[I] Settings > Note folders > Note folder path: Support choosing different drive and not enforcing path relative to QOwnNotes' Data directory

#### Expected behaviour

A. Working properly with note folder on different drive than QOwnNotes.
_(May be Windows+Portable specific matter depending on how path handling is currently implemented.)_
B. Not using path relative to QOwnNotes' Data directory if chosen directory is outside of its hierarchy.

#### Actual behaviour

A. Note folder defined on different drive (e.g. `E:`) than QOwnNotes (e.g. `D:`) is presently inaccessible. Path may look like: `PATH_TO_QOWNNOTES/Data/E:/test`.
B. Path may look like: `PATH_TO_QOWNNOTES/Data/../../../../../test`.

#### Steps to reproduce

A. Create note folder on drive different than QOwnNotes was installed/unpacked.
B. Create note folder in the root of the drive where QOwnNotes was installed/unpacked.

Change to different view in Settings and go back to Note folders to see how path is actually stored.

#### Relevant log output in the Log panel

<details><summary>Expand</summary>

```
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] removeBrokenLinks : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] removeBrokenLinks : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] removeExpiredStaleNoteLinkBy : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] fetchAllTagHeadersByParentId : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] countAllParentId : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] countAll : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] fetchAllOfNote : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] fetchAllOfNote : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlQuery::prepare: database not open
[21:15:50] [warning] fetchAllOfNote : QSqlError("", "Unable to fetch row", "No query")
[21:15:50] [warning] QSqlDatabasePrivate::database: unable to open database: "unable to open database file Error opening database"
```
</details>

#### Information about the application, settings and environment

<details><summary>Expand</summary>

QOwnNotes Debug Information
===========================

## General Info

**Current Date**: `Wed Mar 11 21:38:29 2026`
**Version**: `26.3.8`
**Build date**: `Mar 10 2026`
**Build number**: `1281`
**Platform**: `windows (windows)`
**Operating System**: `Windows 11 Version 24H2`
**Build architecture**: `x86_64`
**Current architecture**: `x86_64`
**Release**: `GitHub Actions`
**Qt Version (build)**: `6.10.1`
**Qt Version (runtime)**: `6.10.1`
**Portable mode**: `yes`
**Settings path / key**: `D:/scoop/apps/qownnotes/current/Data/PBE/QOwnNotes.ini`
**Application database path**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\Data\QOwnNotes.sqlite`
**Application arguments**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\QOwnNotes.exe`, `--portable`
**Qt Debug**: `no`
**System Botan**: `no`
**Libgit2**: `no`
**QLiteHtml**: `no`
**Locale (system)**: `en_US`
**Locale (interface)**: *empty*
**Primary screen resolution**: `1920x1080`
**Icon theme**: `breeze-dark-qownnotes`
**Notes in current note folder**: `3`
**Calendar items**: `0`
**Enabled scripts**: `0`
**Database drivers**: `QIBASE, QSQLITE, QMIMER, QOCI, QODBC, QPSQL`

## Server Info

**serverUrl**: *empty*
**appIsValid**: `no`
**notesPathExists**: *empty*
**connectionErrorMessage**: *empty*

## Spellchecking

**Enabled**: `false`
**Selected language**: `auto`
**Language codes**: *empty*
**Language names**: *empty*
**Application dictionaries path**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\Data\dicts`

## Note folders

**currentNoteFolderId**: `1`

### Note folder `default`

**id**: `1`
**isCurrent**: `yes`
**activeTagId**: `0`
**localPath**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\Data\Notes`
**remotePath**: `Notes`
**cloudConnectionId**: `1`
**isShowSubfolders**: `no`
**isUseGit**: `no`
**allowDifferentNoteFileName**: `no`
**activeNoteSubFolder name**: *empty*
**database file**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\Data\Notes\notes.sqlite`

### Note folder `test`

**id**: `2`
**isCurrent**: `no`
**activeTagId**: `0`
**localPath**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\Data\..\..\..\..\..\test`
**remotePath**: *empty*
**cloudConnectionId**: `1`
**isShowSubfolders**: `no`
**isUseGit**: `no`
**allowDifferentNoteFileName**: `no`
**activeNoteSubFolder name**: *empty*
**database file**: `D:\scoop\apps\qownnotes\current\Data\..\..\..\..\..\test\notes.sqlite`

