Use Wine's default prefix for games added by hand, release 2.9.0-3

.SRCINFO

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	pkgdesc = Community build of Vortex with generic Linux compatibility patches
 	pkgver = 2.9.0
-	pkgrel = 2
+	pkgrel = 3
 	url = https://github.com/Arkazzae/VortexLinux
 	install = vortex.install
 	arch = x86_64
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	source = 0035-linux-backslash-archive-paths.patch
 	source = 0036-linux-appimage-nxm-links.patch
 	source = 0037-linux-case-consistent-folders.patch
+	source = 0038-linux-default-wine-prefix.patch
 	source = vortex.sh
 	source = vortex.desktop
 	source = README.md
@@ -146,6 +147,7 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = SKIP
+	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = 935db5c6cee19f2c016e67168bfae7b491044735de76c673abb3b125dd325fd5e779d7efe12ba80178d46689ae70a25e558a3fa846417d44c5f4ca256e7f4bf2
 	sha512sums = e3f31d298a2b674b54c7fc89fb3f06d9645fc5879a54f2ebf2ea20e9ee7ae55f1bfe3284c1f90a591d6be2d6bcd251790ddc27771d65303e7a6a56d331df4632
 	sha512sums = 2161dfa1cf027cdc074de7195b5f206b17ebd829ae415b9e7c9ee5f06d3952b6583030022dbe0d6e9221b5c577c411d7cd5322241f6d2299d9c886641215699b

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ publishes a new Vortex version, taking any pending notes with it.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- A game added by hand, outside Steam and Heroic, runs in Wine's default
+  prefix (`$WINEPREFIX` or `~/.wine`) instead of failing with "The game's Wine
+  prefix is unavailable". The message now also says where to set a different
+  prefix: edit the game on the Dashboard, Environment Variables. (#22)
+
 ## 2.9.0-2 - 2026-10-22
 
 - Mods whose archives use Windows backslashes between folders install

PKGBUILD

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 pkgname=vortex-linux
 pkgver=2.9.0
-pkgrel=2
+pkgrel=3
 pkgdesc="Community build of Vortex with generic Linux compatibility patches"
 arch=('x86_64')
 url="https://github.com/Arkazzae/VortexLinux"
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ _patches=(
   '0035-linux-backslash-archive-paths.patch'
   '0036-linux-appimage-nxm-links.patch'
   '0037-linux-case-consistent-folders.patch'
+  '0038-linux-default-wine-prefix.patch'
 )
 
 source=(
@@ -211,6 +212,7 @@ sha512sums=(
   'SKIP'
   'SKIP'
   'SKIP'
+  'SKIP'
   # Keep integrity checks for binaries downloaded outside this repository.
   '935db5c6cee19f2c016e67168bfae7b491044735de76c673abb3b125dd325fd5e779d7efe12ba80178d46689ae70a25e558a3fa846417d44c5f4ca256e7f4bf2'
   'e3f31d298a2b674b54c7fc89fb3f06d9645fc5879a54f2ebf2ea20e9ee7ae55f1bfe3284c1f90a591d6be2d6bcd251790ddc27771d65303e7a6a56d331df4632'

README.md

@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ The selected game determines which prefix Vortex uses. Steam’s per-game Proton
 selection takes precedence over its default selection. Heroic’s game settings
 select Wine, Proton or UMU; Flatpak tools run inside the Heroic Flatpak.
 
-For a manually added Wine game, set `WINEPREFIX` in its environment settings.
+A game added by hand runs in Wine's default prefix, `$WINEPREFIX` or `~/.wine`.
+For another prefix, edit the game on the Dashboard and set `WINEPREFIX` under
+Environment Variables.
 `VORTEX_COMPAT_PREFIXES` can list additional prefixes, separated by colons, for
 lookups without a selected game. If several prefixes match, Vortex reports the
 ambiguity instead of choosing by modification time.

