# PyRadio Recordings Directory

PyRadio will record stations to files (when recording is enabled) and save the resulting files in a dedicated directory.

This directory used to be inside the “configuration directory”, but since v. 0.9.2.26 it will be located in the user’s home directory and will be named “pyradio-recordings”, by default.

Also, since v. 0.9.3, the directory is user selectable, providing this way maximum flexibility.

When the new directory is selected (actually typed or pasted in the relevant dialog), and saved, PyRadio will try to move the existing directory to the new location.

This is a case table of how this will work.

| If the new directory | PyRadio will
--- | --- | ---
1. | does not exist | move the original directory to the new location and optionally rename it
2. | already exists and it is empty | delete the new directory and move the original directory to the new location and optionally rename it
3. | already exists and it is not empty | move the original directory inside the new directory and optionally rename it

### 1. New directory does not exist

There’s nothing more to say about this case; the old directory will be moved/renamed and will be available to the program immediately.

### 2. New directory exists and it is empty

The user experience will be the same as the previous case, though the directory will actually be removed before moving/renaming the old directory.

Please make sure you do not specify a commonly OS used folder here, such as “Downloads”, “Documents” or “Pictures”, as it may be overwritten.

### 3. New directory exists but it is not empty

This is when it gets tricky; the original directory will be renamed to “pyradio-recordings” and will be moved inside the user specified folder. PyRadio will use this moved directory to save recorded files instead of the one specified by the user (which will actually be the parent directory of the “pyradio-recordings” directory.)

## Pre 0.9.3 installation behavior Top

Pre 0.9.3 installations will use ~/.config/pyradio/data/recordings as the recording directory, by default.

After updating to v. 0.9.3 (and newer), PyRadio will move this directory to the user’s home folder and rename it to “pyradio-recordings”.

Then the user can change the folder’s location from Config / General options / Recording dir.

## Post 0.9.3.10 behavior Top

Up until v. 0.9.3.10, PyRadio would create the “recording directory” upon startup, no matter where it would be located, making it available for the recording and titles’ log function.

This eventually creates the following problem:

A user who never wants to use the recording or the titles’ log function, ends up with an empty directory in his home folder, which will be recreated every time PyRadio is executed (even if deleted before that), as described in issue No. 253.

The solution is that PyRadio will remove the “recording directory” upon execution, if

1. the default location is used
2. the directory is empty

As a consequence, both the recording and the titles’ log function will make sure the directory actually exists (and create it if it does not), before trying to save any data to it.