Location of AddIns

[John Google]

I created an AddIn as described by Excel 2002 Bible and saved it in C:
\Excel\AddIns.

I made several changes and, each time, saved it in C:\Excel\AddIns.

I encountered a problem where it said I could not save an AddIn which
was already known. I solved it by closing Excel then starting again.
This led me to investigate.

After a bit of investigation, I have found that the AddIn was not
stored in C:\Excel\AddIns but in C:\Document and Settings\<User Name>
\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns.

When I look at C:\Excel\AddIns using windows explorer there are no
files there! I've used a command prompt and there are no files there
with hidden or system attributes.

Has Excel somehow redirected the file so that it can be referenced via
C:\Excel\AddIns (this is where I added it from in Tools / AddIns).

Is this an XP feature that I am not aware of?

Confused...

 

[John Google]

I can see the logic now but I don't see how Excel is doing it!

I created a new worksheet and created userform.
I saved this as an AddIn to C:\Excel\Addins

(A check with Windows Explorer showed that it wasn't in C:\Excel
\Addins but it was in C:\Document and Settings\<User Name>\Application
Data\Microsoft\AddIns.)

I then went to Tools -> AddIns and used Browse to go to C:\Excel
\Addins and the xla file was there (as far as Excel was concerned).

This must be an NTFS/XP feature that I am not aware of.

Can someone explain this to me?

Thanks.