## Cloud connections

### Cloud connection `Default`

**id**: `1`
**isCurrent**: `yes`
**serverUrl**: *empty*
**username**: *empty*
**accountId**: *empty*

## Enabled scripts

## Settings

**ActiveNoteHistoryItem** (NoteHistoryItem): *empty*
**Debug/fakeOldVersionNumber** (bool): `false`
**Debug/fileLogging** (bool): `false`
**Editor/CurrentSchemaKey** (QString): `EditorColorSchema-cdbf28fc-1ddc-4d13-bb21-6a4043316a2f`
**Editor/autoBracketClosing** (bool): `true`
**Editor/autoBracketRemoval** (bool): `true`
**Editor/disableCursorBlinking** (bool): `false`
**Editor/editorWidthInDFMOnly** (bool): `true`
**Editor/hangingIndent** (bool): `false`
**Editor/highlightCurrentLine** (bool): `true`
**Editor/indentSize** (int): `4`
**Editor/markdownLspArguments** (QStringList): *empty*
**Editor/markdownLspCommand** (QString): `marksman`
**Editor/markdownLspEnabled** (bool): `false`
**Editor/removeTrailingSpaces** (bool): `false`
**Editor/showLineNumbers** (bool): `false`
**Editor/showMarkdownImagePreviews** (bool): `true`
**Editor/useTabIndent** (bool): `false`
**Editor/vimMode** (bool): `false`
**IssueAssistantDialog/geometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**LastUpdateCheck** (QDateTime): `2026-03-11T20:55:48.804`
**LinkDialog/geometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**LogWidget/criticalLog** (bool): `true`
**LogWidget/debugLog** (bool): `true`
**LogWidget/fatalLog** (bool): `true`
**LogWidget/infoLog** (bool): `true`
**LogWidget/scriptingLog** (bool): `true`
**LogWidget/statusLog** (bool): `true`
**LogWidget/warningLog** (bool): `true`
**MainWindow/geometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**MainWindow/mainToolBar.iconSize** (int): `24`
**MainWindow/menuBarGeometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**MainWindow/noteTextEdit.code.font** (QString): `Courier New,9,-1,2,400,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1`
**MainWindow/noteTextEdit.font** (QString): `Segoe UI,9,-1,5,400,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.code.font** (QString): `Courier New,9,-1,2,400,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.font** (QString): `Segoe UI,9,-1,5,400,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.ignoreCodeFontSize** (bool): `true`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.refreshDebounceTime** (int): `600`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.rtl** (bool): `false`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.underline** (bool): `false`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.useEditorStyles** (bool): `true`
**MainWindow/noteTextView.useInternalExportStyling** (bool): `true`
**NoteFolder-1/NoteTabNameList** (QStringList): `Welcome to QOwnNotes`
**NoteFolder-1/NoteTabStickinessList** (QStringList): *empty*
**NoteFolder-1/NoteTabSubFolderPathDataList** (QStringList): *empty*
**NoteFolder-2/NoteTabNameList** (QStringList): *empty*
**NoteFolder-2/NoteTabStickinessList** (QStringList): *empty*
**NoteFolder-2/NoteTabSubFolderPathDataList** (QStringList): *empty*
**NoteHistory-1** (QVariantList): `<variant list with 6 item(s)>`
**NoteHistoryCurrentIndex-1** (int): `5`
**PiwikClientId** (QString): `<hidden>`
**SearchEngineId** (int): `0`
**SettingsDialog/geometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**SettingsDialog/mainSplitterState** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**ShowSystemTray** (bool): `false`
