release build script and update changelog

## Link to GitHub Issue, if one exists
#304 

## Description of change
Complain loudly about DLL conflicts. Show warnings for each DLL that
exists in both modules directory and the root.

This is not based on LoadLibrary hooks, just enumerating DLLs via
filesystem access.

Deliberately not using `log_fatal` since these are not necessarily going
to crash the game. Some people just love to have messy installs and if
the game booted fine before, it should continue to boot.

## Testing
Tested with/without `-modules`, with/without duplicate DLLs.

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: ./src/spice2x
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Set ccache environment variables
+        run: |
+          echo "CCACHE_DIR=${{ github.workspace }}/src/spice2x/.ccache" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: Install ccache
+        uses: hendrikmuhs/ccache-action@v1.2
       - name: Calculate commit SHA
         id: vars
         run: |

pull_request_template.md

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 > * Please do note that this is a GPL v3.0 open source project.
 > * Please read the [CONTRIBUTING](https://github.com/spice2x/spice2x.github.io/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) guide.
 > * Maintainers reserve the right to reject or modify your submission without reason.
+> * No new compiler warnings must be introduced. Check the CI build results.
 > 
 > Feel free to remove this section after you have read it.
 
@@ -12,8 +13,5 @@
 ## Description of change
 *what does this code do?*
 
-## Compiling
-*you must be able to compile with the included Docker script with zero compiler warnings*
-
 ## Testing
 *how was the code tested?*

src/spice2x/.dockerignore

@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ bin/**
 dist/**
 docker/**
 cmake-build*
+.ccache/**

src/spice2x/.gitignore

@@ -16,4 +16,6 @@ build_docker.local.sh
 bin/*
 dist/*
 
-external/cv2pdb/*
+external/cv2pdb/*
+
+.ccache/*

src/spice2x/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -607,6 +607,22 @@ IF(NOT MSVC)
     set_target_properties(spicetools_spice PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-m32" LINK_FLAGS "-m32")
 endif()
 
+# spice_laa.exe
+###########
+
+set(RESOURCE_FILES build/manifest.manifest build/manifest.rc build/icon.rc cfg/Win32D.rc)
+add_executable(spicetools_spice_laa ${SOURCE_FILES} ${RESOURCE_FILES})
+target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice_laa
+        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winscard winhttp
+        PRIVATE fmt-header-only discord-rpc imgui hash-library minhook imm32 dwmapi CpuFeatures::cpu_features)
+set_target_properties(spicetools_spice_laa PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
+set_target_properties(spicetools_spice_laa PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "spice_laa")
+target_compile_definitions(spicetools_spice_laa PRIVATE SPICE32_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE=1)
+
+IF(NOT MSVC)
+    set_target_properties(spicetools_spice_laa PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-m32" LINK_FLAGS "-m32 -Wl,--large-address-aware")
+endif()
+
 # spice64.exe
 #############
 
@@ -626,7 +642,6 @@ IF(NOT MSVC)
     set_target_properties(spicetools_spice64 PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-m64" LINK_FLAGS "-m64")
 endif()
 
-
 # spicecfg.exe
 ##############
 
@@ -732,7 +747,7 @@ set_target_properties(spicetools_cfg
         RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/spicetools")
 
 # output 32bit
-set_target_properties(spicetools_spice spicetools_stubs_kbt spicetools_stubs_kld
+set_target_properties(spicetools_spice spicetools_spice_laa spicetools_stubs_kbt spicetools_stubs_kld
         PROPERTIES
         ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/archive32"
         LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/spicetools/32"

src/spice2x/Dockerfile

@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ WORKDIR /src
 COPY --from=gitroot . /src/.git
 COPY . /src/src/spice2x
 WORKDIR /src/src/spice2x
-CMD ["./build_all.sh"]
+ENTRYPOINT ["./build_all.sh"]

src/spice2x/avs/game.cpp

@@ -76,18 +76,23 @@ namespace avs {
             const auto dll_path_s = dll_path.string();
             log_info("avs-game", "DLL path: {}", dll_path_s.c_str());
 
