tweak(gamestate): Support loading save files from absolute paths

[bobtista]

• Closes Allow -loadsave and -loadreplay to load files from any directory #3078

-loadsave normally resolves its argument inside the managed user Save directory, so a file anywhere else has to be copied there before it can be opened. That prevents an operating-system file handler from launching the game directly for a selected .sav.

Now absolute paths are opened in place while relative names continue to resolve from the Save directory. isAbsolutePath(const char*) in PathUtil.h recognizes a drive root (C:\ or C:/), a current-drive or UNC root (a leading separator), or a POSIX root. GameState::getSaveGamePathForRead preserves absolute paths and resolves relative names through the managed directory. Save writes and the save menu are unchanged.

parseLoadSave now returns 2 only when it consumes an argument and 1 otherwise. Previously it returned 2 unconditionally, so -loadsave without an argument could consume the following token.

Queued save validation runs after the shell is initialized. A wrong extension, missing file, or unreadable file now shows a visible error dialog, and dismissing it leaves the user on the main menu.

Paths containing spaces work when quoted, which is the form an operating-system file handler supplies. nextParam is quote-aware, so a token beginning with " ends at the matching quote rather than at whitespace.

Verified with a bogus path as a control so a successful launch is distinguishable from a successful load:

case	result
Invalid save extension	shows the load-error dialog; OK returns to the main menu
Missing absolute save path	shows the load-error dialog; OK returns to the main menu
Unreadable save file	shows the load-error dialog; OK returns to the main menu
Save from an absolute path outside the user directory	loads
Save from an absolute path containing spaces (quoted)	loads
Relative save filename	loads from the managed directory
Save from a UNC path (\\localhost\C$\...)	loads
Save from a POSIX absolute path containing spaces	loads

Todo:

• Both games build (z_generals and g_generals)
• Absolute path classification covers drive roots, UNC and current-drive roots, and POSIX roots
• Save paths outside the user data directory
• Paths containing spaces
• Invalid, missing, and unreadable saves show a visible error
• Windows drive paths and UNC paths
• Relative save filenames still resolve from the managed directory
• Replicate to Generals

[qodo-free-for-open-source-projects]

PR Summary by Qodo

Load CLI save games from absolute paths

✨ Enhancement 🐞 Bug fix 🕐 20-40 Minutes

AI Description

• Opens absolute -loadsave paths in place across both game variants.
• Preserves managed Save-directory resolution for relative filenames and menu loads.
• Validates .sav arguments and avoids consuming tokens when no filename is supplied.

Diagram

graph TD
  A["-loadsave CLI"] --> B{"Valid .sav?"}
  B -->|yes| C["Queued save"] --> D{"Absolute path?"}
  D -->|yes| E["Selected file"] --> G["Save loader"]
  D -->|no| F["Save directory"] --> G
  B -->|no| H["Exit error"]

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High-Level Assessment

The centralized path classifier plus read-only GameState resolver is the appropriate approach: it preserves existing write and menu behavior while consistently handling all save read entry points. Using std::filesystem::path was considered, but would introduce broader runtime/toolchain coupling without improving this narrowly scoped integration.

Files changed (7) +79 / -14

Enhancement (6) +68 / -12

FileSystem.hExpose cross-platform absolute-path classification +1/-0

Expose cross-platform absolute-path classification

• Declares a shared helper for distinguishing absolute paths from names relative to managed directories.

Core/GameEngine/Include/Common/FileSystem.h

FileSystem.cppClassify Windows and POSIX absolute paths +25/-0

Classify Windows and POSIX absolute paths

• Implements platform-specific absolute-path detection for rooted Windows drive paths, leading-separator Windows paths including UNC forms, and POSIX root paths.

Core/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/FileSystem.cpp

GameState.hDeclare save-read path resolver for Generals +1/-0

Declare save-read path resolver for Generals

• Adds the GameState API that resolves absolute save paths differently from relative save filenames.

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GameState.h

GameState.cppLoad Generals saves from absolute or managed paths +20/-6

Load Generals saves from absolute or managed paths

• Routes existence checks, metadata reads, queued startup loads, and full loads through a read-path resolver. Absolute paths are preserved while relative names continue resolving under the user Save directory.

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp

GameState.hDeclare save-read path resolver for Zero Hour +1/-0

Declare save-read path resolver for Zero Hour

• Adds the mirrored GameState API for resolving absolute and relative save inputs.

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GameState.h

GameState.cppLoad Zero Hour saves from absolute or managed paths +20/-6

Load Zero Hour saves from absolute or managed paths

• Mirrors the Generals read-path handling across existence checks, metadata inspection, queued startup loading, and full save loading. Existing relative menu filenames remain scoped to the user Save directory.

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp

Bug fix (1) +11 / -2

CommandLine.cppValidate and correctly consume -loadsave arguments +11/-2

Validate and correctly consume -loadsave arguments

• Requires supplied save names to end in '.sav', reports invalid names, and returns the correct consumed-argument count. Missing filenames no longer cause the parser to consume a following token.

Core/GameEngine/Source/Common/CommandLine.cpp

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Code Review by Qodo

🐞 Bugs (0) 📘 Rule violations (0) 📎 Requirement gaps (0)

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[greptile-apps]

Greptile Summary

The PR allows startup save loading from absolute paths while retaining managed Save-directory resolution for relative filenames. It also corrects command-line token consumption and presents load failures after shell initialization.

• Adds platform-aware absolute-path classification.
• Applies read-path resolution consistently in both game variants.
• Replaces startup termination on invalid queued saves with a visible error dialog.
• Correctly reports whether -loadsave consumed an argument.

Confidence Score: 5/5

The PR appears safe to merge.

No blocking failure remains.

Important Files Changed

Filename	Overview
Core/GameEngine/Source/Common/CommandLine.cpp	Adjusts parseLoadSave to report the number of command-line tokens actually consumed.
Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h	Adds platform-aware path-separator and absolute-path classification helpers.
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp	Supports absolute save paths and visible queued-load failures in Generals.
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp	Mirrors absolute save-path and queued-load error handling for Zero Hour.

Flowchart

%%{init: {'theme': 'neutral'}}%%
flowchart TD
    CLI["-loadsave argument"] --> Queue["Queued save filename"]
    Queue --> Validate{"Valid .sav and readable?"}
    Validate -- No --> Dialog["Show load-error dialog"]
    Dialog --> Menu["Remain on main menu"]
    Validate -- Yes --> Path{"Absolute path?"}
    Path -- Yes --> Direct["Open path in place"]
    Path -- No --> Managed["Resolve under managed Save directory"]
    Direct --> Load["Read metadata and load game"]
    Managed --> Load

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_{Reviews (7): Last reviewed commit: "feat(cli): Load save files from absolute..." | Re-trigger Greptile}

[xezon]

The code comments need polishing and a reduction in verbosity.