SavesBinder

A lightweight Windows GUI tool designed to centralize your game saves using NTFS Junctions (mklink /J).

Move your saves to a single secure directory while keeping the original paths fully functional.

Created by gamer for gamers :3

Especially for those who hate losing save folders after reinstalling Windows or swapping drives.

Tired of saves being scattered everywhere? One game stores saves in Documents, another in Documents\My Games, a third in AppData and a fourth in some weird custom path?! 🤯

With SavesBinder, you can finally gather all your saves into one clean, central folder. The tool keeps the original paths working via junctions and allows you to restore them with a single click-even after a clean system reinstallation.

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Features

• Effortless Binding - Select a game's save folder: it automatically moves to your central storage and leaves a working junction behind.
• Centralized Management - Keep all your precious saves in one dedicated place for easy backups.
• Broken Link Detection - Instantly scan, verify and repair broken junctions with a single click (convenient after reinstalling the system).
• Native NTFS Junctions - Uses native Windows symlinks, ensuring 100% compatibility with games.
• Clean Fyne GUI - Simple, intuitive and modern lightweight interface.
• Human-Readable Config - Links and paths are stored in a simple, portable JSON file.
• Safe Operations - Built-in confirmation dialogs prevent accidental data loss.

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How It Works

[Original Path] (e.g., AppData\Game) ──(Moves Files)──> [Central Storage] (e.g., D:\GameSaves\Game)
       │                                                               ▲
       └───────────────────(Creates NTFS Junction)─────────────────────┘

1. You set a main Storage folder (e.g., D:\GameSaves).
2. Select the current folder where a game keeps its saves.
3. The program:
   • Moves the saves to D:\GameSaves\GAME_NAME.
   • Creates an NTFS Junction at the original path pointing to the new location.
4. The game continues to work seamlessly, unaware of the relocation, while your files are safely centralized.

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Usage

1. Specify your Central Storage Folder.
2. Provide the full path to the game's current save directory.
3. Click Bind.
4. Done! The game will keep loading and saving using its original path.

Note: Use the Verify & Restore Broken Links button to automatically scan your database and re-create junctions after a Windows reinstall.

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Important Notes

• This tool relies on Junctions (mklink /J), which require an NTFS file system (the standard for Windows drives).
• While the file transfer process is fully safe, it is always recommended to make a manual backup the first time you try it on a new game.
• Do not delete junction folders manually via File Explorer - always use the Unbind or Restore buttons inside the application to manage them safely.

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Screenshots

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Requirements

• Windows 10 / 11
• NTFS-formatted storage drives

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Installation & Build

Pre-built Binary

Go to the Releases page, download the latest executable file and run it. No installation required.

Building from Source

If you prefer to compile the application yourself, make sure you have Go installed:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone git@github.com:valsaven/SavesBinder.git
   cd SavesBinder
   git checkout master

2. Install dependencies:

   go install fyne.io/tools/cmd/fyne@latest
   go install github.com/akavel/rsrc@latest
   
   go mod tidy

3. Generate icons and Windows resources:

   # Embeds PNG icon for the Fyne app window
   fyne bundle -o bundled.go Icon.png
   
   # Generates Windows PE resource for the .exe file icon
   rsrc -ico floppy-icon.ico -o rsrc.syso

4. Compile the production build (hides the background console window and optimizes file size):

   go build -ldflags="-s -w -H=windowsgui" -o SavesBinder.exe .

   or via Fyne package:

   fyne package -release -os windows

5. (Optional) Further compress the binary using UPX:

   upx --best --lzma ".\Val's Saves Binder.exe"

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - feel free to use, modify, and distribute it.