Retrieve appropriate 'Documents and settings' (or home) folder

[Raistlin]

I am looking for a way to programatically retrieve the Documents and settings subfolder for a current user, so I can save a .ini file in a Application Data sub-folder (instead of the location where our executable is installed). Can this be done in LabVIEW directly (using 8.20) or do I have to go through the WinAPI ? Ideally, I would also like to be able to find the 'All users' folder inside Document and settings.

I want to do the same for Linux (retrieve home folder), so any suggestions there would also be welcome. No problems to add some C++ code, our software is already supplied with a shared library (dll/so).

[tbd]

Hi Raistlin,

      (If you haven't already found it) maybe the "Application\Default Data Directory" application property is close enough(?)

Cheers. 

Message Edited by tbd on 03-19-2007 02:42 AM

[Raistlin]

Thanks for the tip. Although this does not point me directly to the User\Application Data folder, I can just strip path/build path to get to the approriate folder.

[J.R.]

Hi Raistlin,

there is an objet in LabVIEW to help you to find the "LabVIEW data" directory located in the document and settings folder of the current user.

I join you a little VI for example. This function can be found in the Function Palette (so on the Block Diagram) under Programming >> File I/O >> File constants and the function is Default Data Directory.

Of course this path can be changed in the options of LabVIEW.

Regards,

[J.R.]

Raistlin,

There isn't a direct way (function) to find back the folder you want. So you need to construct the function you want with the built-in tools of LabVIEW.

Regards,

[shoneill]

I think you'll find what yyou're looking for under :

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

with the key name "Personal".

Shane.

[unclebump]

Look into the windows xp environment varaibles %Homepath%

http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/environment.htm

Search environment variables in the forums.

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/epd/p/id/4986

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=139711&requireLogin=False

[tbd]

Hi Raistlin,

      Julien's suggestion is much "cleaner" than using the app property and appears to return the same path.  Note: I added the following text to Labview.ini:

"DefaultDataFileLocation=C:\"

... and both the App property and the program-constant reflected the new path.

I'm curious what value is returned for DefaultDataDirectory on a Linux box(?) - and is there a similar file - for instance "LabVIEW.conf" - where LabVIEW's defaults can be set?

Cheers!

Message Edited by tbd on 03-19-2007 09:49 PM

[Raistlin]

I think the default data directory is indeed the way to go. In fact, I do not want a custom directory, so I do not need to change this path. I only want to retrieve it to go to the \User\Application Data\.. folder or the /home/User/... folder. And indeed, it also works on Linux, where the home folder is returned of the current user. So the work to be done is limited using this approach.

[tst]

To get to the APPDATA directory, you should use the recommended Windows way of calling SHGetFolderData instead of building and stripping, as this will work in different languages, versions, etc. 

I think I remember seeing an implementation on the LAVA forums.