Tweak the default project path to use a dedicated folder in Documents

[Calinou]

• Set the autoscan path to match the default project path. This way, projects can be manually extracted to it and detected on launch.
• Disallow creating new projects at the root of the default project path to avoid clutter. Instead, projects must be created in subfolders.

One downside is that a $HOME/Documents/Godot folder will be created even if the user never creates any projects in it. However, I believe it encourages better organization (it's something I always do personally), so I'd say the tradeoff is worth it. This tradeoff is also shared by other software such as Premiere Pro, so we wouldn't be the only software to do this.

Preview

Bugsquad edit: Closes godotengine/godot-proposals#13914

[YuriSizov]

One downside is that a $HOME/Documents/Godot folder will be created even if the user never creates any projects in it. However, I believe it encourages better organization (it's something I always do personally), so I'd say the tradeoff is worth it.

Well, I have a dedicated and organized folder far away from Documents, so I just have to navigate out of this trap default setting every time I need to create a project. I wish we remembered the last path used instead.

[aaronfranke]

Same thing as @pycbouh, I generally don't use Documents because other programs tend to pollute it with garbage. I store all of my projects in a custom folder I made called ~/workspace. So this change wouldn't benefit me (it's not really bad for me either as I can just ignore the folder, so don't take this comment as my disapproval of the feature, it's likely fine/good).

[Zireael07]

Add me to the list of people who don't use Documents, but a custom folder...

[YuriSizov]

Just to clarify: just like Aaron I am not against this change, but if it's usability and better organization that we seek, this may not be the solution. This does sound like a sensible default value for people who don't organize their workspace to their own preference though.

[ghost]

This has always been one of the first things I set on a fresh installation, and always wondered why it wasn't always like this already. I support this change.

[aanishacharyaa]

"One downside is that a $HOME/Documents/Godot folder will be created even if the user never creates any projects in it"

I don't understand the downside and why is that have to be

Solution 1:

Instead when the user creates a new project in any chosen folder... Remember and make it default for any new projects.

Solution 2 : on 1st time running Godot... Ask for projects default path

Solution 3 : when choosing directory for project ... Give selection option of recent project directories like drop down mean ( if created any )

Some enhancements : add ability to have multiple project directories in autoscan path manually or add automatically all created project directories and organize them accordingly

[Calinou]

Some enhancements : add ability to have multiple project directories in autoscan path manually or add automatically all created project directories and organize them accordingly

This should be requested in a separate proposal.

[ghost]

Currently Godot have option to change default path in the settings so is it not problem anymore but feature of forbidding creating project at the root of the default path is very awaited by me

[Calinou]

Rebased and tested again, it works as expected.

[KoBeWi]

I'm not sure about adding autoscan path by default 🤔
In worst case it can result in error spam when the folder fails to be created.

Personally I don't keep my projects in single directory and I don't even create them from project manager, so I'll just set this to empty. While creating folder makes sense for new users, existing users already have their projects organized, so they likely won't find the new folder useful or welcome.

[Calinou]

In worst case it can result in error spam when the folder fails to be created.

We should probably add a proper fallback to skip folder creation if it fails once, so that it no longer spams errors.

[KoBeWi]

Well another thing is that if you change the project path, the autoscan path needs to be updated manually. This will be a problem with #99790, though I could just make it update both paths if they are equal.

EDIT:
tbh #99790 with autoscan update would make this PR redundant.