gui: warn when config file not found at custom datadir path#286
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Bortlesboat wants to merge 2 commits into
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gui: warn when config file not found at custom datadir path#286Bortlesboat wants to merge 2 commits into
Bortlesboat wants to merge 2 commits into
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When a custom datadir is set via the GUI, bitcoin.conf is looked up relative to that directory instead of the default data directory. If the file doesn't exist there, settings are silently ignored with no indication in the log. Add a LogWarning when the resolved default config path doesn't exist and -conf was not explicitly set, so that users can diagnose why their bitcoin.conf settings aren't being applied.
rleed
suggested changes
Mar 18, 2026
| // which can happen when a custom datadir moves the base path away from | ||
| // the default location where the user's bitcoin.conf actually lives. | ||
| if (!IsArgSet("-conf") && !stream.good()) { | ||
| LogWarning("Config file %s not found; settings from it will not be applied. " |
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Nit: it is redundant to say that settings won't be applied from a file that cannot be found. Consider the following revision:
Config file %s doesn't exist or cannot be read; no settings will be applied.
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Good point — "doesn't exist or cannot be read" is more precise since !stream.good() can also fail on permission issues, not just a missing file. Updated the first part.
I kept the second sentence though — without it the user just gets told something's wrong with no idea what to do about it. The -conf hint especially is worth keeping since that's the actual fix for this scenario.
Dropped the "settings from it will not be applied" bit since as you said that's implied.
Use "doesn't exist or cannot be read" instead of "not found" to more precisely describe the !stream.good() failure modes.
rleed
approved these changes
Mar 19, 2026
Ari4ka
approved these changes
Mar 19, 2026
eatray
approved these changes
Mar 30, 2026
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When a custom datadir is set via the GUI,
bitcoin.confis resolved relative to that directory. If the user's config file lives at the default data directory (as is common), it gets silently ignored — no error, no log message, nothing to indicate why settings aren't being applied.This adds a
LogWarningwhen the default config file path doesn't exist and-noconfwasn't set, so the issue shows up indebug.log.Fixes #282