diff --git a/init b/init
index 67fae6c5..f0ebadcf 100644
--- a/init
+++ b/init
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 ;; Requirements: git gnuplot ledger
 
 ;;; Code:
-(require 'pre-settings "~/.config/emacs/settings/pre-settings.el")  ;; use-package delight functions variables
+(setq config-dir (file-name-directory (file-truename user-init-file)))  ;; user-init-file: ~/.config/emacs/init, file-truename: /opt/emacs-conf/init
+(require 'pre-settings (concat config-dir "settings/pre-settings.el"))  ;; use-package delight functions variables
 (require 'which-key-settings)                      ;; https://melpa.org/#/which-key
 (require 'general-settings)                        ;; requires which-key
 (require 'my-settings)
diff --git a/settings/bibliography-settings.el b/settings/bibliography-settings.el
index 843e6304..204745ce 100644
--- a/settings/bibliography-settings.el
+++ b/settings/bibliography-settings.el
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@
 
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package pdf-tools
-  :load-path "lisp/pdf-tools"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/pdf-tools"))
   :defer t)  ;; used by org-ref
 
 (use-package biblio
-  :load-path "lisp/biblio"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/biblio"))
   :defer t)  ;; used by org-ref
 
 (use-package org-ref  ;; used with some preamble defs and \printbibliography (biblatex/biber, no html export), see also ox-bibtex
-  :load-path "lisp/org-ref"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/org-ref"))
   :after (org)
   :defer 1
   :init
diff --git a/settings/cedet-settings.el b/settings/cedet-settings.el
index 2d2e2800..2422e908 100644
--- a/settings/cedet-settings.el
+++ b/settings/cedet-settings.el
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
   (setq srecode-map-save-file (concat user-cache-directory "cedet/srecode-map.el")))
 
 (use-package srefactor         ;; https://melpa.org/#/srefactor
-  :load-path "lisp/srefactor"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/srefactor"))
   :defer 2)  ;; Loads after 2 seconds of idle time.
 
 (use-package srefactor-lisp
diff --git a/settings/completion-settings.el b/settings/completion-settings.el
index 3d03eada..ebbe8716 100644
--- a/settings/completion-settings.el
+++ b/settings/completion-settings.el
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 ;; in an ivy action minibuffer use M-o `ivy-dispatching-done' to see
 ;; valid actions.
 (use-package ivy
-  :load-path "lisp/ivy"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/ivy"))
   :delight (ivy-mode "Ⓘ")  ;; Ⓘ i
   :defer 0.1
   ;; Ivy-based interface to standard commands
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
 ;;(setq tab-always-indent 'complete)  ;; use 'complete when auto-complete is disabled
 
 (use-package company
-  :load-path "lisp/company"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/company"))
   :delight (company-mode "Ⓒ")  ;; Ⓒ c
   ;;:bind (("C-M-i" . company-complete))
   :bind (([remap completion-at-point] . company-complete)
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ Possible PACKAGE values are `company'."
         '(yas-popup-isearch-prompt yas-maybe-ido-prompt yas-completing-prompt yas-no-prompt)))
 
 (use-package yasnippet-snippets
-  :load-path "lisp/yasnippet-snippets"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/yasnippet-snippets"))
   :after (yasnippet)
   :defer 1)
 
diff --git a/settings/eaf-settings.el b/settings/eaf-settings.el
index 2a598a16..a32eb19d 100644
--- a/settings/eaf-settings.el
+++ b/settings/eaf-settings.el
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
 ;;; Code:
 ;; required by eaf
 (use-package epc
-  :load-path "lisp/epc"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/epc"))
   :defer t)
 
 (use-package eaf
-  :load-path "lisp/emacs-application-framework"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/emacs-application-framework"))
   ;;:after (org)  ;; eaf requires eaf-interleave requires org
   ;;:defer 2
   :commands (eaf-open
diff --git a/settings/ess-settings.el b/settings/ess-settings.el
index 73799dd4..c7721ed5 100644
--- a/settings/ess-settings.el
+++ b/settings/ess-settings.el
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package ess-site  ;; all ESS features
-  :load-path "lisp/ess"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/ess"))
   :commands ess-r-mode)  ;; only R related features
 
 (use-package ess-R-data-view
diff --git a/settings/filetype-settings.el b/settings/filetype-settings.el
index a543d877..1887608b 100644
--- a/settings/filetype-settings.el
+++ b/settings/filetype-settings.el
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@
   :mode "\\.md\\'")
 
