When running a kitten that modifies the kitty config file if no config file exists create a commented out default config file and then modify it

Fixes #7991

docs/changelog.rst

@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - Fix background image flashing when closing a tab (:iss:`7999`)
 
+- When running a kitten that modifies the kitty config file if no config file exists create a commented out default config file and then modify it (:iss:`7991`)
+
 0.36.4 [2024-09-27]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

gen/go_code.py

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ from kitty.cli import (
 )
 from kitty.conf.generate import gen_go_code
 from kitty.conf.types import Definition
+from kitty.config import commented_out_default_config
 from kitty.guess_mime_type import known_extensions, text_mimes
 from kitty.key_encoding import config_mod_map
 from kitty.key_names import character_key_name_aliases, functional_key_name_aliases
@@ -626,6 +627,7 @@ var RefMap = map[string]string{serialize_go_dict(ref_map['ref'])}
 var DocTitleMap = map[string]string{serialize_go_dict(ref_map['doc'])}
 var AllowedShellIntegrationValues = []string{{ {str(sorted(allowed_shell_integration_values))[1:-1].replace("'", '"')} }}
 var QueryNames = []string{{ {query_names} }}
+var CommentedOutDefaultConfig = "{serialize_as_go_string(commented_out_default_config())}"
 var KittyConfigDefaults = struct {{
 Term, Shell_integration, Select_by_word_characters, Url_excluded_characters, Shell string
 Wheel_scroll_multiplier int

tools/config/api.go

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
+	"kitty"
 	"kitty/tools/utils"
 
 	"github.com/shirou/gopsutil/v3/process"
@@ -320,8 +321,15 @@ func (self Patcher) Patch(path, sentinel, content string, settings_to_comment_ou
 	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
 		return false, err
 	}
+	add_at_top := ""
+	backup := true
 	if raw == nil {
-		raw = []byte{}
+		cc := kitty.CommentedOutDefaultConfig
+		if idx := strings.Index(cc, "\n\n"); idx > 0 {
+			add_at_top = cc[:idx+2]
+			raw = []byte(cc[idx+2:])
+			backup = false
+		}
 	}
 	pat := utils.MustCompile(fmt.Sprintf(`(?m)^\s*(%s)\b`, strings.Join(settings_to_comment_out, "|")))
 	text := pat.ReplaceAllString(utils.UnsafeBytesToString(raw), `# $1`)
@@ -334,14 +342,21 @@ func (self Patcher) Patch(path, sentinel, content string, settings_to_comment_ou
 		return addition
 	})
 	if !replaced {
-		if text != "" {
-			text += "\n\n"
+		if add_at_top != "" {
+			ntext = add_at_top + addition
+			if text != "" {
+				ntext += "\n\n" + text
+			}
+		} else {
+			if text != "" {
+				text += "\n\n"
+			}
+			ntext = text + addition
 		}
-		ntext = text + addition
 	}
 	nraw := utils.UnsafeStringToBytes(ntext)
 	if !bytes.Equal(raw, nraw) {
-		if len(raw) > 0 && self.Write_backup {
+		if len(raw) > 0 && self.Write_backup && backup {
 			_ = os.WriteFile(backup_path+".bak", raw, self.Mode)
 		}