Support relative paths for Python/Node.js executables

[Jack251970]

Flow Launcher required absolute paths for Python and Node.js executables, breaking portability when the application is moved. Embedded runtimes within the portable directory structure were not supported.

CHANGES

• ResolveAbsolutePath(): Resolves relative paths to absolute at runtime, based on ProgramDirectory
• Path resolution integrated at file existence checks and plugin instantiation

Usage

Users can now configure:

Python Path: .\runtimes\python\pythonw.exe
Node.js Path: .\runtimes\nodejs\node.exe

Paths are stored as-entered (relative or absolute), resolved to absolute only at execution. File picker selections within ProgramDirectory are automatically stored as relative paths.

Enables truly portable setups with embedded runtimes that survive directory moves, USB installations, and restricted environments.

Resolve #4228

[gitstream-cm]

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[coderabbitai]

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

Resolves plugin settings file paths to absolute paths by adding DataLocation.ResolveAbsolutePath and updating AbstractPluginEnvironment to use the resolved path for file existence checks, conditional plugin installation, and returned settings paths.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
Path resolution utility Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs	Add public static string ResolveAbsolutePath(string path) which returns null/empty unchanged, returns absolute paths as-is, resolves relative paths against Constant.ProgramDirectory via Path.GetFullPath, and catches path-related exceptions to return the original input.
Plugin environment path usage Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/Environments/AbstractPluginEnvironment.cs	Add private ResolvedPluginsSettingsFilePath => DataLocation.ResolveAbsolutePath(PluginsSettingsFilePath) and replace direct uses of PluginsSettingsFilePath with the resolved path for File.Exists checks, the EnsureLatestInstalled decision, post-interaction checks, and returned plugin pairs/settings path. Minor control-flow adjustments to derive and reuse the resolved path consistently.

Sequence Diagram(s)

sequenceDiagram
    participant Env as AbstractPluginEnvironment
    participant Locator as DataLocation
    participant FS as FileSystem
    participant Installer as PluginInstaller
    participant Caller as Caller

    Env->>Locator: ResolveAbsolutePath(PluginsSettingsFilePath)
    Locator-->>Env: resolvedPath
    Env->>FS: File.Exists(resolvedPath)?
    alt exists
        Env->>Installer: EnsureLatestInstalled(resolvedPath) [conditional]
        Installer-->>Env: installedPairs
        Env-->>Caller: return installedPairs (using resolvedPath)
    else not exists
        Env-->>Caller: proceed without settings file
    end

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Estimated code review effort

🎯 2 (Simple) | ⏱️ ~10 minutes

Suggested reviewers

• jjw24
• taooceros
• VictoriousRaptor
• Garulf

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 4 | ❌ 1

❌ Failed checks (1 warning)

Check name	Status	Explanation	Resolution
Docstring Coverage	⚠️ Warning	Docstring coverage is 33.33% which is insufficient. The required threshold is 80.00%.	Write docstrings for the functions missing them to satisfy the coverage threshold.

✅ Passed checks (4 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title directly relates to the main changeset, which adds relative path support for Python/Node.js executables.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description is related to the changeset, explaining relative path support, the ResolveAbsolutePath implementation, and usage examples.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	The changes implement the core coding requirement from issue #4228: ResolveAbsolutePath method enables relative paths to be resolved at runtime against ProgramDirectory, supporting portable embedded runtimes.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	All changes are scoped to implementing relative path resolution: a new public method in DataLocation and integration into AbstractPluginEnvironment for resolving paths at execution.

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✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment
• Commit unit tests in branch copilot/support-relative-paths

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[Copilot]

Pull request overview

This pull request adds support for relative paths in Python and Node.js executable configuration, enabling truly portable Flow Launcher setups. The changes allow users to configure runtime paths relative to the application directory (e.g., .\runtimes\python\pythonw.exe), which are resolved to absolute paths at runtime.

