File Locations

[surendar jeyadev]

Mark,

I am sure that this is an oooold topic. (I may have even read about it in the distant past!).

I never was, or am, a fan of the "Documents" directory in Windows and prefer to have everything on the Desktop in folders that contain related material. So, when I started on FM back in 2007, I kept *everything* in a subdirectory of the desktop folder where I kept my business stuff.

Somewhere along the line, during an upgrade, the .DAT files and the .MMF file ended up in
Documents\Fund Manager along with the Autoback folder. Everything just worked fine and I have lived with it for at least seven years now.

The odd thing is that when I do a backup of the master portfolio via File -> Backup, the dialogue box opens up at the old folder on the desktop subdirectory! I do not where FM is getting the location for these backups. Can you tell me where in the Settings/Preferences/Options are these filepaths set? I have been unable to figure that out.

Operationally, there is no problem. There are some old, leftover sold position .DAT files on the desktop subdirectory, but all the current stuff in the Documents directory. When I want to restore a backup that I made (and I make one at least every time I reconcile an account), I just go and pick up the latest from the desktop subdirectory.

But, it would be nice to know where the filepaths are set (and perhaps have everything in one place!).

Thanks.

[Mark]

Hi surendar jeyadev,

You can use the "File / File Operations / Set Data Location..." command to select a single folder for all your data. You can pick an existing location, where most of your data is already located if you want, or you can pick any other folder. Wherever you pick, any data not in that folder, will be copied to that folder, and opened from that location in Fund Manager. It will not delete any data files, so if you wanted to eliminate the data files in other folders you'd need to delete those yourself. Also, this will set your default folder for new investment files. It is a good idea to keep all your data in a single folder. It makes restoring easier, especially if you move to a new computer.

When you use "File / Backup..." the initial directory of the displayed "Save Backup As" dialog box will be wherever you last saved a backup to or restored a backup from. That preference is memorized in the registry. It is independent of where your data files are located.

You can control where your automatic backups are placed. See "Options / General Preferences... / Data / Automatic Backup: / To Folder:".

[surendar jeyadev]

Mark,

Thanks for your prompt reply, which clarifies everything.

When you use "File / Backup..." the initial directory of the displayed "Save Backup As" dialog box will be wherever you last saved a backup to or restored a backup from. That preference is memorized in the registry. It is independent of where your data files are located.

Ha, ha! The registry! That explains it. I was wondering why the backups alone were going to the subdirectory on the Desktop, while everything else was in the Documents subdirectory.

Apart from the backups I make, everything else is in the default directory for FM. I guess that it would be best if I start saving my backups there as well.

Thanks again.