Allow us users to change the location where studio caches instead of putting it in %temp%, and by extension, installs

[Fifkee (Noire)]

Introduction

As a general user, not even a developer, it’s impossible to change the location where Roblox Studio installs and caches downloaded objects. This makes it so I have to bargain for the extra space for Studio to consume whenever I feel like developing - each. and every. time. Seriously, I’m not kidding!
Take a look here:

_{Please note that this includes the Roblox application as well.}

General Complaint

When opening my game, Test Palace 1, Studio has to download ~200mb worth of data. When I testplay, for some reason, Studio also has to download 300mb worth of data. Keep in mind that this is just an estimate.

“And, where does this go?” you might ask? It goes all into %temp%. As we modernize and innovate, we move farther and farther from storing our miscellaneous applications or whatever it may be onto the C drive and purely the C Drive, and move closer and closer to having one drive where essential applications and files are located, windows inclusive, and another larger drive where we install all of our handies like games and development environments.

…and my computer does just that. My Windows drive is NINE times smaller than my Miscellaneous drive, so why must I be forced to install Studio into said place that is infinitesimal compared to the drive where I’m supposed to store my applications in?

Originally, I saw a rebuttal from zeuxcg (I think?) where he proclaimed that “we shouldn’t have to bombard potentially new users with miscellaneous opti-” Yes. Yes we do. Because in attempts to be too user-friendly, companies end up becoming anti-consumer.

We should be able to dictate where we want to install our programs.
_{wow, i sound like a massive karen. not my intention, sorry!!!}

Workaround 1

This got so bad to the point where I didn’t even have enough space on my Windows drive. Due to this, I found out it is possible to change where Studio is installed. The keyword is using system links. I had to rename Roblox and Roblox Studio, create another folder of the same name (for coherency’s sake), create two symlinks corresponding to the aforementioned names, and then had to clear out the old folders and move them into their new folders of matching names. That’s a lot of hoops to jump through just so I can work in peace.

Why can’t you just do the same thing?

Sure, installing is one thing. But preventing where Roblox caches is another. I can do one of two things:

1. Create a symlink in %temp% and pipe it into my Miscellaneous (D:) drive.
   ・Issue: I have to do this on startup. Every single time.


2. Create an application that runs on autostart to do the former.
   ・Issue: I have to make an application. Why should I have to create an application just so I can make another "application?" This also makes no sense!

Summary

In short, please allow us users to change where Studio caches its downloads - and by extension, where it is installed. I don’t want to have to jump through so many hoops and over so many hurdles just to work. Now, I have to deal with this:

Thanks for reading.

[Brick_man]

I support this, I have a very similar situation

It would be nice to even put such an option in studio’s advanced settings

[PeZsmistic]

It gets tight sometimes, usually it’s red and angry with me.

All other serious software allows the user to choose install location, Roblox not being able to do this is frustrating and detrimental.

Related thread:

Allow changing install location

As a Roblox developer, it is currently impossible to install roblox or Roblox studio onto certain work/ school networks due to the files being installed into appdata by default. If Roblox was to add a way of selecting an install location, it would allow educational institutions to install the program on their network much more easily. Most programs already do this, with Roblox being the odd one out. There are also other issues such as:

[Fifkee (Noire)]

…and it finally happened. Zero megabytes of space. Not even a kilobyte left. All gone.

And guess where it all went.

_{AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA}
I’m going mental. I guess it’s about time to try out the symlink solution for the time being. :/

Every few studio sessions, I have to use a disk cleanup tool in order to free up enough space for Studio to use. And, god FORBID Studio crashes, because if it does, it will not release any of the storage that it occupied. I found that out roughly 5 minutes ago.

I also think a good addition to this post would be:

• A) Release space upon studio crashing
• B) Whenever studio is opened, release any cached items that are not in use

Although, I see one fault with each, former being that since it crashed, program might’ve already exited before space could be freed, and with the latter, Studio could mistake “unused cache items” for downloaded items by other instances of studio that are currently running.

Either way, a suggestion is a suggestion.

---

Also, a little bit of trivia, Studio took up so much space that it prevented a Windows update from installing. Yep.

…i think that’s the reason why, at least.

[buildthomas]

@Fifkee

And guess where it all went.

Uh, that’s 1.24GB of 222.

They should make it possible to change the installation drive/directory for sure, but this issue is low impact at best (it’s easy to move something else to another drive, it’s only less than 2GB total).