Changes:

• Added ResolveAbsolutePath() method to handle relative-to-absolute path resolution
• Integrated path resolution into plugin environment setup and file existence checks
• Paths are stored as-entered (relative or absolute) and resolved only at execution time

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 2 out of 2 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

File	Description
Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs	Adds ResolveAbsolutePath() method to resolve relative paths based on ProgramDirectory
Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/Environments/AbstractPluginEnvironment.cs	Integrates path resolution into plugin setup, using resolved paths for file checks and plugin instantiation

---

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[jjw24]

Please include in the portability testing of Python/Node.js when installed by flow.

If I remember correctly when they are installed from flow, they get reinstalled automatically when path is not correct right?

[Jack251970]

Please include in the portability testing of Python/Node.js when installed by flow.

If I remember correctly when they are installed from flow, they get reinstalled automatically when path is not correct right?

This PR focuses on parsing relative paths. Why do we need to check this portability?

[Jack251970]

Even if reinstallation is invoked, the relative paths can still work.

[cubic-dev-ai]

2 issues found across 2 files

Prompt for AI agents (all issues)

Check if these issues are valid — if so, understand the root cause of each and fix them. If appropriate, use sub-agents to investigate and fix each issue separately.


<file name="Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs">

<violation number="1" location="Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs:59">
P2: `Path.IsPathRooted` evaluates partially qualified paths as true. Use `Path.IsPathFullyQualified` to correctly check for absolute paths.</violation>
</file>

<file name="Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/Environments/AbstractPluginEnvironment.cs">

<violation number="1" location="Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/Environments/AbstractPluginEnvironment.cs:64">
P1: `resolvedPath` becomes stale after `EnsureLatestInstalled()` updates the environment path.</violation>
</file>

_{Reply with feedback, questions, or to request a fix. Tag @cubic-dev-ai to re-run a review.}

[coderabbitai]

🧹 Nitpick comments (1)

Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs (1)

59-60: Consider Path.IsPathFullyQualified over Path.IsPathRooted for portability edge cases

Path.IsPathRooted(@"\runtimes\python\pythonw.exe") returns true, so a drive-relative path like \runtimes\python\pythonw.exe would be passed through unchanged rather than resolved against ProgramDirectory. Path.IsPathFullyQualified only returns true for genuinely absolute paths (e.g., C:\... or UNC \\server\share\...), which aligns more precisely with the method's stated intent.

♻️ Proposed change

-            if (Path.IsPathRooted(path))
+            if (Path.IsPathFullyQualified(path))
                return path;

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

In `@Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs` around lines 59 -
60, In DataLocation.cs, in the method that returns the resolved path (the block
using Path.IsPathRooted(path)), replace the Path.IsPathRooted check with
Path.IsPathFullyQualified(path) so drive-relative paths like "\runtimes\..." are
not treated as absolute and will be correctly resolved against ProgramDirectory;
ensure System.IO is available and keep the existing return behavior when the
path is fully qualified.

🤖 Prompt for all review comments with AI agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

Nitpick comments:
In `@Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs`:
- Around line 59-60: In DataLocation.cs, in the method that returns the resolved
path (the block using Path.IsPathRooted(path)), replace the Path.IsPathRooted
check with Path.IsPathFullyQualified(path) so drive-relative paths like
"\runtimes\..." are not treated as absolute and will be correctly resolved
against ProgramDirectory; ensure System.IO is available and keep the existing
return behavior when the path is fully qualified.

[gitstream-cm]

🥷 Code experts: jjw24

jjw24, Jack251970 have most 👩‍💻 activity in the files.
jjw24, Jack251970 have most 🧠 knowledge in the files.

See details

Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/Environments/AbstractPluginEnvironment.cs

Activity based on git-commit:

	jjw24	Jack251970
FEB
JAN
DEC
NOV
OCT
SEP		17 additions & 28 deletions

Knowledge based on git-blame:
jjw24: 96%
Jack251970: 4%

Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/DataLocation.cs

Activity based on git-commit:

	jjw24	Jack251970
FEB
JAN
DEC
NOV
OCT
SEP		29 additions & 27 deletions

Knowledge based on git-blame:
jjw24: 70%
Jack251970: 30%

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[Copilot]

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 2 out of 2 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

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