 (use-package sql-indent
-  :load-path "lisp/sql-indent"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/sql-indent"))
   :commands sqlind-minor-mode)
 
 (use-package systemd
-  :load-path "lisp/systemd"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/systemd"))
   :commands systemd-mode
   :mode (("\\.service\\'" . systemd-mode) ("\\.mount\\'" . systemd-mode)))
 
diff --git a/settings/general-settings.el b/settings/general-settings.el
index 368c432f..d1cb7257 100644
--- a/settings/general-settings.el
+++ b/settings/general-settings.el
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ Version 2016-07-13"
 (setq bookmark-default-file (concat user-cache-directory "bookmarks"))
 
 (use-package transient
-  :load-path (lambda() (concat user-emacs-directory "lisp/transient"))
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/transient"))
   :defer t
   :config
   (setq transient-levels-file (concat user-cache-directory "transient/levels.el"))
diff --git a/settings/gui-settings.el b/settings/gui-settings.el
index b2205caa..a71bbac2 100644
--- a/settings/gui-settings.el
+++ b/settings/gui-settings.el
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ DISPLAY-START: `integer', e.g. 3820"
   :defer t)
 
 (use-package all-the-icons
-  :load-path "lisp/all-the-icons"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/all-the-icons"))
   :defer t
   :config
   (when (and (not (my-font-installed-p "all-the-icons"))
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ DISPLAY-START: `integer', e.g. 3820"
     ))
 
 (use-package dashboard
-  :load-path "lisp/dashboard"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/dashboard"))
   :delight (dashboard-mode "🅓")
   :config
   ;; because we use `use-package' include `use-package-statistics' if computed
diff --git a/settings/ledger-settings.el b/settings/ledger-settings.el
index af7255b2..743628a8 100644
--- a/settings/ledger-settings.el
+++ b/settings/ledger-settings.el
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package ledger-mode
-  :load-path "lisp/ledger-mode"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/ledger-mode"))
   :delight
   (ledger-mode "🅛ｄ") ; "Le "
   (ledger-report-mode "🅛dr") ; "LeR 🅖⒭"
diff --git a/settings/multiple-cursors-settings.el b/settings/multiple-cursors-settings.el
index 69f61b17..c1efce58 100644
--- a/settings/multiple-cursors-settings.el
+++ b/settings/multiple-cursors-settings.el
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package multiple-cursors
-  :load-path "lisp/multiple-cursors"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/multiple-cursors"))
   :bind (;; see kbd prefix description in which-key-settings
          ("M-m s m a" . mc/mark-all-dwim)
          ("M-m s m b" . mc/mark-all-like-this)
diff --git a/settings/my-settings.el b/settings/my-settings.el
index 4940a7a8..db0c24f3 100644
--- a/settings/my-settings.el
+++ b/settings/my-settings.el
@@ -2,18 +2,18 @@
 ;;; Commentary:
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package my
-  :load-path "lisp/my"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/my"))
   :config
   (with-eval-after-load 'org
     (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'my-org-link-color-hook)
     (add-hook 'org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook 'my-org-table-cell-color-attr)))
 
 (use-package my-org-article
-  :load-path "lisp/my"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/my"))
   :after (org))
 
 (use-package my-org-letter
-  :load-path "lisp/my"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/my"))
   :after (org))
 
 (provide 'my-settings)
diff --git a/settings/org-settings.el b/settings/org-settings.el
index c7ee32ea..d5a034c5 100644
--- a/settings/org-settings.el
+++ b/settings/org-settings.el
@@ -236,7 +236,8 @@ Example defines
 ;; be loaded before, otherwise both versions will be loaded and will
 ;; conflict.
 (use-package org
-  :load-path ("lisp/org/lisp" "lisp/org/contrib/lisp")
+  :load-path (lambda () (list (concat config-dir "lisp/org/lisp")
+                              (concat config-dir "lisp/org/contrib/lisp")))
   :delight (org-mode "🅞")  ;; "Org "
   :defer t
   :init
@@ -425,7 +426,7 @@ Example defines
 