**StartHidden** (bool): `false`
**TableDialog/geometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**WelcomeDialog/geometry** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**acceptAllExternalModifications** (bool): `false`
**ai/autocompleteEnabled** (bool): `false`
**ai/groq/apiKey** (QString): `<hidden>`
**ai/openai/apiKey** (QString): `<hidden>`
**ai/responseTimeout** (int): `15`
**allowEmptyNotes** (bool): `true`
**allowNoteEditing** (bool): `false`
**allowOnlyOneAppInstance** (bool): `true`
**appMetrics/disableAppHeartbeat** (bool): `true`
**appMetrics/disableTracking** (bool): `true`
**appMetrics/notificationShown** (QString): `true`
**autoReadOnlyMode** (bool): `false`
**autoReadOnlyModeTimeout** (int): `30`
**automaticNoteFolderDatabaseClosing** (bool): `false`
**checkSpelling** (bool): `false`
**closeTodoListAfterSave** (bool): `false`
**cryptoKey** (QString): `<hidden>`
**currentNoteFolderId** (int): `1`
**currentWorkspace** (QString): `initial`
**cursorWidth** (int): `1`
**darkMode** (bool): `true`
**darkModeColors** (bool): `true`
**darkModeIconTheme** (bool): `true`
**darkModeTrayIcon** (bool): `true`
**defaultNoteFileExtension** (QString): `md`
**demoNotesCreated** (QString): `true`
**disableAutomaticUpdateDialog** (bool): `true`
**disableSavedSearchesAutoCompletion** (bool): `false`
**dockWasInitializedOnce** (QString): `true`
**enableNoteChecksumChecks** (bool): `false`
**enableNoteTree** (bool): `false`
**enableSocketServer** (bool): `true`
**enableWebAppSupport** (bool): `false`
**externalEditorPath** (QString): *empty*
**fullyHighlightedBlockquotes** (bool): `false`
**gitCommitInterval** (int): `30`
**gitExecutablePath** (QString): *empty*
**gitLogCommand** (QString): *empty*
**guiFirstRunInit** (bool): `true`
**hideIconsInMenus** (bool): `false`
**hideTabCloseButton** (bool): `false`
**ignoreAllExternalModifications** (bool): `false`
**ignoreAllExternalNoteFolderChanges** (bool): `false`
**ignoreNoteSubFolders** (QString): `^\.`
**ignoredNoteFiles** (QString): *empty*
**imageScaleDown** (bool): `false`
**imageScaleDownMaximumHeight** (int): `1024`
**imageScaleDownMaximumWidth** (int): `1024`
**initialLayoutIdentifier** (QString): `full`
**insertTimeFormat** (QString): *empty*
**interfaceFontSize** (int): `11`
**interfaceLanguage** (QString): *empty*
**interfaceScalingFactor** (int): `100`
**internalIconTheme** (bool): `false`
**itemHeight** (int): `18`
**legacyLinking** (bool): `false`
**localTrash/autoCleanupDays** (int): `30`
**localTrash/autoCleanupEnabled** (bool): `true`
**localTrash/supportEnabled** (bool): `true`
**markdownHighlightingEnabled** (bool): `true`
**maxNoteFileSize** (int): `1048576`
**navigationPanelAutoSelect** (bool): `true`
**navigationPanelHideSearch** (bool): `false`
**networking/ignoreSSLErrors** (bool): `true`
**networking/proxyType** (int): `2`
**newNoteAskHeadline** (bool): `false`
**noteEditIsCentralWidget** (bool): `true`
**noteFileExtensionList** (QStringList): `md, txt`
**noteListPreview** (bool): `false`
**noteSaveIntervalTime** (int): `10`
**noteSubfoldersPanelDisplayAsFullTree** (bool): `true`
**noteSubfoldersPanelHideSearch** (bool): `false`
**noteSubfoldersPanelOrder** (int): `0`
**noteSubfoldersPanelShowFullPath** (bool): `false`
**noteSubfoldersPanelShowNotesRecursively** (bool): `false`
**noteSubfoldersPanelShowRootFolderName** (bool): `true`
