Posted on 1245329012|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover under tips-&-tricks windows
I sometimes get terribly confused with various system folders. Since most of the folders get a new location in Vista, I thought it will be nice idea to compare a table as to which folder is located where and which folder should be used in which situation.
About folder usage:
You should adjust your app to store temporary files in the current user's temp folder and the data should be stored in one of the following folders depending on whether or not you want the user to have direct access to the data files (ie. in an easily accessible folder), whether you want the same user to have access to the data when logged into another computer and whether or not you want other users logged into the same computer to have access to the files.
C:\Users\username\Documents
data private to one user while logged onto one specific computer
the database files can be easily found by the user by browsing their Documents folder
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local
data private to one user while logged onto one specific computer
the database files are in a hidden folder but may be accessible by a skilled user
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming
data private to one user while logged onto any networked computer
the database files are in a hidden folder but may be accessible by a skilled user
C:\Users\Public\Documents
data public to any user logged onto a specific computer
the database files can be easily found by the user by browsing the public Documents folder
C:\ProgramData
data public to any user logged onto a specific computer
the database files are in a hidden folder but may be accessible by a skilled user
Following table contains a folder ID or CSIDL and its location in both Vista and XP:
| Folder Name/Id | Windows Vista Location | Windows XP Location |
|---|---|---|
| CSIDL_DESKTOP | C:\Users\<user>\Desktop\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop\ |
| CSIDL_INTERNET | ||
| CSIDL_PROGRAMS | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\ |
| CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ |
| CSIDL_CONTROLS | ||
| CSIDL_PRINTERS | ||
| CSIDL_PERSONAL | C:\Users\<user>\Documents\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\ |
| CSIDL_FAVORITES | C:\Users\<user>\Favorites\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Favorites\ |
| CSIDL_STARTUP | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\startup\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ |
| CSIDL_SENDTO | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\SendTo\ |
| CSIDL_BITBUCKET | ||
| CSIDL_STARTMENU | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\ |
| CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY | C:\Users\<user>\Desktop\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop\ |
| CSIDL_DRIVES | ||
| CSIDL_NETWORK | ||
| CSIDL_NETHOOD | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\NetHood\ |
| CSIDL_FONTS | C:\Windows\Fonts\ | C:\WINDOWS\Fonts\ |
| CSIDL_TEMPLATES | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Templates\ |
| CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\ |
| CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\ |
| CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ |
| CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY | C:\Users\Public\Desktop\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\ |
| CSIDL_APPDATA | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\ |
| CSIDL_PRINTHOOD | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\PrintHood\ |
| CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\startup\ | |
| CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ | |
| CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ |
| CSIDL_COOKIES | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Cookies\ |
| CSIDL_HISTORY | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\History\ |
| 0 | C:\Users\<user>\Desktop\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop\ |
| 1 | ||
| 2 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\ |
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 | C:\Users\<user>\Documents\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\ |
| 6 | C:\Users\<user>\Favorites\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Favorites\ |
| 7 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\startup\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ |
| 8 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Recent\ |
| 9 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\SendTo\ |
| 10 | ||
| 11 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\ |
| 12 | ||
| 13 | C:\Users\<user>\Music\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Music\ |
| 14 | C:\Users\<user>\Videos\ | |
| 15 | ||
| 16 | C:\Users\<user>\Desktop\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop\ |
| 17 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 19 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\NetHood\ |
| 20 | C:\Windows\Fonts\ | C:\WINDOWS\Fonts\ |
| 21 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Templates\ |
| 22 | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\ |
| 23 | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\ |
| 24 | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ |
| 25 | C:\Users\Public\Desktop\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\ |
| 26 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\ |
| 27 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\PrintHood\ |
| 28 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\ |
| 29 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\startup\ | |
| 30 | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ | |
| 31 | C:\Users\<user>\Favorites\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites\ |
| 32 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ |
| 33 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Cookies\ |
| 34 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\History\ |
| 35 | C:\ProgramData\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ |
| 36 | C:\Windows\ | C:\WINDOWS\ |
| 37 | C:\Windows\System32\ | C:\WINDOWS\system32\ |
| 38 | C:\Program Files\ | C:\Program Files\ |
| 39 | C:\Users\<user>\Pictures\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Pictures\ |
| 40 | C:\Users\<user>\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\ |
| 41 | C:\Windows\System32\ | C:\WINDOWS\system32\ |
| 42 | C:\Program Files\ | |
| 43 | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ |
| 44 | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ | |
| 45 | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates\ |
| 46 | C:\Users\Public\Documents\ | |
| 47 | C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools\ |
| 48 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools\ | |
| 49 | ||
| 50 | ||
| 51 | ||
| 52 | ||
| 53 | C:\Users\Public\Music\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music\ |
| 54 | C:\Users\Public\Pictures\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures\ |
| 55 | C:\Users\Public\Videos\ | C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Videos\ |
| 56 | C:\Windows\Resources\ | C:\WINDOWS\Resources\ |
| 57 | ||
| 58 | ||
| 59 | C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Burn\ | C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning\ |
| 60 |
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