Use %LOCALAPPDATA% not %APPDATA% on Windows

[wgknowles]

🐞 Bug Report

Description

The folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming (%APPDATA%) is used in enterprises where multiple PC's are joined to a domain. Files in this folder are copied to a fileserver on logout, and downloaded from the server on logon. This is not an appropriate location / behaviour for large database files or private keys.

• %APPDATA%\Eth2 (which expands to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Eth2) is the default location for:

  • beacon-chain-v1.0.0-alpha.5-windows-amd64 --datadir
  • slasher -v1.0.0-alpha.5-windows-amd64 --datadir

• A better default location would be %LOCALAPPDATA% (expands to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local)

Currently, validator puts keys in %USERPROFILE%.eth2validator which is ok, but why are we spraying files all over the filesystem? %LOCALAPPDATA%\eth2 seems better to me...
%APPDATA% would not be appropriate for private keys, but %LOCALAPPDATA% would be perfect to put all prysm files.

To nitpick even more, industry standards would use this structure:

• %LOCALAPPDATA%\PrysmaticLabs\prysm\
  • prysm.bat
  • \beacon-chain
    • \bin\beacon-chain-v1.0.0-alpha.5-windows-amd64.exe
    • beaconchain.db
    • metaData
    • network-keys
  • \validator
    • \bin\validator-v1.0.0-alpha.5-windows-amd64.exe
    • validator.db
    • validatorprivatekey123456789
    • shardwithdrawalkey123456789
  • \slasher
    • \bin\slasher-v1.0.0-alpha.5-windows-amd64.exe
    • slasher.db

What version of Prysm are you running? (Which release)

  
v1.0.0-alpha.5-windows-amd64
  

[wgknowles]

@farazdagi

[rauljordan]

Done by prysmaticlabs/documentation#131

[MicahZoltu]

The above PR just updated the docs, prysm still defaults to putting everything in roaming profile folder. As others mentioned, keys probably shouldn't go there as it means they'll be copied around the network (not E2E encrypted unless Prism is encrypting on disk), and the bulk data definitely shouldn't be copied over the network on login/logout.

The one thing I disagree with the OP about is:

Currently, validator puts keys in %USERPROFILE%.eth2validator which is ok

Pretty much nothing should go in $USERPROFILE% unless the user explicitly puts it there via a save dialog box or manual configuration. The other suggested locations (%LOCALAPPDATA%/...) are good though.

[farazdagi]

Thank you for providing more info/context, I'll produce fixing PR within a session.

[defeedme]

this bug still exists 4 years later.. would this cause peers to be lost in windows? thanks