Special Folders and Custom Folders
Special folders are folders in the File System Editor that represent predefined Windows folders. The physical location of Windows folders can vary from one computer to another — for example, the System folder may be located in C:\Windows on one computer, D:\Windows on another, and C:\Winnt on a third. Regardless of the physical location, Windows recognizes the folder as the System folder by reading special attributes.
Using special folders in a deployment project allows you to choose a destination folder on a target computer without knowing the actual path to that folder.
Custom folders are special folders that represent folders on a target computer. Unlike special folders, custom folders do not necessarily depend on existing folders on the target, but rather allow you to create new folders at install time. You can also create custom folders that target predefined Windows folders other than those defined as special folders. For details, see Adding a Custom Folder to Target a Predefined Windows Folder.
The types of special and custom folders available to a deployment project differ according to the project type. The following special folders might be available.
| Special Folder | Represents |
|---|---|
| Application Folder | An application folder under the Program Files folder. Typically C:\Program Files\Company Name\App Name |
| Common Files Folder | A folder for components that are shared across applications. Typically C:\Program Files\Common |
| Custom Folder | A folder that you create on a target computer, or a predefined Windows folder that is not a special folder. Defaults to same location as the Application folder. |
| Fonts Folder | A virtual folder containing fonts. Typically C:\Winnt\Fonts |
| Module Retargetable Folder | A custom folder that allows you to specify an alternative location for a merge module. |
| Program Files Folder | The root node for program files. Typically C:\Program Files |
| System Folder | The Windows System folder for shared system files. Typically C:\Winnt\System32 |
| User's Application Data Folder | A folder that serves as a repository for application-specific data on a per-user basis. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data |
| User's Desktop | A folder that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop on a per-user basis. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop |
| User's Favorites Folder | A folder that serves as a repository for the user's favorite items. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\Favorites |
| User's Personal Data Folder | A folder that serves as a per-user repository for documents. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents |
| User's Programs Menu | A folder that contains a user's program groups. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs |
| User's Send To Menu | A folder that contains a user's Send To menu items. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\SendTo |
| User's Start Menu | A folder that contains a user's Start menu items. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu |
| User's Template Folder | A folder that contains document templates on a per-user basis. Typically C:\Documents and Settings\username\Templates |
| Windows Folder | Windows or system root directory. Typically C:\Winnt |
| Web Custom Folder | A custom folder on a Web server, identified by an HTTP address. |
The typical paths shown represent a standard installation of Windows 2000 Professional. Locations may differ on other operating systems or non-standard installations.
See Also
File Installation Management in Deployment | Adding and Removing Folders in the File System Editor | Deploying Applications