Souls Save Manager (Revived)

IMPORTANT: Why Windows may flag this as a virus — and why it isn't one

• Why Windows (SmartScreen / Defender) can flag this:

  • The prebuilt executable is unsigned and unknown to Microsoft; SmartScreen will warn for unknown unsigned apps.
  • Packaging tools (PyInstaller, UPX, etc.) and single-file executables often trigger heuristic detections.
  • The program performs file operations (copying/restoring files under %APPDATA%), which can look like suspicious behavior to heuristics.
  • If you distribute a binary rarely seen in the wild, antivirus systems may label it as "potentially unwanted" until it's widely used.

• Why this project is NOT a virus:

  • The project is open-source; all source code is in this repository and can be inspected before running.
  • It does not perform network communication or remote commands — it only copies, restores, and deletes local game save files.
  • No hidden persistence, no background services, no obfuscation, and no data exfiltration logic.
  • The config is a simple local JSON file storing the chosen backup folder; nothing is uploaded or shared.

• How to verify and reduce alerts:

  • Inspect the source code (main.py) before running.
  • Build the executable yourself from source (no third-party binary) and run that.
  • Scan the binary or built files with multiple AV engines (VirusTotal) to double-check.
  • If you trust the tool, you can add the binary or the backup folder to your real-time-exclusion list in Windows Defender.
  • For distribution, signing the executable reduces SmartScreen warnings.

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A simple Python GUI tool to back up and restore FromSoftware game save files.
Originally a personal project, it was abandoned and later revived for general use.
It supports Dark Souls 3, Dark Souls 2, Elden Ring, and Sekiro.

⚠️ Windows only — this tool uses %APPDATA% paths to locate save files.

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Features

• Detects game save files automatically under %APPDATA%
• Backup save files to a user-selected folder
• Restore backed-up saves to the original location
• Delete backup folders safely
• Shows the current save file location in the UI

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Why This Project Exists

This project started as a personal tool, was abandoned, and later revived.
The revival aims to clean up and modernize the code while keeping it simple and functional.

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Requirements

• Windows OS (because %APPDATA% paths are used)
• Python 3.x
• tkinter (usually included with Python on Windows)

⚠️ It is recommended to use the prebuilt binary for convenience, but you can also run the Python code directly.

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Installation & Running

Option 1: Use Prebuilt Binary (Recommended)

1. Download the prebuilt executable from the releases page.
2. Run souls-save-manager.exe.

Option 2: Run from Source (No Binary Needed)

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/BradTheBJ/SoulsSaveManager.git
   cd SoulsSaveManager
   
    Run the Python script:
   
    python souls-save-manager.py
    # You can also use python3 if required
   

This project is licensed under the GPLv3. See the LICENSE file for details.