patches/0038-linux-default-wine-prefix.patch

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+diff --git a/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilityPaths.ts b/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilityPaths.ts
+--- a/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilityPaths.ts
++++ b/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilityPaths.ts
+@@ -85,9 +85,21 @@ function resolveGamePrefix(game: CompatibilityGame): string | null | undefined {
+       return installation.prefix;
+     }
+   }
++  if (!game.store) return defaultWinePrefix();
+   return undefined;
+ }
+
++/**
++ * A game added by hand has no store to ask, so it lives where plain Wine runs
++ * everything: $WINEPREFIX, or ~/.wine when that isn't set.
++ */
++function defaultWinePrefix(): string | undefined {
++  const prefix = path.resolve(
++    expandHome(process.env.WINEPREFIX || path.join(os.homedir(), ".wine")),
++  );
++  return fs.existsSync(path.join(prefix, "drive_c")) ? prefix : undefined;
++}
++
+ interface IUserPathMapping {
+   linuxRoot: string;
+   windowsRoot: string[];
+@@ -329,7 +341,7 @@ export function resolveExtensionUserPathSync(input: string): string {
+ function unavailablePrefix(): Error {
+   return Object.assign(
+     new Error(
+-      "The selected game's Wine/Proton user profile is unavailable. Launch the game once, or configure its WINEPREFIX.",
++      "The selected game's Wine/Proton user profile is unavailable. Launch the game once, or edit the game on the Dashboard and set WINEPREFIX under Environment Variables.",
+     ),
+     { code: "ENOENT" },
+   );
+diff --git a/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilitySelection.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilitySelection.test.ts
+--- a/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilitySelection.test.ts
++++ b/src/renderer/src/util/compatibilitySelection.test.ts
+@@ -172,6 +172,30 @@ describe.runIf(process.platform === "linux")("selected compatibility prefix", ()
+     expect(resolveWindowsUserPathSync(path.join(documents, relative))).toBe(expected);
+   });
+
++  it("uses Wine's default prefix for a game added by hand", () => {
++    vi.stubEnv("WINEPREFIX", "");
++    const wine = path.join(home, ".wine");
++    const user = path.join(wine, "drive_c/users", os.userInfo().username);
++    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(user, "Documents"), { recursive: true });
++    const game = { path: path.join(home, "Games/Example"), executable: "Example.exe" };
++    setCompatibilityGameProvider(() => game);
++    expect(resolveWindowsUserPathSync(path.join(documents, relative))).toBe(
++      path.join(user, "Documents", relative),
++    );
++
++    const exported = path.join(home, "exported-prefix");
++    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(exported, "drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents"), { recursive: true });
++    vi.stubEnv("WINEPREFIX", exported);
++    resetCompatibilityPathCache();
++    expect(resolveWindowsUserPathSync(path.join(documents, relative))).toBe(
++      path.join(exported, "drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents", relative),
++    );
++
++    // A store game that wasn't launched yet keeps asking for its own prefix.
++    setCompatibilityGameProvider(() => ({ ...game, store: "steam" }));
++    expect(() => resolveWindowsUserPathSync(path.join(documents, relative))).toThrow(/unavailable/);
++  });
++
+   it("keeps native game paths and Vortex state outside Proton", () => {
+     const gamePath = path.join(home, "native");
+     fs.mkdirSync(gamePath);
+diff --git a/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.test.ts
+--- a/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.test.ts
++++ b/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.test.ts
+@@ -171,6 +171,19 @@ describe.runIf(process.platform === "linux")("game tool runner", () => {
+       resolveGameTool("Tool.exe", [], { env: { WINEPREFIX: path.join(root, "missing") } }),
+     ).rejects.toThrow(/prefix is unavailable/);
+   });
++  it("runs a game added by hand in Wine's default prefix", async () => {
++    vi.stubEnv("WINEPREFIX", "");
++    const manual = { path: path.join(root, "Games/Example"), executable: "Example.exe" };
++    const game = path.join(manual.path, manual.executable);
++    write(game, "MZ");
++    await expect(resolveGameTool(game, [], {}, manual)).rejects.toThrow(/Environment Variables/);
++    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(root, ".wine/drive_c"), { recursive: true });
++    resetCompatibilityPathCache();
++    const command = await resolveGameTool(game, [], {}, manual);
++    expect(command.executable).toBe("wine");
++    expect(command.args).toEqual([game]);
++    expect(command.options.env.WINEPREFIX).toBe(path.join(root, ".wine"));
++  });
+   it("does not launch a Steam tool in a different Wine prefix", async () => {
+     proton("Proton 10.0");
+     const other = path.join(root, "other");
+diff --git a/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.ts b/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.ts
+--- a/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.ts
++++ b/src/renderer/src/util/linux/gameTools.ts
+@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export async function resolveGameTool(
+   const prefix = options.env?.WINEPREFIX ?? selectedGamePrefix(game);
+   if (!prefix || !fs.existsSync(path.join(prefix, "drive_c"))) {
+     throw new Error(
+-      "The game's Wine prefix is unavailable. Launch the game once or configure WINEPREFIX for this tool.",
++      "The game's Wine prefix is unavailable. Launch the game once, or edit the game or tool on the Dashboard and set WINEPREFIX under Environment Variables.",
+     );
+   }
+   if (game?.store === "steam") {