Vista and ProgramData

windows-vista directory shared programdata
frast picture frast · Sep 25, 2008 · Viewed 10k times · Source

What is the right place to store program data files which are the same for every user but have to be writeable for the program? What would be the equivalent location on MS Windows XP? I have read that C:\ProgramData is not writeable after installation by normal users. Is that true? How can I retrieve that directory programmatically using the Platform SDK?

Answer

Franci Penov picture Franci Penov · Sep 25, 2008

SHGetFolderPath() with CSIDL of CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA.

Read more at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb762181(VS.85).aspx

If you need the path in a batch file, you can also use the %ALLUSERSPROFILE% environment variable.

Related questions

Windows batch file starting directory when 'run as admin'

I have a batch file which is in a directory and must be run from there as well because it updates files within this directory. This works perfectly fine, except when the user runs the batch file as administrator (required …

Read More
Maximum filename length in NTFS (Windows XP and Windows Vista)?

I'm designing a database table which will hold filenames of uploaded files. What is the maximum length of a filename in NTFS as used by Windows XP or Vista?

Read More
Launching an application (.EXE) from C#?

How can I launch an application using C#? Requirements: Must work on Windows XP and Windows Vista. I have seen a sample from DinnerNow.net sampler that only works in Windows Vista.

Read More