-            if (MAX_PATH <= (dll_path_s.length() + 64)) {
+            // MAX_PATH is 260
+            if (130 <= dll_path_s.length()) {
                 log_warning(
                     "avs-game",
                     "PATH TOO LONG WARNING\n\n\n"
                     "-------------------------------------------------------------------\n"
+                    "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n"
+                    "WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING\n"
+                    "                           PATH TOO LONG                           \n"
                     "WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING\n"
                     "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n"
-                    "'{}' has a length of {}\n"
+                    "The path '{}'\n"
-                    "Most of these games will behave unexpectedly when the path is too long,\n"
+                    "    has a length of {}\n"
-                    "often resulting in random crashes. Move the game contents to a directory\n"
+                    "Most of these games may behave unexpectedly when the path is too\n"
-                    "with shorter path.\n"
+                    "long, often resulting in random crashes. Move the game contents to\n"
-                    "-------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n",
+                    "a directory with shorter path.\n"
+                    "-------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n",
                     dll_path_s, dll_path_s.length());
             }
             if (!fileutils::file_exists(dll_path)) {

src/spice2x/build_all.sh

@@ -19,6 +19,25 @@ function trap_error_exit {
 trap trap_error_dbg DEBUG
 trap trap_error_exit EXIT
 
+IGNORE_CACHE=0
+
+# Parse options
+while getopts "ih" opt; do
+  case $opt in
+    i) IGNORE_CACHE=1 ;;
+    h)
+      echo "Usage: $0 [-i]"
+      echo "  -i: Ignore build cache"
+      echo "  -h: Show this help"
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    \?)
+      echo "Invalid option: -$OPTARG" >&2
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
 # settings
 GIT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2> /dev/null || echo "none")
 GIT_HEAD=$(git rev-parse HEAD || echo "none")
@@ -41,7 +60,7 @@ DIST_ENABLE=1
 DIST_FOLDER="./dist"
 DIST_NAME="spice2x-$(date +%y)-$(date +%m)-$(date +%d).zip"
 DIST_COMMENT=${DIST_NAME}$'\n'"$GIT_BRANCH - $GIT_HEAD"$'\nThank you for playing.'
-TARGETS_32="spicetools_stubs_kbt spicetools_stubs_kld spicetools_cfg spicetools_spice"
+TARGETS_32="spicetools_stubs_kbt spicetools_stubs_kld spicetools_cfg spicetools_spice spicetools_spice_laa"
 TARGETS_64="spicetools_stubs_kbt64 spicetools_stubs_kld64 spicetools_stubs_nvEncodeAPI64 spicetools_stubs_nvcuvid spicetools_stubs_nvcuda spicetools_spice64"
 
 # determine build type
@@ -74,6 +93,15 @@ echo "Build Type: $BUILD_TYPE"
 echo "Cores: $CORES"
 echo ""
 
+if ((IGNORE_CACHE > 0))
+then
+  echo "Ignoring build cache..."
+else
+ export CCACHE_DIR="$(pwd)/.ccache"
+ export CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache
+ export CMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache
+fi
+
 time (
 	# 32 bit
 	echo "Building 32bit targets..."
@@ -155,6 +183,7 @@ rm -rf ${OUTDIR}
 mkdir -p ${OUTDIR}
 #mkdir -p ${OUTDIR}/stubs/32
 mkdir -p ${OUTDIR}/stubs/64
+mkdir -p ${OUTDIR}/extras/largeaddressaware
 if false # ((DEBUG > 0))
 then
     # debug files
@@ -175,6 +204,7 @@ else
     # release files
     cp ${BUILDDIR_32}/spicetools/spicecfg.exe ${OUTDIR} 2>/dev/null
     cp ${BUILDDIR_32}/spicetools/32/spice.exe ${OUTDIR} 2>/dev/null
+    cp ${BUILDDIR_32}/spicetools/32/spice_laa.exe ${OUTDIR}/extras/largeaddressaware/spice.exe 2>/dev/null
     #cp ${BUILDDIR_32}/spicetools/32/kbt.dll ${OUTDIR}/stubs/32 2>/dev/null
     #cp ${BUILDDIR_32}/spicetools/32/kld.dll ${OUTDIR}/stubs/32 2>/dev/null
     cp ${BUILDDIR_64}/spicetools/64/spice64.exe ${OUTDIR} 2>/dev/null

