Add SettingsFolderLocation policy for centralized settings path control

Source/NETworkManager.Localization/Resources/Strings.resx

@@ -3963,4 +3963,29 @@ If you click Cancel, the profile file will remain unencrypted.</value>
   <data name="SettingManagedByAdministrator" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>This setting is managed by your administrator.</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="RestoreDefaultLocation" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Restore default location</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Restore" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Restore</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="RestoreDefaultLocationQuestion" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Restore default location?</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="RestoreDefaultLocationSettingsMessage" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>The default path is restored and the application is restarted afterwards.
+
+You can copy the “settings.json” file from "{0}" to "{1}" to migrate your previous settings, if necessary. The application must be closed for this to prevent the settings from being overwritten.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="ChangeLocationQuestion" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Change location?</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="ChangeLocationSettingsMessage" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>The location is changed and the application is restarted afterwards.
+
+You can copy the “settings.json” file from "{0}" to "{1}" to migrate your previous settings, if necessary. The application must be closed for this to prevent the settings from being overwritten.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="EnterValidFolderPath" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Enter a valid folder path!</value>
+  </data>
 </root>

Source/NETworkManager.Profiles/ProfileManager.cs

@@ -616,10 +616,10 @@ private static void Load(ProfileFileInfo profileFileInfo)
     {
         var loadedProfileUpdated = false;
 
-        Log.Info($"Load profile file: {profileFileInfo.Path}");
-
         if (File.Exists(profileFileInfo.Path))
         {
+            Log.Info($"Loading profile file from: {profileFileInfo.Path}");
+
             // Encrypted profile file
             if (profileFileInfo.IsEncrypted)
             {
@@ -734,6 +734,8 @@ private static void Load(ProfileFileInfo profileFileInfo)
 
         // Notify subscribers that profiles have been loaded/updated
         ProfilesUpdated(false);
+
+        Log.Info("Profile file loaded successfully.");
     }
 
     /// <summary>

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/LocalSettingsInfo.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+using System.ComponentModel;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+
+namespace NETworkManager.Settings;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Class contains local settings that are stored outside the main settings file.
+///     These settings control where the main settings file is located.
+/// </summary>
+public class LocalSettingsInfo
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Occurs when a property value changes.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>This event is typically used to notify subscribers that a property value has been updated. It
+    /// is commonly implemented in classes that support data binding or need to signal changes to property
+    /// values.</remarks>
+    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Helper method to raise the <see cref="PropertyChanged" /> event.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="propertyName">Name of the property that changed.</param>
+    private void OnPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName] string propertyName = null)
+    {
+        SettingsChanged = true;
+
+        PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
+    }
+
+    #region Variables
+
+    [JsonIgnore] public bool SettingsChanged { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Private field for the <see cref="SettingsFolderLocation" /> property."
+    /// </summary>
+    private string _settingsFolderLocation;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///  Location of the folder where the local settings file is stored.
+    ///  This can be changed by the user to move the settings file to a different location.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string SettingsFolderLocation
+    {
+        get => _settingsFolderLocation;
+        set
+        {
+            if (_settingsFolderLocation == value)
+                return;
+
+            _settingsFolderLocation = value;
+            OnPropertyChanged();
+        }
+    }
+    #endregion
+}

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/LocalSettingsManager.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+using log4net;
+using Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.Media;
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+
+namespace NETworkManager.Settings;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Manages local application settings that are stored outside the main settings file.
+///     This is used for settings that control where the main settings file is located.
+/// </summary>
+public static class LocalSettingsManager
+{
+    #region Variables
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Logger for logging.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly ILog Log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(LocalSettingsManager));
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Settings file name.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static string SettingsFileName => "Settings.json";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Settings that are currently loaded.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static LocalSettingsInfo Current { get; private set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     JSON serializer options for consistent serialization/deserialization.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions JsonOptions = new()
+    {
+        WriteIndented = true,
+        PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
+        DefaultIgnoreCondition = JsonIgnoreCondition.Never,
+        Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() }
+    };
+    #endregion
+
+    #region Methods
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Method to get the path of the settings folder.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>Path to the settings folder.</returns>
+    private static string GetSettingsFolderLocation()
+    {
+        return Path.Combine(
+            Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
+            AssemblyManager.Current.Name);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Method to get the settings file path
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>Settings file path.</returns>
+    private static string GetSettingsFilePath()
+    {
+        return Path.Combine(
+            GetSettingsFolderLocation(),
+            SettingsFileName);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Initialize new settings (<see cref="SettingsInfo" />) and save them (to a file).
+    /// </summary>
+    private static void Initialize()
+    {
+        Log.Info("Initializing new local settings.");
+
+        Current = new LocalSettingsInfo();
+
+        Save();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Method to load the settings from a file.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void Load()
+    {
+        var filePath = GetSettingsFilePath();
+
+        if (File.Exists(filePath))
+        {
+            Log.Info($"Loading local settings from: {filePath}");
+
+            var jsonString = File.ReadAllText(filePath);
+            Current = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<LocalSettingsInfo>(jsonString, JsonOptions);
+
+            Log.Info("Local settings loaded successfully.");
+
+            // Reset change tracking
+            Current.SettingsChanged = false;
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Initialize();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Method to save the current settings to a file.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void Save()
+    {
+        // Create the directory if it does not exist
+        Directory.CreateDirectory(GetSettingsFolderLocation());
+
+        // Serialize to file
+        var filePath = GetSettingsFilePath();
+
+        var jsonString = JsonSerializer.Serialize(Current, JsonOptions);
+        File.WriteAllText(filePath, jsonString);
+
+        Log.Info($"Local settings saved to {filePath}");
+
+        // Reset change tracking
+        Current.SettingsChanged = false;
+    }
+    #endregion
+}

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/PolicyInfo.cs

@@ -10,4 +10,7 @@ public class PolicyInfo
 {
     [JsonPropertyName("Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup")]
     public bool? Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("SettingsFolderLocation")]
+    public string? SettingsFolderLocation { get; set; }
 }

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/PolicyManager.cs

@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public static void Load()
 
                     // Log enabled settings
                     Log.Info($"System-wide policy - Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup: {Current.Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup?.ToString() ?? "Not set"}");
+                    Log.Info($"System-wide policy - SettingsFolderLocation: {Current.SettingsFolderLocation ?? "Not set"}");
                 }
             }
             catch (Exception ex)

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/SettingsInfo.cs

@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@
 
 namespace NETworkManager.Settings;
 
+/// <summary>
+/// Represents the application settings, user preferences, and configuration data for all supported features and
+/// modules. Supports property change notification for data binding and persistence scenarios.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>The <see cref="SettingsInfo" /> class provides a centralized container for storing and managing user-configurable
+/// options, operational parameters, and history collections for various application modules, such as network tools,
+/// remote access, and calculators. It implements the INotifyPropertyChanged interface to enable data binding and
+/// automatic UI updates when settings change. Most properties raise the PropertyChanged event when modified, allowing
+/// consumers to track changes and persist settings as needed. This class is typically used as the main settings model
+/// in applications that require user customization and state management across sessions.</remarks>
 public class SettingsInfo : INotifyPropertyChanged
 {
     /// <summary>