Does anybody know if there's a setting to change the profile path?
Thanks!
-w

Zalex108

@wanageeska

Hi,
You can create a Custom Shortcut pointing to a desired destination.

Create the ShortCut
"Vivaldi install path" --user-data-dir "custom Profile location"

Mine is are like this:

D:\PortableApps\Vivaldi Technologies\Vivaldidev\Application\vivaldi.exe" --user-data-dir="D:\PortableApps\Vivaldi Technologies\VivaldiDev\Profiles\Lx" --enable-low-end-device-mode --process-per-site --force-dark-mode --enable-features=OverlayScrollbar

Then,
Copy/Paste the actual profile to that destination.

Once assured is working,
You can remove the older.

Despite you could Move the Profile, better have the Original Bckp til confirm is ok.

--
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Follow the Backup | Reset links below

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wanageeska

Hi @Zalex108,

Thanks for the reply. I just want to confirm a few terms because I’m running Linux.

To me, you’ve described a symlink. I place my profiles in a folder on the separate partition, create a symlink to that location, and then place the symlink in the original location at ~/.config/vivaldi. Is that correct?

If so, this was going to be my initial anpproach also.

But where does the —user-data-dir variable apply? Is that a windows thing only? Is it a variable offered during the installation of the standalone Vivaldi version?

I’ll probably just symlink the profiles, but I thought I’d get clarification in case other people see this in the future.

Thanks for your help!

Zalex108

@wanageeska

Shortcut

Modify a Shortcut and add your line in the location.
--user-data-dir is needed

https://peter.sh/experiments/chromium-command-line-switches/

sgunhouse

You can specify the profile location on the command line, which would mean modifying the desktop file or creating a new one - if that's how you start Vivaldi. If you start V from a menu, then you'll need to modify the command the menu calls, etc. Whatever method you use to start the browser, edit it so that the command line includes your new profile location.

Not that symbolic links wouldn't work too, but they aren't required.

Pathduck

Yeah using a symlink is probably the best here.

I remember some users having issues with using the Windows equivalent of symlinks (junctions), where some stuff broke. But symlinks on Linux are different (and better!) so should work (at least in theory...)

Using --user-data-dir would mean the user had to make sure to always launch the profile using the modified shortcut.

wanageeska

Okay, I understand now.

I’m coming from Firefox, so I wasn’t aware of the chrome flags.

I’ll stick with my original plan and symlink it.

Thanks for your help everyone!