How to add an any folder from host filesystem as a steam library

alexxedo · July 22, 2022, 5:33am

Hi

I have installed steam on NixOS using programs.steam.enable. As it is packaged as a FHS package when I try to add a new steam library, the directory tree it displays is not the actual root of the host filesystem but the filesystem of the container with the user home directory mounted inside.

My issue is that on my case, the home directory is a luks container with a limited size, so I do not want to install games in it. I would like to add a folder I placed in /opt or /mnt in the host filesystem (I would prefer not use any partition for this).

I tried to bindfs a /opt/steamgames directory from the host filesystem into my home located in the luks container but I saw that the size of the games are now subtracted from both filesystems (the luks container and the host filesystem) so it defeats the purpose.

I was wondering how I can add any other directory of the host filesystem to the steam container filesystem.

tejing · July 22, 2022, 10:34am

The container should automatically mount any subdirectory of / that you have into the steam container. I have a steam library under /mnt, and everything works fine. You may need to restart steam if you create a new such directory, but it should be detected correctly.

github.com

NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/f2e43c14dfd711ea627c6d39f432542a8e991d5a/pkgs/build-support/build-fhs-userenv-bubblewrap/default.nix#L130-L137

    
      
          # loop through all directories in the root
          for dir in /*; do
            # if it is a directory and it is not in the blacklist
            if [[ -d "$dir" ]] && [[ ! "''${blacklist[@]}" =~ "$dir" ]]; then
              # add it to the mount list
              auto_mounts+=(--bind "$dir" "$dir")
            fi
          done

alexxedo · July 23, 2022, 6:39am

You’re right, after restarting the folder showed up.

Thanks