XML file not written in intended directory

[Paul Hasler]

First off, please forgive me if this is in the wrong section. I'm not sure if the probelm is my VB.Net code or my understanding of installers. I've written a Windows Forms Application which stores it's preference settings in an XML file. I'm having problems with the file not being written to the directory I intend. I want to write the XML file in the application folder C:\Program Files\MyApplication, but when I install and then run my application it writes the XML file in C:\Users\MyAccount\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\MyApplication (This folder does not contain a copy of the executable, and is empty apart from the files written by my application when it runs). I've made the following declarations in the application for the file name and path:

Private strApplicationPath As String = Application.StartupPath
Private strPreferencesFileName As String = "\Preferences.ini"

I have my application preferences stored in a DataSet called dsPreferences, and use the following code to write the file:

dsPreferences.WriteXml(strApplicationPath & strPreferencesFileName, XmlWriteMode.WriteSchema)

To help me sort out what's going on I've also added a lable to the form called lblPath to display the file name and path:

lblPath.Text = strApplicationPath & strPreferencesFileName

When I do a Release Build, and run the executable everything seems to work fine. The XML file is written in the same directory as the executable ie C:\Projects\MyApplication\bin\Release and lblPath.Text also displays C:\Projects\MyApplication\bin\Release HOWEVER! I then use "Inno Setup 5" and "ISTool" to create an installer, and then install the application to C:\Program Files\MyApplication. Now when I run the application the XML file is written to C:\Users\MyAccount\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\MyApplication instead of C:\Program Files\MyApplication where the executable is, even though lblPath.Text still shows that strApplicationPath & strPreferencesFileName = C:\Program Files\MyApplication !?! :confused: The same issue is happening with the SqlCe database file for the application. - What is this VirtualStore? - Why is the XML file written there when I've been reasonably explicit that it should be stored in the same folder as the executable? - How can I make sure the file gets written to th

[Garth J Lancaster]

let me guess - you're running on Vista, right ? .. Im not a Vista pro, but I found this for example "An app that requires write access into program files sees c:\program files\MyApp\UserData, but it's really in c:\users\stephen\AppData\VirtualStore\Program Files\MyApp\UserData" Its a 'redirection'/security/UAC thing that Vista does Ive posted some links that [may] help http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-NZ/windowssecurity/thread/e85a62b7-d7c6-4d77-8b4c-11d5892b7218[^] http://www.itwriting.com/blog/141-peeking-into-vistas-virtual-store.html[^]

[Paul Hasler]

I think you hit the nail on the head there! Thanks! :thumbsup::thumbsup: