Why prime.txt AND local.txt?
 

Just upgraded to Prime95 v30.3 build 6. Decided to review readme.txt and undoc.txt.

In readme.txt, I found this:
[CODE]local.txt Like prime.txt, this file contains more preferences.
The reason there are two files is discussed later.
[/CODE]

The reason there are two files is never discussed.

So, why are there two config files?

I can't speak officially, but in general stuff in prime.txt is safe to copy between machines, while the stuff in local.txt is for the current machine only and contains things like unique identifiers that shouldn't be copied, performance data, and so on.

Ancient history that I now regret.

The theory was you could configure one computer, then copy prime95.exe and prime.txt (then called prime.ini) to a new computer and everything would "just work". Settings that are computer-specific would all be stored in local.txt.

Bad idea, I'm stuck with it.

Ah, that explains the one remaining reference to "local.ini" in undoc.txt (line 65).

Perhaps that can be fixed in the next release.

Are there settings that must be in prime.txt and not in local.txt?
Are there settings that must be in local.txt and not in prime.txt?

It would be good to have each setting indicate which file in which it may reside.

[QUOTE=SWWright;557893]...
Perhaps that can be fixed in the next release.
...
It would be good to have each setting indicate which file in which it may reside.[/QUOTE]George said we were stuck with it : expect no change.
The explanation of most of the possible settings is in undoc.txt (for one setting, "HideIcon", it is in readme.txt.) In undoc.txt there remains one reference to local.ini instead of local.txt : the "GetMinExponent=x" and "GetMaxExponent=y" settings.

Jacob

[QUOTE=SWWright;557893]Are there settings that must be in prime.txt and not in local.txt?
Are there settings that must be in local.txt and not in prime.txt?[/QUOTE]

Each setting has a unique location in either prime.txt or local.txt and will not work in the other file.
Undoc.txt mentions for each different setting which file it needs to be in.