File isn't there - but it really is

[Dennis Duke]

I know the title doesn't make sense, here goes. I have Vista Basic and I
installed a program named "Sudoku 600" in "C:\Program Files\Sudoku 600". I
let the program generate a puzzle and then save it as "Puzzle 01.sud" in the
program's folder. When I look in the folder, the file is not there. I can
use the "Command Prompt" and do a 'dir' and it is not there. I can hit "CTRL
F" and search for it and it is not there. When I ask the program to load the
file it IS there and it loads fine (no, it isn't in a database or somewhere
else - there are other "*.sud" files in the folder that were put there by
the program installation and each puzzle is a stand-alone file). I can use a
program called "Agent Ransack" to search for it and the file is there and I
can click on it within "Agent Ransack" and it opens fine. I have the Sudoku
program on a Windows XP machine and the files are saved individually and
show up in the folder. Why are they hidden in Vista and not XP?

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Dennis.

Why are they hidden in Vista and not XP?

Because Vista finally enforces the rules that were introduced a decade ago:
Keep data files separate from the application files. Install the executable
and other program files into C:\Program Files, but program the application
to create a separate folder and put its data there.

The Program Files folder is one that is restricted and cannot normally be
written to; another is the Root of the Boot Volume, normally C:\. We need
to invoke our Administrator credentials to write into those folders.

You probably will find your Sudoku puzzles in C:\ProgramData\Sudoku, or some
similarly-named folder. If the program has been written properly, it will
know how to find that location and use it.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[Dennis Duke]

I understand what you are saying, but that is not the case. "Agent Ransack"
is an older search program that doesn't know about Vista and proves the the
files are actually in "C:\Program Files\Sudoku 600". Vista's "CTRL F" and
the "Command Prompt" (I guess old DOS) do not show the files at all. Again,
older non VISTA programs find the files where I think they should be but
nothing "Vista" finds them.

 

[Jane C]

Hi Dennis,

If you go to C:\Program Files\Sudoku 600, look at the toolbar at the top for
"Compatibility Files". If you click on that, it will take you to the actual
location of the "missing" files:

C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Sudoku 600

(AppData is a hidden folder)

File and folder virtualization is how Vista handles older programs that do
not understand the security model. It fools older programs into thinking
that they have written to a Program Files folder, by secretly redirecting to
the Virtual Store. The older program thinks that the data is under Program
Files.

A fully Vista-compliant program will have no need of redirection, as all
data would be written to either ProgramData, or under the User's folder.

 

[Dennis Duke]

Thanks Jane,

That solved my "problem". I hate little things like this that don't make
sense until someone comes up with an explanation. Thanks again!!!

Dennis

 

[deernut_00]

Jane
Is there an intuitive explanation of what "compatibility files" means?
Certainly not intuitive to me, and it makes no sense (sorry, but it just
doesn't). Thanks
deernut_00

 

[Timmay]

Up until yesterday the folder where i kept my downloads was easily accessable
to me by using the "Compatibility Files" tab on the tool bar. My Problem
today is that that tab has dissapeared!. The files are still there, but the
folder says it's empty. How do I get the "Compatibility Files" tab back?

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Up until yesterday the folder where i kept my downloads was easily
accessable
to me by using the "Compatibility Files" tab on the tool bar. My Problem
today is that that tab has dissapeared!. The files are still there, but
the
folder says it's empty. How do I get the "Compatibility Files" tab back?

Timmay

Did you turn User Account Control (UAC) off? This is the component that
controls the Compatibility Files. (Virtualization)