Vista - Can't save file in localized folder

Hello

I'm running Win Vista Business (Swedish version) and have trouble saving a
simple text-file using notepad. Keep getting a messeage (in Swedish) that the
file path or filename is not valid. I believe the reason to the problem is
Vistas new approach to localization of folder names. A number of system
folders have localized names such as "c:\program files" which in my language
is called "c:\program". However the localized name is only "imaginary" as the
real folder name really is "c:\program files", which easily is checked using
a dos prompt and "dir c:\".

After installing programs (in my case mysql) to the suggested folder
"c:\program" everything works fine (including reading and running programs)
except that saving a simple textfile (a config file) in the folder
"c:\program\mysql" doesn't work, as notepad believes that the folder is
"c:\program files\mysql".

The only workaround I've found so far is to save the textfile to another
folder not affected by localization and then move the file (using win
explorer). Increadibly annoying...

It's possible that this problem could have been avoided if I'd installed
mysql to (the unsuggested folder) "c:\program files" instead, but havn't
tried yet.

Are the localized folders so called junctions? (would explain the problem)

I guess this problem affects all Vista versions except English versions
where the folder names are the same as the names shown in explorer. (So this
forum might be the wrong place to discuss this :-)

/Carl

Opening the (hidden, system) desktop.ini file under c:\program, does it show
this:


[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21781


or does it have this:


[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=Program


It shouldn't, however, really matter, I wouldn't think, since both Explorer
and, by extension Notepad's Save dialog, knows that this is really the
Program Files folder. In fact, if you try to make a new folder under C:\
called Program Files, you'll get a dialog that the folder already exists,
and either have to merge it or name it Program Files (2). You can rename
the C:\Program folder, though, to Program Files, without a problem. But
again, this may not be the problem with Notepad, but rather Vista's
virtualization of files that are written to the Program Files folder, or in
your case Program folder.

If you go to C:\Program, click on Compatibility Files in the Toolbar of
Windows Explorer. This will take you to C:\Users\(Your
Name)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files. This is where Vista puts
the files of programs that write certain types of user files to the
C:\Program subdirectories. When you're in C:\Program\Your
Program (or possibly a subfolder of that path), you should also see a button
in the taskbar of Windows Explorer called "Compatibility Files", which will
you take you directly to your program's config files.

In your program's Options or Preferences dialog, can you change the default
location (path) of the folder that contains your config files (I guess, in
this case, text files) to a path that is under your account name?

For example, try C:\Users\(Your Name)\Documents\My MySQL Data (you may have
to create the folder there first). Then Vista won't re-direct your files.
It doesn't really cotton to user files being written to the C:\Program Files
subdirectories, after the initial installation, and has put the Program
Files folder on a security level as that of the Windows folders themselves,
making TrustedInstaller the owner.

I imagine, too that if you saved your file to the appropriate folder under
C:\Users\(Your Name)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files, things would
also go smoothly. If you CAN save to a subfolder of C:\Program (by running
Notepad as Administrator or having UAC off), then it would be appropriate to
have saved it to C:\Program Files\MySQL, even though it *seems* it's path
name, in Explorer is C:\Program.

As to your question about junctions, no, the localized name is a function of
the desktop.ini, and not a function of junctions.

"Carl" <Carl@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E9014EA9-1EC6-4651-83F1-8029A7CBF15D@microsoft.com...
> Hello
>
> I'm running Win Vista Business (Swedish version) and have trouble saving a
> simple text-file using notepad. Keep getting a messeage (in Swedish) that
> the
> file path or filename is not valid. I believe the reason to the problem is
> Vistas new approach to localization of folder names. A number of system
> folders have localized names such as "c:\program files" which in my
> language
> is called "c:\program". However the localized name is only "imaginary" as
> the
> real folder name really is "c:\program files", which easily is checked
> using
> a dos prompt and "dir c:\".
>
> After installing programs (in my case mysql) to the suggested folder
> "c:\program" everything works fine (including reading and running
> programs)
> except that saving a simple textfile (a config file) in the folder
> "c:\program\mysql" doesn't work, as notepad believes that the folder is
> "c:\program files\mysql".
>
> The only workaround I've found so far is to save the textfile to another
> folder not affected by localization and then move the file (using win
> explorer). Increadibly annoying...
>
> It's possible that this problem could have been avoided if I'd installed
> mysql to (the unsuggested folder) "c:\program files" instead, but havn't
> tried yet.
>
> Are the localized folders so called junctions? (would explain the problem)
>
> I guess this problem affects all Vista versions except English versions
> where the folder names are the same as the names shown in explorer. (So
> this
> forum might be the wrong place to discuss this :-)
>
> /Carl
>

> Opening the (hidden, system) desktop.ini file under c:\program, does it
show this:
> [.ShellClassInfo]
> LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21781

Yes.

> or does it have this:
> [.ShellClassInfo]
> LocalizedResourceName=Program
>
> It shouldn't, however, really matter, I wouldn't think, since both Explorer
> and, by extension Notepad's Save dialog, knows that this is really the
> Program Files folder. In fact, if you try to make a new folder under C:\
> called Program Files, you'll get a dialog that the folder already exists,
> and either have to merge it or name it Program Files (2). You can rename
> the C:\Program folder, though, to Program Files, without a problem. But
> again, this may not be the problem with Notepad, but rather Vista's
> virtualization of files that are written to the Program Files folder, or in
> your case Program folder.
>
> If you go to C:\Program, click on Compatibility Files in the Toolbar of
> Windows Explorer. This will take you to C:\Users\(Your
> Name)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files. This is where Vista puts
> the files of programs that write certain types of user files to the
> C:\Program subdirectories. When you're in C:\Program\Your
> Program (or possibly a subfolder of that path), you should also see a button
> in the taskbar of Windows Explorer called "Compatibility Files", which will
> you take you directly to your program's config files.

Can't find the "Compatibility Files" in windows explorer toolbar, but I
found the "...virtualstore/program files"-folder.

> In your program's Options or Preferences dialog, can you change the default
> location (path) of the folder that contains your config files (I guess, in
> this case, text files) to a path that is under your account name?
>
> For example, try C:\Users\(Your Name)\Documents\My MySQL Data (you may have
> to create the folder there first). Then Vista won't re-direct your files.
> It doesn't really cotton to user files being written to the C:\Program Files
> subdirectories, after the initial installation, and has put the Program
> Files folder on a security level as that of the Windows folders themselves,
> making TrustedInstaller the owner.

In general, that makes sense and especially considering retstoring backups.

> I imagine, too that if you saved your file to the appropriate folder under
> C:\Users\(Your Name)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files, things would
> also go smoothly. If you CAN save to a subfolder of C:\Program (by running
> Notepad as Administrator or having UAC off), then it would be appropriate to
> have saved it to C:\Program Files\MySQL, even though it *seems* it's path
> name, in Explorer is C:\Program.

Not to keen on turning off UAC. The best solution seems to be to consider
all this already during installation (compared to previous win version).

> As to your question about junctions, no, the localized name is a function of
> the desktop.ini, and not a function of junctions.

ok, thanks.
carl