src/spice2x/build_docker.bat

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 docker build --pull external/docker -t spicetools/deps
-docker build --build-context gitroot=%cd%/../../.git . -t spicetools/spice --no-cache
+docker build --build-context gitroot=%cd%/../../.git . -t spicetools/spice
-docker run --rm -it -v %cd%/dist:/src/src/spice2x/dist -v %cd%/bin:/src/src/spice2x/bin spicetools/spice
+docker run --rm -it -v %cd%/dist:/src/src/spice2x/dist -v %cd%/bin:/src/src/spice2x/bin -v %cd%/.ccache:/src/src/spice2x/.ccache spicetools/spice %*
 @REM to generate PDBs, set DEBUG to 1 in build_all.sh, place cv2pdb in external\cv2pdb, and run below
 @REM external\cv2pdb\cv2pdb.exe bin\spice2x\spicecfg.exe bin\spice2x\spicecfg-pdb.exe bin\spice2x\spicecfg-pdb.pdb
 @REM external\cv2pdb\cv2pdb.exe bin\spice2x\spice.exe bin\spice2x\spice-pdb.exe bin\spice2x\spice-pdb.pdb

src/spice2x/build_docker.sh

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 docker build --pull $PWD/external/docker -t spicetools/deps --platform linux/x86_64
-docker build --build-context gitroot=$PWD/../../.git . -t spicetools/spice:latest --no-cache
+docker build --build-context gitroot=$PWD/../../.git . -t spicetools/spice:latest
-docker run --rm -v $PWD/dist:/src/src/spice2x/dist -v $PWD/bin:/src/src/spice2x/bin spicetools/spice
+docker run --rm -v $PWD/dist:/src/src/spice2x/dist -v $PWD/bin:/src/src/spice2x/bin -v $PWD/.ccache:/src/src/spice2x/.ccache spicetools/spice "$@"

src/spice2x/build_release.bat

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+del /s /q .ccache
+call build_docker.bat

src/spice2x/cfg/screen_resize.cpp

@@ -15,12 +15,18 @@ namespace cfg {
     std::optional<std::string> SCREEN_RESIZE_CFG_PATH_OVERRIDE;
 
     ScreenResize::ScreenResize() {
+        bool file_exists = false;
         if (SCREEN_RESIZE_CFG_PATH_OVERRIDE.has_value()) {
             this->config_path = SCREEN_RESIZE_CFG_PATH_OVERRIDE.value();
+            if (fileutils::file_exists(this->config_path)) {
+                log_info("ScreenResize", "loading config from: {}", this->config_path.string());
+                file_exists = true;
+            }
         } else {
-            this->config_path = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")) / L"spicetools_screen_resize.json";
+            this->config_path =
+                fileutils::get_config_file_path("ScreenResize", "spicetools_screen_resize.json", &file_exists);
         }
-        if (fileutils::file_exists(this->config_path)) {
+        if (file_exists) {
             this->config_load();
         }
     }
@@ -29,12 +35,6 @@ namespace cfg {
     }
     
     void ScreenResize::config_load() {
-        if (SCREEN_RESIZE_CFG_PATH_OVERRIDE.has_value()) {
-            log_info("ScreenResize", "loading custom config: {}", this->config_path.string());
-        } else {
-            log_info("ScreenResize", "loading global config from APPDATA");
-        }
-
         std::string config = fileutils::text_read(this->config_path);
         if (config.empty()) {
             log_info("ScreenResize", "config is empty");
@@ -170,8 +170,6 @@ namespace cfg {
     }
 
     void ScreenResize::config_save() {
-        log_info("ScreenResize", "saving config: {}", this->config_path.string());
-
         rapidjson::Document doc;
         std::string config = fileutils::text_read(this->config_path);
         if (!config.empty()) {
@@ -221,10 +219,10 @@ namespace cfg {
         doc.Accept(writer);
 