**noteSubfoldersPanelSort** (int): `1`
**noteSubfoldersPanelTabsUnsetAllNotesSelection** (bool): `false`
**notesPanelOrder** (int): `1`
**notesPanelSort** (int): `1`
**notesPath** (QString): `Notes`
**notifyAllExternalModifications** (bool): `false`
**overrideInterfaceFontSize** (bool): `false`
**overrideInterfaceScalingFactor** (bool): `false`
**ownCloud/supportEnabled** (bool): `false`
**ownCloud/todoCalendarBackend** (int): `3`
**ownCloud/todoCalendarCalDAVPassword** (QString): `<hidden>`
**ownCloud/todoCalendarCalDAVServerUrl** (QString): *empty*
**ownCloud/todoCalendarCalDAVUsername** (QString): *empty*
**ownCloud/todoCalendarCloudConnectionId** (int): `1`
**ownCloud/todoCalendarDisplayNameList** (QStringList): *empty*
**ownCloud/todoCalendarEnabledList** (QStringList): *empty*
**ownCloud/todoCalendarEnabledUrlList** (QStringList): *empty*
**ownCloud/todoCalendarUrlList** (QStringList): *empty*
**ownCloudInfo/appIsValid** (bool): `false`
**ownCloudInfo/connectionErrorMessage** (QString): *empty*
**ownCloudInfo/notesPathExistsText** (QString): *empty*
**ownCloudInfo/serverVersion** (QString): *empty*
**previousWorkspace** (QString): `QrcpqMq9B2ZQ`
**recentNoteFolders** (QStringList): `D:/scoop/apps/qownnotes/current/Data/../../../../../test, D:/scoop/apps/qownnotes/current/Data/E:/notes`
**restoreCursorPosition** (bool): `true`
**restoreLastNoteAtStartup** (bool): `true`
**restoreNoteTabs** (bool): `true`
**savedSearches/noteFolder-1** (QStringList): `Note 2026-03-11 20h57s29, Note 2025-09-22 13h13s53`
**showMatches** (bool): `true`
**showMenuBar** (bool): `true`
**showStatusBar** (bool): `true`
**showStatusBarNotePath** (bool): `true`
**showStatusBarRelativeNotePath** (bool): `false`
**startInReadOnlyMode** (bool): `false`
**systemIconTheme** (bool): `false`
**taggingShowNotesRecursively** (bool): `false`
**tagsPanelHideNoteCount** (bool): `false`
**tagsPanelHideSearch** (bool): `false`
**tagsPanelOrder** (int): `0`
**tagsPanelSort** (int): `0`
**todoCalendarSupport** (bool): `true`
**useNoteFolderButtons** (bool): `false`
**useUNIXNewline** (bool): `false`
**webAppClientService/serverUrl** (QString): `wss://app.qownnotes.org`
**webAppClientService/token** (QString): `<hidden>`
**webSocketServerService/bookmarkSuggestionApiEnabled** (bool): `false`
**webSocketServerService/bookmarkSuggestionApiPort** (int): `22224`
**webSocketServerService/bookmarksNoteName** (QString): `Bookmarks`
**webSocketServerService/bookmarksTag** (QString): `bookmarks`
**webSocketServerService/commandSnippetsNoteName** (QString): `Commands`
**webSocketServerService/commandSnippetsTag** (QString): `commands`
**webSocketServerService/port** (int): `22222`
**workspace-QrcpqMq9B2ZQ/name** (QString): `Full`
**workspace-QrcpqMq9B2ZQ/noteSubFolderDockWidgetVisible** (QString): `true`
**workspace-QrcpqMq9B2ZQ/windowState** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**workspace-initial/name** (QString): `Minimal`
**workspace-initial/noteSubFolderDockWidgetVisible** (QString): `true`
**workspace-initial/windowState** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**workspace-zms5zK8tq87e/name** (QString): `Full`
**workspace-zms5zK8tq87e/noteSubFolderDockWidgetVisible** (QString): `true`
**workspace-zms5zK8tq87e/windowState** (QByteArray): `<binary data>`
**workspaces** (QStringList): `initial, zms5zK8tq87e, QrcpqMq9B2ZQ`

