Change 'My Docs' as default folder?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jay Kneese
  • Start date Start date
J

Jay Kneese

Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to something
other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but always have to
navigate to it from My Documents.

Thanks for any help.
 
Jay said:
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to something
other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but always have to
navigate to it from My Documents.
Click to expand...

From what application? Some applications will let you change the default
location and others won't.

Malke
 
Within almost any application if I do, for example, "File > Open" or "File >
Save as" the resulting dialog box will initially open with "My Documents" as
the folder from which to open or save. This seems to be a Windows-controlled
function. I'd like set that default to a different folder.
 
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to something
other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but always have to
navigate to it from My Documents.
Click to expand...

In which application are you doing a file open (Word, Excel, Acrobat
Reader, Internet Explorer, etc)?
 
Jay said:
Within almost any application if I do, for example, "File > Open" or "File
Documents" as the folder from which to open or save. This seems to be a
Windows-controlled function. I'd like set that default to a different
folder.
Click to expand...

It's not a "Windows-controlled function". It's an application-controlled
function. You have to take it application-by-application and look in the
programs' preferences. As I said, some programs (like MS Office and iTunes
for instance) will allow you to set your default file locations and some
won't. It's all up to the original programmers of the various applications.

Malke
 
Malke said:
It's not a "Windows-controlled function". It's an
application-controlled function. You have to take it
application-by-application and look in the programs' preferences. As
I said, some programs (like MS Office and iTunes for instance) will
allow you to set your default file locations and some won't. It's all
up to the original programmers of the various applications.
Click to expand...

Including, if a program doesn't provide the ability to change its
default folders for saving etc., then windows default functions picks My
Documents for it, which is a System Folder. When I compile programs, I
don't need to tell the compiler where to install to, but I CAN if I wish
to, and of course, should. But Saves default to My Documents, a system
folder, due to windows code when you don't specify one.

Twayne
 
Jay Kneese said:
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to
something other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but
always have to navigate to it from My Documents.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you can do so. IF it's possible, it will be a function of the
program you're using, usually under Options or Preferences, in a tab or
dialog named something like "Paths" or "File Paths" and other variations
on the meaning.
Otherwise you're stuck with the My Documents suggestion.
Actually, putting your whole folder structure under My Documents is a
good idea as it makes backing up easier - just back up My Documents and
you know you'll get all your personal data. Backing up personal data
becomes simply a matter of backing up one folder, regardless of how many
you've created under it.
One thing you CAN do with My Documents folder is to relocate it to
another drive if you wish. Go to Properties on the My Documents folder
and you'll see a "Move" button there. Since it's a system file, that's
the only way to move it successfully without damaging its functions.
See Help for more background.

HTH,

Twayne`
 
Jay said:
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to
something other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but
always have to navigate to it from My Documents.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

In addition to the other suggestions, you might want to think about:

- creating in your My Documents folder a shortcut or shortcuts to the
folder(s) you commonly want your programs to open in. Then the location is
only a click away.

- you can edit what appears in your Places Bar with TweakUI (under Common
Dialogs) from Microsoft.

I know neither of these is a direct answer to the question as posed, but
they may help for programs which have no way of setting in their
Options/Preferences etc somewhere else to open at.

Some apps (eg Paint Shop Pro) have an option to *remember* where they last
opened a file, which may well be as good in your case.
 
Hello,

You can achieve this by changing the setting which points to the folder of
'My Documents'

Go to Desktop > Right-click My Documents > Properties > Move > set the
default folder > Remember to answer NO if it asks you whether you want to
move file files to your newly selected folder

Now when any application wants to browse to your profile's My Document's
folder, it will open in the folder you had set.

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Jay said:
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to something
other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but always have to
navigate to it from My Documents.
Click to expand...

Might the browser dialog that appears to navigate around the file system
contain the My Places toolbar pane? It might not be labelled but is
just a pane showing a column of favorite places, like:

My Recent Documents
Desktop
My Documents
My Computer
My Network Places

If it is displayed, you can change what favorite paths you want shown in
that list. Rather than hunt around for the registry entries, you can
get TweakUI (a Windows XP powertoy) and use it to modify what paths are
listed in the My Places bar.

No, this doesn't change the default path used by whatever is the
unidentified application where you want to change its behavior (and
assuming it cannot be configured for a default save path) but it makes
it easier to select than having to wade through a hierarchical folder
tree to get back to your special save folder.
 
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to something
other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but always have to
navigate to it from My Documents.
Click to expand...

You can make My Documents point to another directory.

I have done that, because I dislike spaces in file and directory names (and
some of the programs I use dislike them too), and also I dislike long
pathnames.

So on my computer the "My Documents" folder points to the directory
G:\stevedoc

I forget how I did it, but it's some Windows setting.
 
Jay Kneese said:
Is there a way to change the default file open dialog page to something
other than My Documents? I have my own default folder but always have to
navigate to it from My Documents.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
You might consider ignoring that whole can of worms, by putting a link to
your favorite folder(s) in Menu> Programs> Startup
From then on, your files are all listed right there on the desk when you boot.
Open the file or folder you want to work with, and windows will
automatically open it with the appropriate application. Forget all of that
tedious drilling for your file differently for each application.

I actually have \My Documents\ divided into various category folders, such
as \Home\, \Work\, \CPU mgt\, \Hobbies\, \Travel\, \Community\, \Church\,
etc., & also \Daily links\, which is a chronological cross reference, to
which I drag a link every time I work on a file. This leaves all my files in
one flat folder (\My Documents\), so I don't have to worry about moving a
file to a different folder.
I could have just as well have put the files into a folder tree, especially
if I find I use duplicate file names in different categories.
(I also don't use the other Ms tangle of \My Pictures\ etc.)
 
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