sacred_k/docs/user-folders.md

User folders (Documents\Sacred)

Request (2026-10-19): the game keeps its save games and settings in the user's Documents folder instead of the game folder:

Folder	Contents
Documents\Sacred\save\	GAMEnn.PAK (save rows), Heronn.pax (exported heroes), shared_chest.json (sacredK)
Documents\Sacred\config\	Settings.cfg (the game's options)

sacredK.ini (key bindings, loot filter, game folder) stays next to the DLL.

Measured

Vanilla keeps everything inside the game folder: no AppData, Documents or registry use (the Ascaron Entertainment folders there belong to Sacred 2). sacred.exe names the files with paths relative to the working directory (the game folder), from 37 code sites:

String	Address	Users
./SAVE/GAME%.2d.PAK	0x95c530	0x60b58b, 0x60c0d3, 0x60e38f, 0x60e645, 0x71cda7
SAVE/GAME%.2d.PAK	0x95c884	0x60e35a, 0x60e60a, 0x619c38
./SAVE/GAMEF%d.PAK	0x95c870	0x60e3b9, 0x60e674
./SAVE/SAVE02.PAK	0x95c85c	0x60dc2c
Save\Hero%.2d.pax	0x95c4ec	0x60bf16, 0x614ceb, 0x70d96c, 0x70dd8d, 0x70df1b, 0x70e091
.\Save, Save	0x95d5f4, 0x95d5ec	0x619cd4/ec, 0x61cdc0/d1
SAVE\	0x9e15a0	0x70bf07
Settings.cfg	0xa18dc4	0x7ed6a2..0x7eeab3 (13), WinMain 0x816dc0..0x816dd6

All file access goes through kernel32's ANSI functions: CreateFileA, DeleteFileA, FindFirstFileA, GetFileAttributes(Ex)A, SetFileAttributesA, CreateDirectoryA, CopyFileA (no MoveFile*, no SetCurrentDirectory).

How the mod works (src/mods/userfolders.cpp)

• Those eight functions are hooked (RE_HOOK_API). A path is rewritten when, after an optional game-folder prefix and .\/./, its first component is save (any case) or it is exactly Settings.cfg; every other path passes unchanged. One choke point instead of 37 patched operands, and no long absolute path in the game's fixed-size buffers.
• The Documents folder comes from SHGetKnownFolderPath(FOLDERID_Documents) (follows OneDrive/redirected Documents), looked up on the first redirected path: the hooks are installed under the loader lock, where shell calls must not run. If it is unusable (lookup fails, or a character outside the ANSI code page), the game folder stays in use.
• Migration: when save\ or config\ does not exist yet, the game folder's save files / Settings.cfg are copied there once with the wide file functions (not hooked). The originals stay in the game folder.
• mods::userfolders::SaveDir() gives sacredK's own files the same folder (shared chest).

Not covered: Config.exe and gameserver.exe (GameServer.cfg) are separate programs without the DLL and still use the game folder.