Regression in v0.42.0: portable mode erroneously searches executable directory as a config dir via config_dirs (PR #18442) #18822

mpv Information

mpv v0.42.0 Copyright © 2000-2026 mpv/MPlayer/mplayer2 projects
 built on Nov 11 2026 15:53:43
libplacebo version: v7.391.0 (v7.387.0-57-gd9ab3a4-dirty)
FFmpeg version: N-128799-g67d2f0820
FFmpeg library versions:
   libavcodec      63.28.100
   libavdevice     63.6.100
   libavfilter     12.12.100
   libavformat     63.18.100
   libavutil       61.20.100
   libswresample   7.7.100
   libswscale      10.6.100

Other Information

- Windows version:
Windows 10

In portable mode (portable_config directory exists next to mpv.exe), mpv v0.42.0 unexpectedly searches the directory containing mpv.exe (~~exe_dir) as a fallback configuration directory.

As a result, mpv's automatic script loader (mp_find_all_config_files(..., "scripts")) attempts to load files from <exe_dir>/scripts/ in addition to <exe_dir>/portable_config/scripts/.

On Windows environments where embedded Python or other toolchains exist alongside mpv.exe (e.g. a Python Scripts/ directory containing pip.exe, etc.), mpv case-insensitively treats this folder as an mpv script directory, trying to execute every .exe/.py file and failing with dozens of errors:

[cplayer] Can't load unknown script: <exe_dir>/scripts/pip.exe
[cplayer] Can't load unknown script: <exe_dir>/scripts/...

This did not happen in v0.41.0.

Cause of the regression

The issue was introduced by commit 7e4cb53 (PR #18442: osdep/path-win: expand '~~exe_dir/' on portable mode).

In options/path.c, the array of configuration directory candidates includes "exe_dir":

static const char *const config_dirs[] = {
"home",
"old_home",
"osxbundle",
"exe_dir",
"global",
};

Prior to commit 7e4cb53, mp_get_platform_path_win(..., "exe_dir") returned NULL when portable_path != NULL.

Commit 7e4cb53 moved the resolution of "exe_dir" outside of the if (!portable_path) branch so that users could expand ~~exe_dir/ in portable mode. However, because "exe_dir" is also listed in config_dirs[], mp_find_all_config_files now treats ~~exe_dir as an active configuration directory even in portable mode:

[global] config path: 'scripts' -> '<exe_dir>/portable_config/scripts'
[global] config path: 'scripts' -> '<exe_dir>/scripts'

Reproduction Steps

1. On Windows, place mpv.exe in a clean folder (e.g. C:\mpv\).
2. Create a portable_config/ folder next to mpv.exe.
3. Create a Scripts/ (or scripts/) folder next to mpv.exe containing arbitrary binaries/files (e.g. dummy.exe).
4. Run mpv.exe --idle=once -v.

Expected Behavior

Only <exe_dir>/portable_config/ is used as the configuration root; <exe_dir>/scripts/ is ignored.

Actual Behavior

Both <exe_dir>/portable_config/scripts/ and <exe_dir>/scripts/ are scanned and loaded.

Log File

output.txt

Sample Files

No response

I carefully read all instruction and confirm that I did the following:

• I tested and confirmed that the issue exists with the latest release version or newer.
• I provided all required information including system and mpv version.
• I produced the log file with the exact same set of files, parameters, and conditions used in "Reproduction Steps", with the addition of --log-file=output.txt.
• I produced the log file while the behaviors described in "Actual Behavior" were actively observed.
• I attached the full, untruncated log file.
• I attached the backtrace in the case of a crash.