this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2024
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Linux Gaming
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Speaking as a Linux newb here...what exactly is a "prefix" in this context? :/
WINE lets you create isolated (well, semi-isolated...it's not a sandbox, but separate Windows registries and most drive letters and such) directories. That directory is called a "WINE prefix". Contains symlinks to Windows drive letter locations, a copy of that WINE environment's registries, the WINE settings being used. I believe that the "Z:" drive defaults to being shared and mapping to "/" on your Linux box.
I believe that the default WINE prefix is ~/.wine.
But you can create others. Like, maybe you want a 32-bit and a 64-bit Windows environment.
You can run a given executable in a given WINE environment by just setting the WINEPREFIX environment variable, like:
It's become somewhat common to create a separate WINE prefix for each application, especially games, which don't need to interact with each other. That way, installing software in one prefix or whatever doesn't dick up the others.
I don't use Lutris, but if it works anything like PlayOnLinux, it might create a per-game WINE prefix. I don't know where it's located, though. Can probably search online.
Steam creates a per-game WINE prefix for Steam games that use Proton, their version of WINE; it uses ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/ for each.
Careful deleting the prefix, as it will delete game save data. I'd suggest backing up the data, and the prefix, before creating a new one. Just rename the prefix by adding --old to the end and move the save game out of the prefix
From OP's original question, I think that he's okay with not retaining those:
It's an environment in wich it makes the game run sort of
So it's the components of Wine that produces its fabled compatibility layer?
It creates an arborescence that contains the necessary library for you application to work with a thick layer of magic on top of that to make it all work. This is were my understanding is at at least
Sorry for my ignorance, but could you ELI5 that for me?
I don't know what an arborescence is.
There's another comment that explains it in more details than me but it's a hierarchy of files your C://user/you/appdata...etc and since it branches into multiple choices you can call it an arborescence if you will.