 (use-package org-cliplink
   :after (org)
-  :load-path "lisp/org-cliplink"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/org-cliplink"))
   :config
   (defun my-org-link-description-update ()
     "."
@@ -1134,10 +1135,10 @@ used as a communication channel."
   :defer t  ;; will be loaded via `org-export-backends' see above inside `org'
   :config
   ;; #+REVEAL_EXTRA_CSS:
-  (setq org-reveal-extra-css (concat "file://" (expand-file-name user-emacs-directory) "scripts/flipcard/flipcard.css"))  ;; multiple files seperated with \n
+  (setq org-reveal-extra-css (concat "file://" (expand-file-name config-dir) "scripts/flipcard/flipcard.css"))  ;; multiple files seperated with \n
   ;; #+REVEAL_POSTAMBLE:
-  (setq org-reveal-postamble (replace-regexp-in-string "\n" "" (concat "<script>" (org-reveal--read-file (concat (expand-file-name user-emacs-directory) "scripts/flipcard/flipcard.js")) "\n</script>")))  ;; only one line!
-  (setq org-reveal-root (concat "file://" (expand-file-name user-emacs-directory) "scripts/reveal.js"))
+  (setq org-reveal-postamble (replace-regexp-in-string "\n" "" (concat "<script>" (org-reveal--read-file (concat (expand-file-name config-dir) "scripts/flipcard/flipcard.js")) "\n</script>")))  ;; only one line!
+  (setq org-reveal-root (concat "file://" (expand-file-name config-dir) "scripts/reveal.js"))
   (setq org-reveal-single-file t)
   ;; overwrite to implement `org-reveal-single-file' (:reveal-single-file)
   ;; used in `org-reveal-scripts' as reveal-4-plugin
diff --git a/settings/plot-settings.el b/settings/plot-settings.el
index 422d91d2..b7bd330a 100644
--- a/settings/plot-settings.el
+++ b/settings/plot-settings.el
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package gnuplot-mode
-  :load-path "lisp/gnuplot"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/gnuplot"))
   :commands gnuplot-mode
   :mode "\\.gp\\'")
 
diff --git a/settings/polymode-settings.el b/settings/polymode-settings.el
index 130c62a4..83afd43a 100644
--- a/settings/polymode-settings.el
+++ b/settings/polymode-settings.el
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ;;; Commentary:
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package polymode
-  :load-path "lisp/polymode"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/polymode"))
   :commands poly-python-web-mode
   :config
   
diff --git a/settings/pre-settings.el b/settings/pre-settings.el
index c1042d44..0ccf8177 100644
--- a/settings/pre-settings.el
+++ b/settings/pre-settings.el
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@
 ;;; Commentary:
 ;;; Code:
 (mapc (lambda (item) (add-to-list 'load-path item))
-      '(
-        "~/.config/emacs/settings"                 ;; path where settings files are kept
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp"                     ;; personal elisp lib dir, for manually installed packages
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp/dash"
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp/with-editor"
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp/hydra"               ;; required by treemacs org-ref
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp/async"               ;; https://melpa.org/#/async required by ob-async
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp/persist"             ;; https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/persist.html required by org-drill
-        "~/.config/emacs/lisp/use-package"         ;; https://melpa.org/#/use-package
+      (list
+        (concat config-dir "settings")             ;; path where settings files are kept
+        (concat config-dir "lisp")                 ;; personal elisp lib dir, for manually installed packages
+        (concat config-dir "lisp/dash")
+        (concat config-dir "lisp/with-editor")
+        (concat config-dir "lisp/hydra")           ;; required by treemacs org-ref
+        (concat config-dir "lisp/async")           ;; https://melpa.org/#/async required by ob-async
+        (concat config-dir "lisp/persist")         ;; https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/persist.html required by org-drill
+        (concat config-dir "lisp/use-package")     ;; https://melpa.org/#/use-package
         ))
 
