Change default directory

  • Thread starter Thread starter PSRumbagh
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PSRumbagh

How do I change a program's default directory for saving it's data files? I
can't find a settings window for doing this. Specifically I am interested in
Adobe Acrobat, MS Word and MS Excel. Presently the default directory for
all of them is "My Documents". Is this info in an .ini file?
 
Many program's use the 'default' Documents folder or 'Personal Folder'
to save file to.

As you know, this is your 'My Documents' folder.

You can change the location of your 'My Documents' folder by
right-clicking on the 'My Documents' desktop icon and choosing
'properties'. In the 'My Document' properties, click on the 'Move'
button to move it's location.

Also, many other programs have their own method of choosing where you
would like the default 'store' folder to be for saved files. You will
have to go through a program's configurable settings to find out which
do and which don't.

I believe that Adobe Reader does and it's default is the folder called
'ebooks' within 'My Documents' but it can be changed using the Reader
program's settings.

Also, MS Office programs can have a different folder defined for it's
default. - You just have to go into 'Tools' > 'Options' and it's
under 'File Locations' to define the 'Documents' item.

As I said, for other programs, you will have to investigate their
options.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)
 
PSRumbagh said:
How do I change a program's default directory for saving it's data files? I
can't find a settings window for doing this. Specifically I am interested in
Adobe Acrobat, MS Word and MS Excel. Presently the default directory for
all of them is "My Documents". Is this info in an .ini file?
Click to expand...

*.ini files are no longer used in Windows XP. Instead, well-behaved
applications typically information in the Registry. However, most
well-behaved applications (including the ones you list) don't require
you to actually edit the Registry to change options such as the default
save location. Instead, use the application's GUI.

Specifically,

- For Word 2003, Tools > Options > File Locations
- For Excel 2003, Tools > Options > General

Adobe apparently doesn't let you set its default save location. See
http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewtopic.php?id=7079
http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewtopic.php?id=950

In particular, "I find it's unnecessary to change the default file
directory since the program remembers the last file directory you used
and defaults to that directory for File Open, File Save, and File Print
to Adobe PDF in other programs." That's how Acrobat 9 Professional
works, and I believe Reader 9 as well.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
 
I understand this is not exactly what you want but maybe a quick way of
getting to your download location

You can alway put a link to the directory you want to save the item in:

START | RUN | Type 'regedit' & press ENTER

Navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\PlacesBar

If the key doesn't exist then create it

Create a new string/dword value or alter an existing one. Example:

REG_SZ: Place0
Value: C:\MyPathHere

DWORD: Place1:
Value: 5 (My Documents)

Save the value & close the registry editor

You can only use PLACE0 to PLACE4 as there are only 5 places & the index
starts at 0 (zero)

If you want it to be a special folder then you have to use the special
folder's numeric value in a DWORD value rather than a STRING

Here's a list of the special folders & their values:

00 - Desktop
01 - Internet Explorer
02 - Start Menu\Programs
03 - My Computer\Control Panel
04 - My Computer\Printers
05 - My Documents
06 - Favorites
07 - Start Menu\Programs\Startup
08 - \Recent
09 - \SendTo
0a - \Recycle Bin
0b - \Start Menu
0c - logical "My Documents" desktop icon
0d - My Music
0e - My Videos
10 - \Desktop
11 - My Computer
12 - My Network Places
13 - \NetHood
14 - Windows\Fonts
15 - Templates
16 - All Users\Start Menu
17 - All Users\Programs
18 - All Users\Start Menu
19 - All Users\Desktop
1a - \Application Data
1b - \PrintHood
1c - \Local Settings\Application Data
1d - Nonlocalized startup
1e - Nonlocalized common startup
1f - Favorites
20 - Temporary Internet Files
21 - Cookies
22 - History
23 - All Users\Application Data
24 - WINDOWS directory
25 - System32 directory
26 - Program files
27 - My Pictures
28 - USERPROFILE
29 - system directory (x86)
2a - C:\Program Files (x86)
2b - C:\Program Files\Common
2c - Program Files\Common (x86)
2d - All Users\Templates
2e - All Users\Documents
2f - All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
30 - \Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
31 - Network and Dial-up Connections
35 - All Users\My Music
36 - All Users\My Pictures
37 - All Users\My Video
38 - Resource Directory
39 - Localized Resource Directory
3a - Links to All Users OEM specific apps
3b - USERPROFILE\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning
 
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