         // save to file
-        if (fileutils::text_write(this->config_path, buffer.GetString())) {
+        if (fileutils::write_config_file("ScreenResize", this->config_path, buffer.GetString())) {
             // this->config_dirty = false;
         } else {
-            log_warning("ScreenResize", "unable to save config file to {}", this->config_path.string());
+            log_warning("ScreenResize", "unable to save config file");
         }
     }
 }

src/spice2x/changelog.txt

@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+04/25/2025 [spice2x]
+    LargeAddressAware variant of spice.exe for Metal Gear
+    Save new JSON config files to %appdata%/spice2x
+    Various bug fixes
+
 04/08/2025 [spice2x]
     Ensure rawinput touch is default for all games (-wintouch to override)
     Various overlay UI fixes and improvements, update ImGui library

src/spice2x/external/docker/Dockerfile

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ RUN pacman --noconfirm -Syu git \
     mingw-w64-winpthreads \
     mingw-w64-gcc \
     mingw-w64-headers \
-    mingw-w64-binutils
+    mingw-w64-binutils \
+    ccache
 RUN useradd user -m && echo "ALL ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" >> /etc/sudoers
 RUN su user -c "cd /tmp/ && git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay-bin.git --depth=1 && cd yay-bin && makepkg --noconfirm -si && yay --noconfirm -S mingw-w64-cmake"

src/spice2x/external/hash-library/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.9)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.12)
 project(imgui CXX)
 
 set(HASH_LIBRARY_HEADERS

src/spice2x/external/minhook/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.9)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.12)
 cmake_policy(SET CMP0069 NEW)
 project(minhook)
 

src/spice2x/games/iidx/camera.cpp

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace games::iidx {
     static IIDXLocalCamera *front_camera = nullptr;     // camera id #1
     std::vector<IIDXLocalCamera*> LOCAL_CAMERA_LIST = {};
     static IDirect3DDeviceManager9 *s_pD3DManager = nullptr;
-    std::filesystem::path CAMERA_CONFIG_PATH = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")) / L"spicetools_camera_control.json";
+    std::filesystem::path CAMERA_CONFIG_PATH;
     bool CAMERA_READY = false;
 
     bool parse_cmd_params() {
@@ -493,7 +493,8 @@ namespace games::iidx {
     }
 
     bool camera_config_load() {
-        log_info("iidx:camhook", "loading config");
+        CAMERA_CONFIG_PATH =
+            fileutils::get_config_file_path("iidx::camhook", "spicetools_camera_control.json");
 
         try {
             // read config file
@@ -651,9 +652,9 @@ namespace games::iidx {
         doc.Accept(writer);
 
         // save to file
-        if (fileutils::text_write(CAMERA_CONFIG_PATH, buffer.GetString())) {
+        if (fileutils::write_config_file("iidx::camhook", CAMERA_CONFIG_PATH, buffer.GetString())) {
         } else {
-            log_warning("iidx:camhook", "unable to save config file to {}", CAMERA_CONFIG_PATH.string());
+            log_warning("iidx:camhook", "unable to save config file");
         }
 
         return true;

src/spice2x/launcher/launcher.cpp

@@ -1118,6 +1118,8 @@ int main_implementation(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     // log
 #ifdef SPICE64
     log_info("launcher", "SpiceTools Bootstrap (x64) (spice2x)");
+#elif SPICE32_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE
+    log_info("launcher", "SpiceTools Bootstrap (x32) (Large Address Aware) (spice2x)");
 #else
     log_info("launcher", "SpiceTools Bootstrap (x32) (spice2x)");
 #endif
@@ -1170,13 +1172,17 @@ int main_implementation(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         }
     }
 
