default folder for notepad?

[indiecoffeehouse]

Hi,

I use Notepad often (mostly for writing hand-coded webpages).

The files I usually want to open with it are in subfolders of MyDocuments.

However, when I open Notepad, then click the "open file" icon, the folder
that comes up is Program Files (which I never need to access with Notepad).
From there I have to navigate to MyDocuments, then to the subfolder where
the file I want is located.

Is there a way to configure things so that the folder Notepad first goes to
is MyDocuments rather than Program Files? It would sure save me some time.

Thanks for your help!

best,
Denise

 

[Donald A. Herman]

It appears that it saves the last location that you saved a file with
notepad in. so try saving a txt file to "My Documents", then open notepad
again.

I did try using a reg monitor to locate what keys its writing to. but the
results are saved in binary keys so you got to know what your doing to
change that.

--
Donald A. Herman
Software - Scheduler Pro, Disk Cataloger, Math Wizard
http://don_herman.tripod.com
Office Extras, Addins
http://don_herman.tripod.com/msoextras

 

[Vincent Xu [MSFT]]

Hi ,

I agree with Donald that the registry key is hard to modify. You can check
following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg3
2\OpenSaveMRU

As well as, Donald's suggestions works perfectly!

Best regards,

Vincent Xu
Microsoft Online Partner Support

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--------------------

 

[indiecoffeehouse]

Hi Donald,

It appears that it saves the last location that you saved a file with
notepad in. so try saving a txt file to "My Documents", then open notepad
again.

Yes, that is partially true.

The first time you open Notepad, and save something it goes to Program Files
by default (and I never ever save anything there).

The next time you save - assuming you haven't closed Notepad in the
meantime - it does go to the place where you last saved something.

The thing is, I am opening & closing Notepad all day long, and it gets
tiresome seeing that ProgramFiles folder when I never use it.

Can you tell me what I need to change in the registry to make it go to
MyDocuments (where I nearly always save my work in a subfolder) instead of
Program Files?

Thanks so much for your time & help!

cheers ~
Denise

 

[indiecoffeehouse]

Hi Vincent,

Thanks for your answer.
OK, I see the directory key in question - but I'm not sure what to do now.
How do I edit it to make Notepad use My Documents instead of Program Files?

Thanks so much ~
cheers ~
Denise

 

[Vincent Xu [MSFT]]

Hi,

Based on my test:

1. This behavior is controlled by
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg3
2\LastVisitedMRU\n
2. I export current registry key and open file in notepad from another
place.
3. The default open file location is changed. I then import the registry
key back.
4. The default open file location is also changed back.

However, it is really hard to modify manually because it is binary value. I
just want to know if you use File -> Open to open a txt file stored in C:\,
the next time you try to open file, will it go back to "program files"
folder?

Best regards,

Vincent Xu
Microsoft Online Partner Support

======================================================
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
======================================================
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that others
may learn and benefit from this issue.
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--------------------

 

[indiecoffeehouse]

Hi Vincent,

Thanks for your help.

1. This behavior is controlled by
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg3
2\LastVisitedMRU\n

I don't have a LastVisitedMRU\n - the farthest my list goes is the letter
"i".
In OpenSaveMRU the list goes to the letter 'j'.

However, it is really hard to modify manually because it is binary value.
I
just want to know if you use File -> Open to open a txt file stored in
C:\,
the next time you try to open file, will it go back to "program files"
folder?

OK, - no. This is what happens:

I open Notepad for the first time.
I go to File --> Open. It automatically goes to the Program Files folder.
I type something and go to save the file. It goes to Program Files and I
have to navigate to My Documents to save it.

Keeping Notepad open - if I open or save something - after having saved it
to My Documents, then yes, it will indeed go to My Documents again.

However, if I open a new Notepad window - again, it goes to Program Files as
the default.

Basically, I want to set things so it never goes to Program Files, as I am
never interested in saving things there. I'm a web designer and am
constantly opening, editing, and closing text (.html & .css) files created
in Notepad. I do it dozens, sometimes hundreds, of times a day. The files
are always saved in subfolders of My Documents.

