CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++windows
Lienau
Lienau

Reputation: 1353

C++ get appdata path of other users

In my program I have been using SHGetFolderPath to get the AppData path. However I need to get the AppData path of the other users on the computer. The only way I can think to do it is to get the path for the current user, and then replace the current user's name with the other users names. I don't know how to get a list of the users. There's probably a much more elegant solution aswell... If you have insight I would greatly appreciate it.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1095

Answers (1)

James Johnston
James Johnston

Reputation: 9492

For your situation I would recommend the following:

  1. Continue to store configuration files in AppData, but store it in CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA (SHGetFolderPath). This AppData is shared with all users. Your setup program (or an administrator user) can set up a folder in this location named after your program that gives "Everyone" full access (this is very easy with Windows Installer). That way, any user can read/write to it. Everything in "Program Files" should never change. It should only contain read-only executables, DLLs, and other such resources. Microsoft has long discouraged writing to this location and many administrators no longer expect to encounter custom user data that requires regular backup & restore in Program Files.

  2. When your software runs, you can check for data in the current user's AppData (i.e. stored by your old version) and merge it with the data in the machine's AppData (described by #1 above). To migrate the data for the user, log in as that user and run your software.

There really isn't a great way that I'm aware of for gathering all that data from other user profiles. Nothing supported by Microsoft, that is (that I'm aware of!).

Regarding storage of data in Program Files: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776776(VS.85).aspx "Do not store user data under the Program Files folder." There are many other references that say similar.

Upvotes: 1

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