-    if (options[launcher::Options::SDVXFullscreenLandscape].value_bool() && !GRAPHICS_WINDOWED) {
+//     // SDVXFullscreenLandscape disabled due to it messing with in-game camera angle
-#if SPICE64
+//     // FullscreenOrientationFlip continues to live on, however.
-        GRAPHICS_FS_ORIENTATION_SWAP = true;
+//
-#else
+//     if (options[launcher::Options::SDVXFullscreenLandscape].value_bool() && !GRAPHICS_WINDOWED) {
-        log_warning("launcher", "-sdvxlandscape is not supported in 32-bit SDVX, ignoring...");
+// #if SPICE64
-#endif
+//         GRAPHICS_FS_ORIENTATION_SWAP = true;
-    }
+// #else
+//         log_warning("launcher", "-sdvxlandscape is not supported in 32-bit SDVX, ignoring...");
+// #endif
+//     }
+
     if (options[launcher::Options::FullscreenOrientationFlip].value_bool() && !GRAPHICS_WINDOWED) {
         GRAPHICS_FS_ORIENTATION_SWAP = true;
     }
@@ -1800,6 +1806,9 @@ int main_implementation(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         exit(spicecfg_run(sextet_devices));
     }
 
+    // complain loudly & early about dll load ordering issue
+    libutils::check_duplicate_dlls();
+
     // print cpu features
     if (!cfg::CONFIGURATOR_STANDALONE && dump_sysinfo) {
         cpuutils::print_cpu_features();

src/spice2x/launcher/options.cpp

@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ static const std::vector<OptionDefinition> OPTION_DEFINITIONS = {
         .desc =
             "Allows you to play portrait games in in landscape (and vice versa) by transposing resolution and applying image scaling.\n\n"
             "Works great for some games, but can COMPLETELY BREAK other games - YMMV!\n\n"
-            "Strongly consider combining this with -forceres option to render at monitor native resolution",
+            "Strongly consider combining this with -forceres option to render at monitor native resolution\n\n"
+            "WARNING: for SDVX, this messes with camera angle for note lanes, causing it to be zoomed out!",
         .type = OptionType::Bool,
         .category = "Graphics (Full Screen)"
     },
@@ -1087,7 +1088,7 @@ static const std::vector<OptionDefinition> OPTION_DEFINITIONS = {
         .title = "Screen Resize Config Path",
         .name = "resizecfgpath",
         .desc = "Sets a custom file path for screen resize config file. "
-            "If left empty, %appdata%\\spicetools_screen_resize.json will be used",
+            "If left empty, %appdata%\\spice2x\\spicetools_screen_resize.json will be used",
         .type = OptionType::Text,
         .category = "Paths",
     },
@@ -1096,7 +1097,7 @@ static const std::vector<OptionDefinition> OPTION_DEFINITIONS = {
         .title = "Patch Manager Config Path",
         .name = "patchcfgpath",
         .desc = "Sets a custom file path for patch manager config file. Can be used to manage 'profiles' for auto-patches. "
-            "If left empty, %appdata%\\spicetools_patch_manager.json will be used",
+            "If left empty, %appdata%\\spice2x\\spicetools_patch_manager.json will be used",
         .type = OptionType::Text,
         .category = "Paths",
     },
@@ -2049,15 +2050,17 @@ static const std::vector<OptionDefinition> OPTION_DEFINITIONS = {
     },
     {
         // SDVXFullscreenLandscape
-        .title = "SDVX Landscape Mode (SDVX5+)",
+        .title = "(DISABLED) SDVX Landscape Mode (SDVX5+)",
         .name = "sdvxlandscape",
         .desc =
+            "Option HIDDEN and DISABLED due to it affecting in-game camera angle for displaying lanes.\n\n"
             "Allows you to play in landscape by transposing resolution and applying image scaling.\n\n"
             "Works only for SDVX5 and above! This is identical to -forceresswap.\n\n"
             "Will launch at 1080p by default; strongly consider combining this with -forceres option to render at monitor native resolution",
         .type = OptionType::Bool,
+        .hidden = true,
         .game_name = "Sound Voltex",
-        .category = "Game Options"
+        .category = "Game Options",
     },
     {
         // spice2x_EnableSMXStage

