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Settings File ​

Novadesk stores persistent configuration in a single JSON file called settings.json. This guide explains where the file lives, its structure, and how to edit it safely.

Table of Contents ​

Location ​

The location depends on the runtime mode:

  • Standard mode: %APPDATA%\Novadesk\settings.json
  • Portable mode: next to Novadesk.exe in the same folder

TIP

You can retrieve the exact path at runtime via app.getSettingsFilePath().

Creation And First Run ​

On first launch, Novadesk creates settings.json with minimal defaults. If the file is missing or empty, Novadesk treats the run as first-launch, initializes defaults, and saves the file after settings change.

Global Settings ​

Global keys live at the root of the JSON object. Current built-in keys:

  • enableDebugging (boolean, default false): sets log level to Debug when true, Info when false.
  • disableLogging (boolean, default false): when true, disables all logging outputs.
  • saveLogToFile (boolean, default false): when true, writes logs.log alongside the settings file.
  • hideTrayIcon (boolean, default false): hides the system tray icon when true.
  • useHardwareAcceleration (boolean, default true): toggles Direct2D hardware acceleration. Requires restart to fully apply.

Example ​

json
{
  enableDebugging: false,
  disableLogging: false,
  saveLogToFile: true,
  hideTrayIcon: false,
  useHardwareAcceleration: true,
  widgets: {}
}

Widget Entries ​

Widgets are stored under the widgets object keyed by widget ID. Each entry saves placement and behavior:

  • x, y (number): screen position in pixels.
  • windowopacity (number): opacity from 0?255.
  • zpos (string): one of normal, ondesktop, ontop, onbottom, ontopmost.
  • draggable (boolean)
  • clickthrough (boolean)
  • keeponscreen (boolean)
  • snapedges (boolean)

Example widget block:

json
widgets: {
  clock: {
    x: 120,
    y: 80,
    windowopacity: 255,
    zpos: ontop,
    draggable: true,
    clickthrough: false,
    keeponscreen: true,
    snapedges: true
  }
}

How Novadesk Applies Settings ​

  • Settings are loaded on startup. If parsing fails, Novadesk resets to defaults and rewrites the file when changes occur.
  • Logging settings are applied immediately (console and optional file logging).
  • Tray visibility updates immediately when hideTrayIcon changes.
  • Hardware acceleration changes are stored but require an application restart.

Editing Safely ​

  1. Close Novadesk or ensure it won?t overwrite changes while you edit.
  2. Keep valid JSON (no trailing commas). If Novadesk cannot parse the file, it falls back to defaults.
  3. Prefer modifying values via scripts using the app module (e.g., app.saveLogToFile(true)) to avoid syntax mistakes.
  • app.getSettingsFilePath() ? returns the absolute path to settings.json.
  • app.isFirstRun() ? true when settings are missing or empty on launch.
  • app.enableDebugging(bool) ? toggles debug log level.
  • app.disableLogging(bool) ? silences or resumes logging.
  • app.saveLogToFile(bool) ? enables file logging.
  • app.hideTrayIcon(bool) ? toggles tray icon visibility.
  • app.useHardwareAcceleration(bool) ? stores hardware acceleration preference.