## System environment

****: `::=::\`
**__COMPAT_LAYER**: `DetectorsAppHealth`
**ALLUSERSPROFILE**: `C:\ProgramData`
**APPDATA**: `C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Roaming`
**CHROME_EXECUTABLE**: `D:\scoop\apps\googlechrome\current\chrome.exe`
**CommonProgramFiles**: `C:\Program Files\Common Files`
**CommonProgramFiles(x86)**: `C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files`
**CommonProgramW6432**: `C:\Program Files\Common Files`
**COMPUTERNAME**: `NUCPHKI7C`
**ComSpec**: `C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe`
**DriverData**: `C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData`
**EDOSIGN_XMX_SIZE**: `-Xmx6000m`
**EFC_7432_1592913036**: `1`
**FPS_BROWSER_APP_PROFILE_STRING**: `Internet Explorer`
**FPS_BROWSER_USER_PROFILE_STRING**: `Default`
**GIT_INSTALL_ROOT**: `D:\scoop\apps\git\current`
**HOMEDRIVE**: `C:`
**HOMEPATH**: `\Users\przemoc`
**LEVEL_ZERO_V1_SDK_PATH**: `C:\Program Files\LevelZeroSDK\1.24.0\`
**LOCALAPPDATA**: `C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Local`
**LOGONSERVER**: `\\NUCPHKI7C`
**NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS**: `8`
**OneDrive**: `C:\Users\przemoc\OneDrive`
**OS**: `Windows_NT`
**Path**: `C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\;D:\scoop\apps\git\current\cmd;D:\scoop\apps\vscodium\current\bin;D:\scoop\apps\qemu\current;D:\scoop\apps\mpv\current;D:\scoop\apps\ghostscript\current\lib;D:\bin;D:\scoop\shims;C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Local\Programs\ExifTool;C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Links`
**PATHEXT**: `.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC`
**POWERSHELL_DISTRIBUTION_CHANNEL**: `MSI:Windows 10 Pro`
**PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE**: `AMD64`
**PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER**: `Intel64 Family 6 Model 140 Stepping 1, GenuineIntel`
**PROCESSOR_LEVEL**: `6`
**PROCESSOR_REVISION**: `8c01`
**ProgramData**: `C:\ProgramData`
**ProgramFiles**: `C:\Program Files`
**ProgramFiles(x86)**: `C:\Program Files (x86)`
**ProgramW6432**: `C:\Program Files`
**PSModulePath**: `C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules`
**PUBLIC**: `C:\Users\Public`
**QML_DISABLE_DISK_CACHE**: `true`
**SESSIONNAME**: `Console`
**SystemDrive**: `C:`
**SystemRoot**: `C:\WINDOWS`
**TEMP**: `C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Local\Temp`
**TMP**: `C:\Users\przemoc\AppData\Local\Temp`
**USERDOMAIN**: `NUCPHKI7C`
**USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE**: `NUCPHKI7C`
**USERNAME**: `przemoc`
**USERPROFILE**: `C:\Users\przemoc`
**VBOX_MSI_INSTALL_PATH**: `C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\`
**windir**: `C:\WINDOWS`
**WIRESHARK_CONFIG_DIR**: `D:\scoop\apps\wireshark\current\Data`
**WIRESHARK_DATA_DIR**: `D:\scoop\apps\wireshark\current\Data`
**ZES_ENABLE_SYSMAN**: `1`
</details>



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Uh oh!

[I] Settings > Note folders > Note folder path: Support choosing different drive and not enforcing path relative to QOwnNotes' Data directory #3493

Expected behaviour

Actual behaviour

Steps to reproduce

Relevant log output in the Log panel

Information about the application, settings and environment

QOwnNotes Debug Information

General Info

Server Info

Spellchecking

Note folders

Note folder `default`

Note folder `test`

Cloud connections

Cloud connection `Default`

Enabled scripts

Settings

System environment

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Labels

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Development

Uh oh!

[I] Settings > Note folders > Note folder path: Support choosing different drive and not enforcing path relative to QOwnNotes' Data directory #3493

Description

Expected behaviour

Actual behaviour

Steps to reproduce

Relevant log output in the Log panel

Information about the application, settings and environment

QOwnNotes Debug Information

General Info

Server Info

Spellchecking

Note folders

Note folder default

Note folder test

Cloud connections

Cloud connection Default

Enabled scripts

Settings

System environment

Metadata

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Relationships

Development

Issue actions

Note folder `default`

Note folder `test`

Cloud connection `Default`