src/spice2x/overlay/windows/card_manager.cpp

@@ -29,8 +29,11 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
         }
 
         this->toggle_button = games::OverlayButtons::ToggleCardManager;
-        this->config_path = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")) / L"spicetools_card_manager.json";
+
-        if (fileutils::file_exists(this->config_path)) {
+        bool file_exists = false;
+        this->config_path =
+            fileutils::get_config_file_path("cardmanager", "spicetools_card_manager.json", &file_exists);
+        if (file_exists) {
             this->config_load();
         }
 
@@ -434,8 +437,6 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
     }
 
     void CardManager::config_load() {
-        log_info("cardmanager", "loading config");
-
         // clear cards
         this->cards.clear();
 
@@ -566,10 +567,10 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
         doc.Accept(writer);
 
         // save to file
-        if (fileutils::text_write(this->config_path, buffer.GetString())) {
+        if (fileutils::write_config_file("cardmanager", this->config_path, buffer.GetString())) {
             this->config_dirty = false;
         } else {
-            log_warning("cardmanager", "unable to save config file to {}", this->config_path.string());
+            log_warning("cardmanager", "unable to save config file");
         }
     }
 

src/spice2x/overlay/windows/patch_manager.cpp

@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
             this->config_path = PATCH_MANAGER_CFG_PATH_OVERRIDE.value();
             log_info("patchmanager", "using custom config file path: {}", this->config_path.string().c_str());
         } else {
-            this->config_path = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")) / L"spicetools_patch_manager.json";
+            this->config_path =
+                fileutils::get_config_file_path("patchmanager", "spicetools_patch_manager.json");
         }
 
         if (!ldr_registered) {
@@ -1127,7 +1128,7 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
         doc.Accept(writer);
 
         // save to file
-        if (fileutils::text_write(config_path, buffer.GetString())) {
+        if (fileutils::write_config_file("patchmanager", config_path, buffer.GetString())) {
             config_dirty = false;
         } else {
             log_warning("patchmanager", "unable to save config file");

src/spice2x/rawinput/rawinput.cpp

@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ void rawinput::RawInputManager::devices_scan_rawinput(RAWINPUTDEVICELIST *device
                         // get string index
                         ULONG string_index = 0;
                         if (button_caps.IsStringRange && button_caps.Range.StringMin != 0) {
-                            string_index = button_caps.Range.StringMin + static_cast<ULONG>(button_output_caps_list.size()) - 1;
+                            string_index = button_caps.Range.StringMin + static_cast<ULONG>(button_output_caps_names.size());
                         }
                         else if (!button_caps.IsStringRange && button_caps.NotRange.StringIndex != 0) {
                             string_index = button_caps.NotRange.StringIndex;