Since I open and close Notepad text documents all day long, the Program
Files thing really gets under my skin after a while.

I don't have the foggiest idea of how to edit binary code and admit that I
don't really understand what it represents.
So perhaps I had better just give up - unless I can somehow edit this
function in another way.

I really do appreciate all your help. Thanks so much.
best,
Denise

 

[Mark F.]

Hi,

I use Notepad often (mostly for writing hand-coded webpages).

<ot>
Denise,

My hat is off to you! Using notepad to author and edit html is hardcore
coding. I got so tired of using notepad years ago the I hacked out my
own HTML editor. (c:
</ot>

Mark

 

[Vincent Xu [MSFT]]

Hi ,

Did you log in with Administrator user account? I think the user account
you logged in didn't have permission to modify the registry key which
specified the default open location.

Best regards,

Vincent Xu
Microsoft Online Partner Support

======================================================
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
======================================================
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--------------------

 

[indiecoffeehouse]

Dear Vincent,

I think the user account
you logged in didn't have permission to modify the registry key which
specified the default open location.

Why is that?

Mine is indeed the administrator account. But I haven't tried to modify this
registry key, as I don't know how to work with binary code.

I am just wondering how I would edit the registry to get the default folder
to be My Documents rather than Program Files. I haven't gotten any farther
than that - would be glad to edit the registry, but don't know what to do to
solve this problem.

Thanks for your help!

best,
Denise

 

[indiecoffeehouse]

<ot>
Denise,

My hat is off to you! Using notepad to author and edit html is hardcore
coding. I got so tired of using notepad years ago the I hacked out my
own HTML editor. (c:
</ot>

Mark

Hi Mark,

I do use Note Tab Lite occasionally (mostly for search/replace in many
documents at once) - but Notepad (or Metapad) does just fine for most
things. I'm kind of a control freak, I guess, and like real clean
uncluttered code, so don't use WYSIWYG editors ~

Am impressed that you made your own editor! Wow.

cheers ~
Denise

 

[Vincent Xu [MSFT]]

Hi,

Let's do some test:

1. Export
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg3
2\LastVisitedMRU to 1.reg
2. Open notepad and open a file in "My Documents"
3. Export
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg3
2\LastVisitedMRU to 2.reg

Send me the two reg file to (e-mail address removed)

Please pack the into zip file.

Thanks.



Best regards,

Vincent Xu
Microsoft Online Partner Support

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Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
======================================================
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--------------------<[email protected]>
<[email protected]> <e6gkg.17306$Bj6.7928@trnddc08>

 

[CQ92]

Looks like there sure are a lot of complex solutions.... edit the registry and so on.

Here is a really simple solution.... it takes two seconds and is very easy to do.

Right click notepad or the shortcut you use and open properties.
In properties you will see a box that says "start in" right below target.
Type in the place you want it to always save to such as
"C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Desktop"
Then it will automatically save to that location.

Normally note pad is in windows or system32 and also opens in that folder - when closed - it automatically saves to the same folder it was opened in, no matter where you open it from as in using a shortcut.
Target is where it finds notepad and start in is the folder it opens in and saves to.
You can make several different shortcuts to notepad with different names and different save locations. NotepadDoc, NotepadDesk and so on.

 

[morphingstar]

Looks like there sure are a lot of complex solutions.... edit the registry and so on.

Here is a really simple solution.... it takes two seconds and is very easy to do.

Right click notepad or the shortcut you use and open properties.
In properties you will see a box that says "start in" right below target.
Type in the place you want it to always save to such as
"C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Desktop"
Then it will automatically save to that location.

Normally note pad is in windows or system32 and also opens in that folder - when closed - it automatically saves to the same folder it was opened in, no matter where you open it from as in using a shortcut.
Target is where it finds notepad and start in is the folder it opens in and saves to.
You can make several different shortcuts to notepad with different names and different save locations. NotepadDoc, NotepadDesk and so on.

__________________________Marvelllous_____________________It worked once_____________________
I guess the best solution is to use a simple free text editor of a different source, kick out MS - the pain generator.
Bye the way, hello to you. I am no specialist. When I bought my first PC IBM did not know how to spell PC.