Control the dotfiles!

Posted: 2015-08-30 | Updated: 2019-11-09

When I was first learning to use GNU/Linux and scripting, I was dead set on creating the bestest backup script. You see, during this period I would very frequently hop distros and I wanted an easy way to restore various settings I wanted. I had never really used any kind of version control system, so methodical usage of tar seemed like the logical choice. Even if it wasn't the best solution, I was trying to do what I could to get the most out of my experience working and playing within this ecosystem. I wanted to shape it as close to exactly what I wanted as possible, and maybe along the way find out new things to try and add to the mix.

It wasn't until a few years later that I was able to implement a system for achieving exactly what I was trying to do with a backups script but without making any traditional backups at all.

Using a so-called 'dotfiles repo' is a pretty common practice. When I was first exposed to the idea I remember thinking "that's neat, I should try something like that out" but didn't really jump on it. now it's not only how I deploy my crap (files, scripts, etc.) but also how I track and "back it up". A dotfiles repo, combined with a way to manage it's state on your system, can be a powerful way to keep your system configured the way you want it while still being simple to maintain.

My system consists of a few components:

A directory tree of roughly the following structure to accomadate setups for multiple machines:

src/toasty-dotfiles
├── alucard
│   ├── bin
│   ├── etc
│   ├── games
│   ├── install_all_configs.sh
│   └── setup_alucard.sh
├── richter
│   ├── bin
│   ├── etc
│   ├── install_all_configs.sh
│   └── setup_richter.sh
└── soma
    ├── bin
    ├── desktops
    ├── etc
    ├── games
    ├── hosts
    ├── install_all_dotfiles.sh
    └── setup_soma.sh

A bunch of symlinks throughout my home directory pointing back here to various things
Using git (or any other vcs) to version control all of it

There are two shell scripts at play on each machine; one for configuring files in my home directory, and one for taking care of system things after a new install. The new install setup script doesn't do anything crazier than using the package maneger to install desired packages, but it does also backup and and replace a few files under /etc with versions from my repo.

That first file, install_all_dotfiles.sh, contains a list of scripts (under bin) that it needs to make symlinks to. The list is laid out like this:

.bashrc
       bin/aliens-vs-predator-2000
       bin/banished
       bin/daggerfall
       bin/diablo2
       bin/doom3
       bin/duke-server
       bin/duke3d
       bin/dukedc
       bin/dukenwinter
       bin/dukevacation
       bin/dungeon-keeper
       bin/dungeon-keeper2
       bin/dwarf-fortress
       bin/gta-san-andreas
       bin/higan
       bin/martian-dreams
       bin/minecraft
       bin/morrowind
       bin/morrowind-launcher
       bin/pcsx
       bin/ppsspp
       bin/rcr-dos
       bin/sim-city-2000
       bin/ultima6
       bin/ultima7-forge-of-virtue
       bin/ultima7-serpent-isle-silver-seed
       bin/unreal-tournament-goty
       bin/warcraft2
       bin/winsteam
       bin/winsteamwinecfg
       .config/openbox/autostart
       .config/openbox/rc.xml
       .config/openbox/menu.xml
       .config/openmw/openmw.cfg
       .config/openmw/settings.cfg
       .config/tint2/tintwizard.conf
       .config/tint2/tint2rc
       .conkyrc
       .emacs.d/init.el
       .exult.cfg
       games/daggerfall.conf
       games/dungeon_keeper.conf
       games/earthworm_jim.conf
       games/earthworm_jim2.conf
       games/martian_dreams.conf
       games/rcr.conf
       games/sim_city_2k.conf
       games/u6.conf
       games/warcraft2.conf
       .nuvierc
       .oh-my-zsh/custom/mine.zsh
       .oh-my-zsh/themes/larry34.zsh-theme
       .ssh/config
       .vimrc
       .zshrc

The rest of the script consists of three simple bash functions: one to ensure a specific working directory, one to check for (and remove) existing symlinks or rename existing real files, and another to "install" the symlinks to my version-controlled scripts.

If I add a new script, I just add it to my list and run the installer. Simple as that I've got launchers for various things and fine-grained control over them.

You don't have to do it exactly the way I do, but I think that some kind of "dotfiles" repo is a great idea for managing your setup.