From 52172bfadb5d5f38a0e952aed5a53f545cb7419f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mitchell <mgerb42@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2026 10:22:54 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] fix: create output directories lazily, not at startup

closes #151
---
 build.zig.zon |  2 +-
 src/util.zig  | 17 +++++------------
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/build.zig.zon b/build.zig.zon
index 00c6ce8..636a7f1 100644
--- a/build.zig.zon
+++ b/build.zig.zon
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 .{
     .name = .spacecap,
-    .version = "0.5.0",
+    .version = "0.6.0",
     .fingerprint = 0xdc2511c12abe6e80,
     .minimum_zig_version = "0.17.0",
     .dependencies = .{
diff --git a/src/util.zig b/src/util.zig
index 1125eb9..62c3979 100644
--- a/src/util.zig
+++ b/src/util.zig
@@ -323,9 +323,10 @@ pub const OutputDirectoryType = enum {
     videos,
 };
 
-// Falls back to the current working directory when
-// the home-based output directory cannot be resolved or created.
-// Caller owns the memory.
+/// Caller owns memory and must free.
+/// Falls back to the current working directory when the home output directory
+/// cannot be resolved.
+/// NOTE: this does not create the directory or ensure it exists.
 pub fn get_default_output_dir(
     allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
     io: std.Io,
@@ -356,15 +357,7 @@ pub fn get_default_output_dir(
             .pictures => "Pictures",
             .videos => "Videos",
         };
-        const output_dir = try std.fs.path.join(allocator, &.{ _home_dir, home_subdirectory, "spacecap" });
-        errdefer allocator.free(output_dir);
-
-        if (std.Io.Dir.cwd().createDirPath(io, output_dir)) {
-            return output_dir;
-        } else |err| {
-            log.err("[get_default_output_dir] failed to create output directory {s}: {}", .{ output_dir, err });
-            allocator.free(output_dir);
-        }
+        return std.fs.path.join(allocator, &.{ _home_dir, home_subdirectory, "spacecap" });
     }
 
     log.warn("[get_default_output_dir] falling back to current working directory", .{});