Environment.GetFolderPath(...CommonApplicationData) is still returning "C:\Documents and Settings\" on Vista

user_67268 0
Viewed 129507

As I understand it, you're supposed to use the Environment.GetFolderPath method so you have OS independent code...

Windows XP uses C:\Documents and Settings\. Windows Vista uses C:\ProgramData and C:\Users.

I'm using the code below on a Windows Vista computer and it's returning a C:\Documents and Settings\ directory instead of C:\ProgramData like it should... Any ideas?

    string commonAppData = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData);
    try
    {
        File.CreateText(
            Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData) +
            "\\mycompany\\uid");
        log.Debug("Created file successfully");
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        log.Error("Unable to create the uid file: ", ex);
    }
.net c#
5 Answers

My installer copied a log.txt file which had been generated on an XP computer. I was looking at that log file thinking it was generated on Vista. Once I fixed my log4net configuration to be "Vista Compatible". Environment.GetFolderPath was returning the expected results. Therefore, I'm closing this post.

The following SpecialFolder path reference might be useful:

Output On Windows Server 2003: 

SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: C:\Documents and Settings\blake\Application Data
SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles: C:\Program Files
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles: C:\Program Files\Common Files
SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: C:\Documents and Settings\blake\Desktop
SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: C:\Documents and Settings\blake\Local Settings\Application Data
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: C:\Documents and Settings\blake\My Documents
SpecialFolder.System: C:\WINDOWS\system32`

Output on Vista:

SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: C:\Users\blake\AppData\Roaming
SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: C:\ProgramData
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles: C:\Program Files
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles: C:\Program Files\Common Files
SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: C:\Users\blake\Desktop
SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: C:\Users\blake\AppData\Local
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: C:\Users\blake\Documents
SpecialFolder.System: C:\Windows\system32
user_672680

Output on Windows 7 (64-bit)

SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: C:\ProgramData 
SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory: C:\Users\Public\Desktop
SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
SpecialFolder.CommonPrograms: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles: C:\Program Files\Common Files
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFilesX86: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
SpecialFolder.CommonStartup: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles: C:\Program Files
SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86: C:\Program Files (x86)
SpecialFolder.System: C:\Windows\system32
SpecialFolder.SystemX86: C:\Windows\SysWOW64

Output on Windows XP

SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
SpecialFolder.CommonPrograms: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles: C:\Program Files\Common Files
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFilesX86:
SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
SpecialFolder.CommonStartup: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles: C:\Program Files
SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86:
SpecialFolder.System: C:\WINDOWS\system32
SpecialFolder.SystemX86: C:\WINDOWS\system32
user_30095740

I was looking for a listing of macOS but found nothing, maybe this helps someone.

Output on macOS Catalina (10.15.7) using net5.0

# SpecialFolders (Only with value)
SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: /Users/$USER/.config
SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
SpecialFolder.Desktop: /Users/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: /Users/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.Favorites: /Users/$USER/Library/Favorites
SpecialFolder.Fonts: /Users/$USER/Library/Fonts
SpecialFolder.InternetCache: /Users/$USER/Library/Caches
SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: /Users/$USER/.local/share
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /Users/$USER
SpecialFolder.MyMusic: /Users/$USER/Music
SpecialFolder.MyPictures: /Users/$USER/Pictures
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles: /Applications
SpecialFolder.System: /System
SpecialFolder.UserProfile: /Users/$USER

# SpecialFolders (All)
SpecialFolder.AdminTools: 
SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: /Users/$USER/.config
SpecialFolder.CDBurning: 
SpecialFolder.CommonAdminTools: 
SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory: 
SpecialFolder.CommonDocuments: 
SpecialFolder.CommonMusic: 
SpecialFolder.CommonOemLinks: 
SpecialFolder.CommonPictures: 
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles: 
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFilesX86: 
SpecialFolder.CommonPrograms: 
SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu: 
SpecialFolder.CommonStartup: 
SpecialFolder.CommonTemplates: 
SpecialFolder.CommonVideos: 
SpecialFolder.Cookies: 
SpecialFolder.Desktop: /Users/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: /Users/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.Favorites: /Users/$USER/Library/Favorites
SpecialFolder.Fonts: /Users/$USER/Library/Fonts
SpecialFolder.History: 
SpecialFolder.InternetCache: /Users/$USER/Library/Caches
SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: /Users/$USER/.local/share
SpecialFolder.LocalizedResources: 
SpecialFolder.MyComputer: 
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /Users/$USER
SpecialFolder.MyMusic: /Users/$USER/Music
SpecialFolder.MyPictures: /Users/$USER/Pictures
SpecialFolder.MyVideos: 
SpecialFolder.NetworkShortcuts: 
SpecialFolder.PrinterShortcuts: 
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles: /Applications
SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86: 
SpecialFolder.Programs: 
SpecialFolder.Recent: 
SpecialFolder.Resources: 
SpecialFolder.SendTo: 
SpecialFolder.StartMenu: 
SpecialFolder.Startup: 
SpecialFolder.System: /System
SpecialFolder.SystemX86: 
SpecialFolder.Templates: 
SpecialFolder.UserProfile: /Users/$USER
SpecialFolder.Windows:

I have replaced my username with $USER.

Code Snippet from pogosama.

foreach(Environment.SpecialFolder f in Enum.GetValues(typeof(Environment.SpecialFolder)))
{
    string commonAppData = Environment.GetFolderPath(f);
    Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", f, commonAppData);
}
Console.ReadLine();
user_85527500
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