Where does ENERCALC Store Files ?
With Windows XP and Vista there is a more standardized way of storing files. Vista is particularly rigid in it's requirements for files locations.
In the programming world there is a standard notation for file locations that, when used in program code, allows Windows to return the location depending on the currently logged in user. This is a more uniform method of file storage than prior methods, which typically involved storing files in a "Data" subdirectory of the actual program directory.
The common Windows notation for file locations starts with "CSIDL" (constant special item ID list).
We store two types of ENERCALC non-program files: Non-changing database files and changing user created files.
| ▪ | Non changing files are the database files....steel, timber, seismic response, etc. |
| ▪ | Changing files are your ENERCALC Project files and user defined database (like the user defined steel database). |
When your ENERCALC software is installed our installation program asks Windows for the drive and directory locations corresponding to:
CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS and CSIDL_PERSONAL.
Here are the typical locations :
| ▪ | Non changing database type files are stored in CSIDL_COMMON_Documents. In Windows XP this location is typically : C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\ENERCALC Common Data Files\ <username> is the name you used when you created your user record. HOWEVER this does not indicate that these database files are only available to that users. They are available to all users and <username> changes depending on who is the current user. |
| ▪ | Changing database files are stored in CSIDL_PERSONAL. In Windows XP this location is typically : C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\ENERCALC Data Files\ <username> is the name you used when you created your user record. Generally this is specific to the current logged-on computer user. |
What are the typical locations for the various versions of Windows?
In all cased <username> is your personal folder under My Documents.
| ▪ | CSIDL_COMMON_Documents |
Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ENERCALC Common Data Files\
Windows 2000
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ENERCALC Common Data Files\
Windows Vista
C:\Users\Public\Documents\ENERCALC Common Data Files\
| ▪ | CSIDL_PERSONAL |
Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\ENERCALC Data Files\
Windows 2000
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\ENERCALC Data Files\
Windows Vista
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\ENERCALC Data Files\
How do your store where ENERCALC looks for these files ?
When ENERCALC is launched it looks into the Windows Registry for the current user and extracts the ENERCALC file locations that particular user has specified on the "Settings -> General Settings & File Locations screen.
All of these values are stored in the Windows Registry for the current user. This allows different users of a computer to have their project data files and user created databases accessible in their own folders.