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wolf: put Steam home on the game drive via symlink, not libraryfolders.vdf

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Seeding libraryfolders.vdf never stuck: Steam rewrites that file on every
launch and forces its primary library back to its own install dir
(/home/retro/.local/share/Steam), which is the Wolf session home on the OS
drive. That's why Steam Storage kept showing /home/retro with the OS drive's
size no matter how many times we seeded the vdf.

New approach: relocate_steam_home symlinks each Wolf Steam session home
(/etc/wolf/<id>/Steam, bind-mounted to /home/retro) at
$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam-home. Steam's one and only library is then the game
drive, so installs, game files, and Proton prefixes all land there and the
Storage screen reports the game drive's free space. An existing Steam install
is moved over once (no re-download) before the symlink is created.

Wired into first install, manage.sh start (self-heals on reboot), and
manage.sh fix-perms. Dropped the redundant /mnt/games/steam mount and the
vdf seeding everywhere; updated the README heredoc with the one-time
connect / fix-perms / reconnect sequence.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01D8ckUJQtj1pH8jtAddBDZs
This commit is contained in:
Claude
2026-06-20 13:13:50 +00:00
parent 2ac7d6898d
commit df988cca3c
1 changed files with 104 additions and 80 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files
services/wolf.sh
+104 -80
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@@ -200,6 +200,40 @@ fi
register_service wolf gaming "Cloud gaming via Moonlight (Games-on-Whales Wolf)" 47989
# relocate_steam_home <game_storage_dir>
# Make Steam's home physically live on the game drive. Wolf bind-mounts each
# app's session home (/etc/wolf/<id>/Steam) to /home/retro. By replacing that
# session home with a symlink to <game_storage_dir>/steam-home, everything Steam
# writes — its install, game files, and Proton prefixes — lands on the game
# drive, and Steam's Storage screen reports that drive's free space. This is the
# reliable alternative to seeding libraryfolders.vdf, which Steam overwrites on
# every launch. Safe to run repeatedly; only acts on real dirs, never symlinks.
# Returns 0 if it relocated at least one session home.
relocate_steam_home() {
local game_dir="$1"
[ -n "$game_dir" ] || return 1
local target="$game_dir/steam-home"
mkdir -p "$target"
chown -R 1000:1000 "$target" 2>/dev/null || true
local did=0 src
for src in /etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam; do
[ -e "$src" ] || continue
[ -L "$src" ] && continue # already relocated
[ -d "$src" ] || continue
# Preserve an existing Steam install: move contents over once.
if [ -z "$(ls -A "$target" 2>/dev/null)" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$src" 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
cp -a "$src/." "$target/" 2>/dev/null || true
fi
rm -rf "$src"
ln -s "$target" "$src"
chown -h 1000:1000 "$src" 2>/dev/null || true
chown -R 1000:1000 "$target" 2>/dev/null || true
echo " Steam home → $target (via $src)"
did=1
done
return $((did ? 0 : 1))
}
install_wolf() {
require_docker || return 1
@@ -701,30 +735,18 @@ UDEV
"$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/firefox" "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/minecraft" \
"$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/kodi" "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/emulators"
# Pre-seed Steam library config. Wolf mounts each app's home from
# /etc/wolf/<id>/Steam — Steam reads libraryfolders.vdf from there.
# We stash a copy in game storage and manage.sh fix-perms propagates it
# into every Wolf session dir after Wolf has run once.
local _VDF_CONTENT
_VDF_CONTENT='"libraryfolders"
{
"0"
{
"path" "/mnt/games/steam"
"label" ""
"mounted" "1"
"contentid" "1"
}
}'
mkdir -p "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam/steamapps"
echo "$_VDF_CONTENT" > "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
# Also seed into any Wolf session dirs that already exist
for _wdir in /etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam; do
[ -d "$_wdir" ] || continue
mkdir -p "$_wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
echo "$_VDF_CONTENT" > "$_wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
chown -R 1000:1000 "$_wdir"
done
# Steam home lives on the game drive — the bulletproof way to make games
# land where the user chose. Seeding libraryfolders.vdf does NOT work:
# Steam rewrites that file on every launch and forces library "0" back to
# its own install dir (/home/retro/.local/share/Steam). Instead we make
# /home/retro itself physically live on the game drive by symlinking the
# Wolf Steam session home (/etc/wolf/<id>/Steam) to $GAME_STORAGE_DIR/
# steam-home. Then Steam's one and only library IS the game drive — its
# install, games, AND Proton prefixes all land there, and Steam's Storage
# screen reports the game drive's free space. See _relocate_steam_home in
# manage.sh, which is run on start / fix-perms / first install.
mkdir -p "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam-home"
chown -R 1000:1000 "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam-home"