 (setq gc-cons-threshold (* 50 1000 1000))          ;; Make startup faster by reducing the frequency of garbage collection. The default is 800 kilobytes. Measured in bytes. Will be decreased again at the end.
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Both Win32 and Cygwin count.")
     (shell-command-to-string
      "uname -a | sed -n 's/.*\\( *Microsoft *\\).*/\\1/ip'"))
    "Microsoft"))
-(setq user-emacs-directory "~/.config/emacs/")
+(setq user-emacs-directory "~/.config/emacs/")  ;; for cache etc.
 (defconst user-cache-directory
   (file-name-as-directory (concat user-emacs-directory ".cache"))
   "My Emacs storage area for persistent files.")
diff --git a/settings/syntax-checking-settings.el b/settings/syntax-checking-settings.el
index e09f3ebf..67abf496 100644
--- a/settings/syntax-checking-settings.el
+++ b/settings/syntax-checking-settings.el
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
 ;; do not load directly with e.g. (global-flycheck-mode) or via
 ;; after-init-hook while loading the init because flycheck will freeze
 ;; for a short while. Therefore better defer loading.
-;;(require 'flycheck (concat user-emacs-directory "lisp/flycheck/flycheck.el"))
+;;(require 'flycheck (concat config-dir "lisp/flycheck/flycheck.el"))
 (use-package flycheck
-  :load-path "lisp/flycheck"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/flycheck"))
   :defer 2
   :init
   (setq flycheck-mode-line-prefix "𝓕")  ;; Ⓕ 𝓕 ✈ f  ;; other flycheck settings see syntax-checking-settings.el
diff --git a/settings/theme-settings.el b/settings/theme-settings.el
index e5e18543..62a9fc3f 100644
--- a/settings/theme-settings.el
+++ b/settings/theme-settings.el
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 ;;; Code:
 (use-package spacemacs-common
   :after (cl-lib)  ;; spacemacs-common misses to load cl-lib
-  :load-path "lisp/spacemacs-theme"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/spacemacs-theme"))
   :config
   (load-theme 'spacemacs-dark t))
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 
 (use-package emojify
   :commands emojify-mode
-  :load-path "lisp/emojify"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/emojify"))
   :hook (after-init . global-emojify-mode)
   :init
   (setq emojify-emojis-dir (concat user-emacs-directory ".cache/emojify")))
diff --git a/settings/toolbar-settings.el b/settings/toolbar-settings.el
index 3cc9501d..ae22af37 100644
--- a/settings/toolbar-settings.el
+++ b/settings/toolbar-settings.el
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
   :defer t
   :config
   ;; add local icon folder to the image-load-path
-  (add-to-list 'image-load-path (concat user-emacs-directory "icon/"))
+  (add-to-list 'image-load-path (concat config-dir "icon/"))
   
   ;; TODO: revert after close?
   ;; TODO: add redo?
diff --git a/settings/treemacs-settings.el b/settings/treemacs-settings.el
index 74ff7950..6b0141d3 100644
--- a/settings/treemacs-settings.el
+++ b/settings/treemacs-settings.el
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 ;;   hydra.el  https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/hydra.html
 ;; treemacs-magit ;; http://melpa.org/#/treemacs-magit
 (use-package treemacs
-  :load-path "lisp/treemacs"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/treemacs"))
   :commands treemacs
   :init
   ;; get rid of the message:
diff --git a/settings/version-control-settings.el b/settings/version-control-settings.el
index 9cc1a0da..55a137a9 100644
--- a/settings/version-control-settings.el
+++ b/settings/version-control-settings.el
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 ;;; Code:
 ;; see also Diff-Hl (diff-hl-mode) to see VC diff highlighting in fringes.
 (use-package magit
-  :load-path "lisp/magit"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/magit"))
   :bind (("C-c M-g" . magit-file-dispatch))
   :config
   ;; (setq magit-completing-read-function 'magit-builtin-completing-read)   ;; if ivy-mode is on then it uses it otherwise set to 'ivy-completing-read
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   :after (magit org))
 
 (use-package diff-hl
-  :load-path "lisp/diff-hl"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/diff-hl"))
   :hook (((prog-mode vc-dir-mode org-mode) . turn-on-diff-hl-mode)
          (magit-pre-refresh . diff-hl-magit-pre-refresh)
          (magit-post-refresh . diff-hl-magit-post-refresh))
diff --git a/settings/web-settings.el b/settings/web-settings.el
index 0b836c83..95778127 100644
--- a/settings/web-settings.el
+++ b/settings/web-settings.el
@@ -18,23 +18,23 @@
   (setq css-indent-offset 2))
 
 (use-package js2-mode
-  :load-path "lisp/js2-mode"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/js2-mode"))
   :commands js2-mode)
 
 (use-package php-mode
-  :load-path "lisp/php-mode"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/php-mode"))
   :commands php-mode)
 
 (use-package web-mode
   :commands (web-mode))
 
 (use-package web-completion-data
-  :load-path "lisp/web-completion-data"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/web-completion-data"))
   :defer t)
 
 (use-package company-web-html
   :after (web-mode company)
-  :load-path "lisp/company-web"
+  :load-path (lambda() (concat config-dir "lisp/company-web"))
   :bind (([remap complete-symbol] . company-complete))  ;; M-C-i and <M-tab>
   :config
   ;;(add-to-list 'company-backends 'company-web-html)