Vista - Application Cannot Save Files in Vista

I have an application that needs to save some of its data in a file. The
application is installed into the c:\Program Files\Commission Calculator
folder. The application wants to store its data in that same folder.

With all previous versions of Windows this worked fine, but with Vista it
causes a "Can't Save" error (80030103). The file extension is .adtg, but I
suspect it's the folder and/or its related privileges that is preventing the
save operation.

Should I be using a different folder to store these, or does the user need
to change his settings in Vista?

Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Programs should not save data to the Program Files folder, and in Vista,
Windows specifically prohibits this behavior. If you can specify a different
save path for your program, you should do so, or else check with the
developer to see if they have an update of the program that is better
behaved and doesn't save data there. I hope that helps!

--
Dave Johnson
Windows User Assistance team
Microsoft Corporation

Larry

As Dave said, the %systemroot%\Program Files is a restricted area in Vista.
If you have the option in that application to change the path for the
storage of this information, creat a folder somewhere in the
C:\Users\Username folder. A good location is the
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files, folder. This is
the location where non-Vista compliant applications should be saving their
configuration and other writeable files.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


"Larry Stinson" <llstinson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:75Cci.1348$vi5.735@newssvr17.news.prodigy.net...
>I have an application that needs to save some of its data in a file. The
>application is installed into the c:\Program Files\Commission Calculator
>folder. The application wants to store its data in that same folder.
>
> With all previous versions of Windows this worked fine, but with Vista it
> causes a "Can't Save" error (80030103). The file extension is .adtg, but I
> suspect it's the folder and/or its related privileges that is preventing
> the save operation.
>
> Should I be using a different folder to store these, or does the user need
> to change his settings in Vista?
>
> Any information will be greatly appreciated.
>

Ronnie Vernon MVP wrote:
> Larry
>
> As Dave said, the %systemroot%\Program Files is a restricted area in
> Vista. If you have the option in that application to change the path for
> the storage of this information, creat a folder somewhere in the
> C:\Users\Username folder. A good location is the
> C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files, folder. This
> is the location where non-Vista compliant applications should be saving
> their configuration and other writeable files.
>

I would warn against saving data directly to the Virtual Store.

If you are a developer for the application, then I would suggest using
the appropriate system folder for what you are storing, as determined by
the SHGetFolderPath and related API's.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa969404.aspx


--
-JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

Thanks, Dave. Can you direct me to any guidelines indicating which folders
developers can use in Vista that are not restricted?

Larry
"Dave Johnson [MSFT]" <davejoh@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:OzLhya5rHHA.3276@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Programs should not save data to the Program Files folder, and in Vista,
> Windows specifically prohibits this behavior. If you can specify a
> different save path for your program, you should do so, or else check with
> the developer to see if they have an update of the program that is better
> behaved and doesn't save data there. I hope that helps!
>
> --
> Dave Johnson
> Windows User Assistance team
> Microsoft Corporation

Thanks, Ronnie!! That's a huge help.

"Ronnie Vernon MVP" <rv@invalid.org> wrote in message
news:BF058542-6405-487D-9503-23413FD84037@microsoft.com...
> Larry
>
> As Dave said, the %systemroot%\Program Files is a restricted area in
> Vista. If you have the option in that application to change the path for
> the storage of this information, creat a folder somewhere in the
> C:\Users\Username folder. A good location is the
> C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files, folder. This
> is the location where non-Vista compliant applications should be saving
> their configuration and other writeable files.
>
> --
>
> Ronnie Vernon
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
>
> "Larry Stinson" <llstinson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:75Cci.1348$vi5.735@newssvr17.news.prodigy.net...
>>I have an application that needs to save some of its data in a file. The
>>application is installed into the c:\Program Files\Commission Calculator
>>folder. The application wants to store its data in that same folder.
>>
>> With all previous versions of Windows this worked fine, but with Vista it
>> causes a "Can't Save" error (80030103). The file extension is .adtg, but
>> I suspect it's the folder and/or its related privileges that is
>> preventing the save operation.
>>
>> Should I be using a different folder to store these, or does the user
>> need to change his settings in Vista?
>>
>> Any information will be greatly appreciated.
>>
>

Thanks, Jimmy!! I'll read this article in detail and change my application
accordingly.

"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OWh$FS6rHHA.4932@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Ronnie Vernon MVP wrote:
>> Larry
>>
>> As Dave said, the %systemroot%\Program Files is a restricted area in
>> Vista. If you have the option in that application to change the path for
>> the storage of this information, creat a folder somewhere in the
>> C:\Users\Username folder. A good location is the
>> C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files, folder. This
>> is the location where non-Vista compliant applications should be saving
>> their configuration and other writeable files.
>>
>
> I would warn against saving data directly to the Virtual Store.
>
> If you are a developer for the application, then I would suggest using the
> appropriate system folder for what you are storing, as determined by the
> SHGetFolderPath and related API's.
>
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa969404.aspx
>
>
> --
> -JB
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

I have my app data saved in the C:\DATA\ and I also do not have privlages to
save the files. these values are not in the restricted folder?

Chris R wrote:
> I have my app data saved in the C:\DATA\ and I also do not have privlages to
> save the files. these values are not in the restricted folder?

Hello,

In Vista, programs generally cannot save data outside of the user
profile folder (c:\users\username\)

--
-JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/