Question about application data folder...

[TBSN]

I don't like the way programs install where you want them, but then they dump their other stuff on other places on the computer, which sometimes does not get deleted by the uninstaller.

For example, for games, I would like all of my games to install under
C:\Documents and Settings\[User-ME]\My Documents\My Games
but only some do by default.

If I were to go ahead and move where one of those folders is saved, would the program still work, and have access to everything it needs, or would it generate a new folder back where ever it wanted to originally?

I'm not sure if I'm making myself clear, but does that make sense?

Thanks.

 

[TBSN]

Does the question make sense? I'm talking about the folder that usually holds a programs configuration, save files for games, etc, and is usually installed in the "documents and settings" folder. If I move it to another location under Documents and Settings, will the program be able to find it?

 

[Crusty]

The problem is that in the past MS had no policy regarding where an application should persist data, so the result is tons of applications that don't follow any sort of standard. So while you might be able to tweak it for a specific set of games, chances are you won't ever be able to store all save game files in the same location. This is slowly changing now with Vista forcing admin rights to write to certain directories.

 

[MrChad]

To add to what Crusty said:

There are certain guidelines put forth by Microsoft that instruct software developers on where data should be stored. In general, binary/executable files are installed under Program Files folder, and user settings are stored in the Application Data folder. Whether developers follow these guidelines or create their own rules, or whether developers allow you to configure where their files are stored is up to that developer, not Microsoft.

In general, uninstallers only rollback files and settings that were added/changed by the installer. Files and settings created/changed after the installer is finished (say, a preferences file created when a game is first run) are normally left behind even after the main program is uninstalled. As a rule, this makes sense; as a developer you can't just wipe out your install directory without warning as the user may have used that folder to store other files. Some installation programs are developed with a bit more intelligence: they'll ask you, the user, whether or not things like preference files added after the fact should be saved or removed. Again, this all depends on the developer, and you're not going to find a universal solution to this problem.