src/spice2x/util/fileutils.cpp

@@ -264,3 +264,53 @@ std::vector<uint8_t> *fileutils::bin_read(const std::filesystem::path &path) {
     }
     return contents;
 }
+
+std::filesystem::path fileutils::get_config_file_path(const std::string module, const std::string filename, bool* file_exists) {
+    // try %appdata%\spice2x path first, if it exists
+    const auto appdata_spice2x = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")) / "spice2x" / filename;
+    if (fileutils::file_exists(appdata_spice2x)) {
+        log_info(module, "loading config from %appdata%\\spice2x\\{}", filename);
+        if (file_exists) {
+            *file_exists = true;
+        }
+        return appdata_spice2x;
+    }
+
+    // fallback to older %appdata% path (older spice2x or mainline spicetools), if it exists
+    const auto appdata = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")) / filename;
+    if (fileutils::file_exists(appdata)) {
+        log_info(module, "loading config from %appdata%\\{}", filename);
+        if (file_exists) {
+            *file_exists = true;
+        }
+        return appdata;
+    }
+
+    // prefer new path if no existing file found
+    if (file_exists) {
+        *file_exists = false;
+    }
+    return appdata_spice2x;
+}
+
+bool fileutils::write_config_file(const std::string_view &module, const std::filesystem::path path, std::string text) {
+    // attempt to undo %appdata% expansion to hide user name
+    const auto appdata = std::filesystem::path(_wgetenv(L"APPDATA")).string();
+    auto censored = path.string();
+    const auto substr_offset = censored.find(appdata);
+    if (substr_offset != std::string::npos) {
+        censored.replace(substr_offset, appdata.length(), "%appdata%");
+    }
+
+    // create directory path up to where the config file lives
+    if (!path.parent_path().empty() && !std::filesystem::exists(path.parent_path())) {
+        log_misc(module, "creating directory path to config file: {}", censored);
+        if (!fileutils::dir_create_recursive(path.parent_path())) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // save file
+    log_info(module, "saving config file: {}", censored);
+    return fileutils::text_write(path, text);
+}

src/spice2x/util/fileutils.h

@@ -33,4 +33,7 @@ namespace fileutils {
     std::string text_read(const std::filesystem::path &file_path);
     bool bin_write(const std::filesystem::path &path, uint8_t *data, size_t len);
     std::vector<uint8_t> *bin_read(const std::filesystem::path &path);
+
+    std::filesystem::path get_config_file_path(const std::string module, const std::string filename, bool* file_exists=nullptr);
+    bool write_config_file(const std::string_view &module, const std::filesystem::path path, std::string text);
 }

src/spice2x/util/libutils.cpp

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "logging.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "peb.h"
+#include "util/fileutils.h"
 
 std::filesystem::path libutils::module_file_name(HMODULE module) {
     std::wstring buf;
@@ -323,3 +324,35 @@ intptr_t libutils::offset2rva(const std::filesystem::path &path, intptr_t offset
 
     return rva;
 }
+
+void libutils::check_duplicate_dlls() {
+    const auto &spice_bin_path = libutils::module_file_name(nullptr).parent_path();
+    if (MODULE_PATH == spice_bin_path) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (const auto &file : std::filesystem::directory_iterator(MODULE_PATH)) {
+        const auto &filename = file.path().filename();
+        const auto extension = strtolower(filename.extension().string());
+
+        if (extension == ".dll" &&
+            fileutils::file_exists(spice_bin_path / filename)) {
+            log_warning(
+                "libutils",
+                "DLL CONFLICT WARNING\n\n\n"
+                "-------------------------------------------------------------------\n"
+                "WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING\n"
+                "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n"
+                "{} exists in BOTH of these directories:\n\n"
+                "    1. {}\n"
+                "    2. {}\n\n"
+                "due to Windows DLL load order rules, #1 will load instead of #2.\n"
+                "this has unintended consequences and may crash your game!\n"
+                "resolve the conflict by deleting the stale copy of the DLL\n"
+                "-------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n",
+                filename.string(),
+                (spice_bin_path / filename).string(),
+                (MODULE_PATH / filename).string());
+        }
+    }
+}

src/spice2x/util/libutils.h

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ namespace libutils {
         return try_library(module_name.c_str());
     }
 
+    void check_duplicate_dlls();
+
     // get module handle helpers
     HMODULE get_module(const char *module_name);
     HMODULE try_module(const char *module_name);