libretro / libretro/RetroArch

[Feature Request] Standardize file name quotation in OSD/notifications for file operations to use double quotes

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feature request
Dominant language
C
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Description

Description

Currently, log messages and status outputs across different menus in RetroArch use inconsistent formatting when referencing file paths and names. Specifically, some operations enclose paths in standard double quotes (""), while others use single quotes ('').

To improve UI consistency, log parsing, and overall user experience, all file names and paths in file operations should be standardized to use double quotes ("...").


Examples of Inconsistency
  • Configuration Saving (Configuration File -> Save Current Configuration):
    Uses double quotes.

Saved config to "/home/gamer/Downloads/RetroArch-Linux-x86_64/RetroArch-Linux-x86_64.AppImage.home/.config/retroarch/config/retroarch.cfg"

Uses single quotes.

Playlists -> Explore -> Show All -> Save as View

  • Current: View was saved

Online Updater -> Core Downloader

  • Current: Extracting '[core].zip'

Online Updater -> Update Assets

  • Current: Extracting 'assets.zip'

Online Updater -> Update Controller Profiles

  • Current: Extracting 'autoconfig.zip'

Online Updater -> Update Cheats

  • Current: Extracting 'cheats.zip'

Online Updater -> Update Databases

  • Current: Extracting 'database-rdb.zip'

Online Updater -> Update Overlays

  • Current: Extracting 'overlays.zip'

Online Updater -> Update GLSL Shaders

  • Current: Extracting 'shaders_glsl.zip'

Proposed Solution

Audit the codebase for file operation status messages, logs, and OSD (On-Screen Display) notifications, and update any single-quoted file paths or names to consistently use double quotes.


Arguments for Standardization
  • Consistency & Polish: A unified UI design language builds a more professional and cohesive user experience, eliminating jarring format shifts between different menus (e.g., config vs. updater).
  • Improved Readability: Double quotes are generally more distinct and visually balanced than single quotes in terminal outputs, logs, and on-screen displays, making file paths and names significantly easier to scan at a glance.
  • Automated Parsing & Scripting: Users, frontends, and log-analysis tools often parse RetroArch's stdout or OSD messages. Consistent quotation marks make regex matching and automated log parsing more reliable.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Search the codebase for the listed status and extraction messages, then trace the corresponding OSD, notification, and file-operation paths. Compare each file name or path format with the configuration-saving example and update the affected messages so they use double quotes consistently. Done means the listed menus no longer emit single-quoted file names or paths.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c
Domain
frontend
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
52/100

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