# Pre-create ES-DE ROM directories so the user knows where to drop files
# and ES-DE shows the system in its list immediately on first launch.
@@ -928,23 +950,34 @@ EOF
#!/bin/bash
SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
_seed_steam_library() {
# Make Steam's home physically live on the game drive by symlinking each Wolf
# Steam session home (/etc/wolf/<id>/Steam, mounted to /home/retro) at
# $GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam-home. Steam then installs, stores games, and keeps
# Proton prefixes on the game drive, and its Storage screen shows that drive's
# free space. Seeding libraryfolders.vdf does NOT work — Steam rewrites it every
# launch. Safe to run repeatedly; skips dirs already symlinked. Needs the Steam
# app to be DISCONNECTED (no running container holding the mount).
_relocate_steam_home() {
local game_dir
game_dir=$(grep '^GAME_STORAGE_DIR=' "$SCRIPT_DIR/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2-)
local vdf="$game_dir/steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
[ -f "$vdf" ] || return 0
local changed=0
for wdir in /etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam; do
[ -d "$wdir" ] || continue
local dest="$wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
if [ ! -f "$dest" ]; then
sudo mkdir -p "$(dirname "$dest")"
sudo cp "$vdf" "$dest"
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 "$wdir"
changed=1
[ -n "$game_dir" ] || return 0
local target="$game_dir/steam-home"
sudo mkdir -p "$target"
local did=0 src
for src in /etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam; do
[ -e "$src" ] || continue
[ -L "$src" ] && continue
[ -d "$src" ] || continue
if [ -z "$(sudo ls -A "$target" 2>/dev/null)" ] && [ -n "$(sudo ls -A "$src" 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
sudo cp -a "$src/." "$target/" 2>/dev/null || true
fi
sudo rm -rf "$src"
sudo ln -s "$target" "$src"
echo " Steam home → $target"
did=1
done
[ "$changed" = 1 ] && echo "Steam library config seeded into Wolf session dir."
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 "$target" 2>/dev/null || true
[ "$did" = 1 ] && echo "Steam now stores everything on the game drive. Reconnect Moonlight."
}
case "$1" in
@@ -952,7 +985,7 @@ case "$1" in
docker compose up -d
echo "Wolf started. Pair Moonlight to this server's IP."
sleep 3
_seed_steam_library
_relocate_steam_home
;;
stop) docker compose down ;;
restart) docker compose restart ;;
@@ -1057,7 +1090,7 @@ CATALOG = {
name='WolfSteam', title='Steam',
icon='https://games-on-whales.github.io/wildlife/apps/steam/assets/icon.png',
image='ghcr.io/games-on-whales/steam:edge',
mounts=[f'{games}/steam:/mnt/games/steam:rw'],
mounts=[], # Steam home is symlinked onto the game drive (relocate_steam_home)
env=['PROTON_LOG=1', 'RUN_SWAY=true',
'GOW_REQUIRED_DEVICES=/dev/input/* /dev/dri/* /dev/nvidia*'],
cap_add=['SYS_ADMIN', 'SYS_NICE', 'SYS_PTRACE', 'NET_RAW', 'MKNOD', 'NET_ADMIN'],
@@ -1241,18 +1274,10 @@ PYEOF
echo " fixed: $GAME_DIR"
found=1
fi
# Propagate the Steam library seed into every Wolf session home so Steam
# uses /mnt/games/steam rather than defaulting to /home/retro.
if [ -n "$GAME_DIR" ] && [ -f "$GAME_DIR/steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf" ]; then
for _wdir in /etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam; do
[ -d "$_wdir" ] || continue
sudo mkdir -p "$_wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
sudo cp "$GAME_DIR/steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf" \
"$_wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 "$_wdir"
echo " seeded libraryfolders.vdf → $_wdir"
done
fi
# Relocate Steam's home onto the game drive so games install there
# (and stay there). This moves an existing Steam install over once,
# then symlinks the session home — no re-download needed.
_relocate_steam_home
[ "$found" = 0 ] && echo " Nothing to fix (no Wolf app dirs found yet)."
echo "Done. Reconnect from Moonlight to relaunch the app."
