How do I influence a Windows program where to save data?

[Muse]

MS has really evolved. I used to just change the Start in folder to where I wanted to save files. I'm using Metapad here. But now although Metapad's properties are set to start in W:\data\notes\txt, Windows wants to save a new file in Libraries\Documents. WTF! 🙄

I do not want to save in MS's goddamn idea of where I should want to save my files, I want to save them to my NAS. Yeah, the local machine is Windows 7. Sheesh.

 

[Ketchup]

This is totally up to the application. I played around with it for a sec, and I didn't really see a way to influence what it saves to (this is version 3.6). Looks like the default is whatever folder the executable is in. So to me, the best way to autosave to a particular folder is to put the executable in that folder.

 

[Muse]

I'm running 3.6 too. In Options/General there's a checkbox Remember last folder. It's checked. So, after saving a file in my preferred location, it's now offering to save it there, problem solved, I guess...

I don't want to run the executable from a folder on my NAS, just seems like a not good idea. It might work OK, but this is working.

 

[Ketchup]

I'm running 3.6 too. In Options/General there's a checkbox Remember last folder. It's checked. So, after saving a file in my preferred location, it's now offering to save it there, problem solved, I guess...

I don't want to run the executable from a folder on my NAS, just seems like a not good idea. It might work OK, but this is working.

Oh, good.

 

[RampantAndroid]

You could always favorite the folder you want to designate in the mean time. It should be up to the program itself where it opens the file dialog.

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.hyperionics.com/files/


😎

 

[mrjminer]

You could try changing environment variables. Note, though, this will change them for all programs on the computer that uses them, and you could basically render your system inoperable, or experience some unexpected behavior :O

Control Panel -> System and Security -> System -> Advanced -> Environment Variables

I believe the other locations are in the registry:

 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

Again, your own risk. I wouldn't play around with the existing values on a live system, personally. Also, there may be more locations, those are just the only two I remember offhand.

Changing these will only work if the program uses the environment variables. If it hard codes the path, or uses only something like the system root variable to get C:\ and hard-codes the rest, you are out of luck.

 

[Muse]

http://www.hyperionics.com/files/


😎

Thank you, that looks very useful.

You could try changing environment variables. Note, though, this will change them for all programs on the computer that uses them, and you could basically render your system inoperable, or experience some unexpected behavior :O

Control Panel -> System and Security -> System -> Advanced -> Environment Variables

I believe the other locations are in the registry:

 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

Again, your own risk. I wouldn't play around with the existing values on a live system, personally. Also, there may be more locations, those are just the only two I remember offhand.

Changing these will only work if the program uses the environment variables. If it hard codes the path, or uses only something like the system root variable to get C:\ and hard-codes the rest, you are out of luck.

I haven't messed with environment variables for a few years, but I used to, probably using Windows 2000, it's been a while. It was kind of fun stuff and don't remember getting into trouble.

 

[mrjminer]

Thank you, that looks very useful.



I haven't messed with environment variables for a few years, but I used to, probably using Windows 2000, it's been a while. It was kind of fun stuff and don't remember getting into trouble.

Generally you would be OK. However, you will hit issues with programs that use them after you change them since they would now be looking in different locations for all of their files. Things like the user data path variable, windir, or system variables might screw Windows up, but I have never changed those, which is why you might want to test some of your changes out on a test bed first.