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Home/ Questions/Q 1054283
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Editorial Team
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Editorial Team
Asked: May 16, 20262026-05-16T17:22:50+00:00 2026-05-16T17:22:50+00:00

I want to write a unix/linux program, that will use a configuration file. My

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I want to write a unix/linux program, that will use a configuration file.

My problem is, where should I put the location of the file?

I could “hardcode” the location (like /etc) into the program itself.

However, I would like it, if the user without privileges could install it (through make) somewhere else, like ~.

Should the makefile edit the source code? Or is it usually done in a different way?

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  1. Editorial Team
    Editorial Team
    2026-05-16T17:22:51+00:00Added an answer on May 16, 2026 at 5:22 pm

    It is common to use a series of places to get the location:

    1. Supplied by the user as a command line argument (i.e. ./program -C path/to/config/file.cfg).
    2. From an environment variable (char *path_to_config = getenv("PROGRAMCONFIG");).
    3. Possibly look for a user specific or local version (stat("./program.cfg") or build up a strig to specify either “$HOME/.program/config.cfg” or “$HOME/.program.cfg” and stat that).
    4. Hardcoded as a backup (stat("/etc/program/config.cfg",...)).
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