;;
@@ -1337,7 +1362,7 @@ CATALOG = {
name='WolfSteam', title='Steam',
icon='https://games-on-whales.github.io/wildlife/apps/steam/assets/icon.png',
image='ghcr.io/games-on-whales/steam:edge',
mounts=[f'{games}/steam:/mnt/games/steam:rw'],
mounts=[], # Steam home is symlinked onto the game drive (relocate_steam_home)
env=['PROTON_LOG=1', 'RUN_SWAY=true',
'GOW_REQUIRED_DEVICES=/dev/input/* /dev/dri/* /dev/nvidia*'],
cap_add=['SYS_ADMIN', 'SYS_NICE', 'SYS_PTRACE', 'NET_RAW', 'MKNOD', 'NET_ADMIN'],
@@ -1500,31 +1525,15 @@ PYEOF
docker compose restart wolf
log_success "Wolf restarted with updated config"
# Seed Steam library config so games go to game storage on first launch.
# Wolf creates session dirs after the restart; wait up to 30s for them.
# Point Steam's home at the game drive (see steam-home note above).
# Wolf only creates the Steam session dir on first Moonlight connect,
# so it almost certainly doesn't exist yet here — relocate any that do,
# and tell the user the one-time step for the rest.
if echo "$APP_KEYS" | grep -qw steam; then
log_info "Waiting for Wolf session dirs to appear..."
local _sw
for _sw in $(seq 1 30); do
compgen -G "/etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam" >/dev/null 2>&1 && break
sleep 1
done
local _INSTALL_VDF="$GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
if [ -f "$_INSTALL_VDF" ]; then
local _seeded=0
for _wdir in /etc/wolf/[0-9]*/Steam; do
[ -d "$_wdir" ] || continue
mkdir -p "$_wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
cp "$_INSTALL_VDF" "$_wdir/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/libraryfolders.vdf"
chown -R 1000:1000 "$_wdir"
((_seeded++))
done
if [ "$_seeded" -gt 0 ]; then
log_success "Steam library config seeded — games will install to $GAME_STORAGE_DIR/steam"
else
log_warning "Steam session dir not found yet. Run: ./manage.sh fix-perms after first Moonlight connection."
fi
fi
relocate_steam_home "$GAME_STORAGE_DIR" || true
log_info "Steam storage: after your FIRST Moonlight connection, run"
log_info " cd $WOLF_DIR && ./manage.sh fix-perms"
log_info "to move Steam onto the game drive, then reconnect. (Once only.)"
fi
else
log_warning "Wolf config not generated in time. Add apps manually to /etc/wolf/cfg/config.toml"
@@ -1678,7 +1687,7 @@ cd $WOLF_DIR
## Game storage: \`$GAME_STORAGE_DIR\`
On-disk dirs are bind-mounted into each app container under \`/mnt/games/\`:
- \`roms/<system>/\` → /ROMs (EmulationStation — drop ROMs here)
- \`steam/\` → /mnt/games/steam (add as a Steam Library Folder once)
- \`steam-home/\` → Steam's home (/home/retro) — installs, games, prefixes
- \`saves/\` → /mnt/games/saves (RetroArch saves & states)
- \`emulators/\` → /mnt/games/emulators (Azahar 3DS AppImage, etc.)
@@ -1686,9 +1695,24 @@ Mounting under \`/mnt/games\` (not the container's \`/home/retro\`) avoids
clobbering the app's home directory, which Wolf manages per-session under
\`/etc/wolf/<id>/<App>\`.
## First Steam launch
Steam → Settings → Storage → add \`/mnt/games/steam\` and set it default,
so game installs land on the storage disk instead of the ephemeral home.
## Steam storage — how games land on the game drive
Steam rewrites \`libraryfolders.vdf\` on every launch and forces its primary
library back to its own install dir, so seeding that file does NOT work.
Instead, this setup symlinks Steam's session home
(\`/etc/wolf/<id>/Steam\` → \`/home/retro\`) at \`steam-home/\` on the game
drive. Steam's one and only library is therefore the game drive — installs,
game files, and Proton prefixes all land there with nothing to configure.
Wolf creates the Steam session dir only on your FIRST Moonlight connection.
So the one-time sequence is:
1. Connect once and let Steam open (it lands on the OS drive this first time).
2. Disconnect, then run \`./manage.sh fix-perms\` (moves Steam to the game
drive and symlinks it — no re-download).
3. Reconnect. Steam → Settings → Storage now shows the game drive's free
space, and everything installs there from here on.
\`./manage.sh start\` re-applies this automatically, so it self-heals on
reboots.
## 3DS emulation
Azahar (open-source Citra fork) AppImage lives in \`emulators/\` → mounted at