Environment.GetFolderPath(...CommonApplicationData) is still returning "C:\Documents and Settings\" on Vista
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
Output on Ubuntu 9.10 -> Ubuntu 12.04 with mono 2.10.8.1:
SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: /home/$USER/.config
SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles:
SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: /home/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: /home/$USER/.local/share
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /home/$USER
SpecialFolder.System:
SpecialFolder.Personal: /home/$USER
Output on Ubuntu 16.04 with mono 4.2.1
SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: /home/$USER/.config
SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles:
SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: /home/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: /home/$USER/.local/share
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /home/$USER
SpecialFolder.Desktop: /home/$USER/Desktop
SpecialFolder.Personal: /home/$USER
SpecialFolder.System:
SpecialFolder.Programs:
SpecialFolder.Favorites:
SpecialFolder.Startup:
SpecialFolder.Recent:
SpecialFolder.SendTo:
SpecialFolder.StartMenu:
SpecialFolder.MyMusic: /home/$USER/Music
SpecialFolder.MyVideos: /home/$USER/Videos
SpecialFolder.MyComputer:
SpecialFolder.NetworkShortcuts:
SpecialFolder.Fonts: /home/$USER/.fonts
SpecialFolder.Templates: /home/$USER/Templates
SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu:
SpecialFolder.CommonPrograms:
SpecialFolder.CommonStartup:
SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory:
SpecialFolder.PrinterShortcuts:
SpecialFolder.InternetCache:
SpecialFolder.Cookies:
SpecialFolder.History:
SpecialFolder.Windows:
SpecialFolder.MyPictures: /home/$USER/Pictures
SpecialFolder.UserProfile: /home/$USER
SpecialFolder.SystemX86:
SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86:
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles:
SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFilesX86:
SpecialFolder.CommonTemplates: /usr/share/templates
SpecialFolder.CommonDocuments:
SpecialFolder.CommonAdminTools:
SpecialFolder.AdminTools:
SpecialFolder.CommonMusic:
SpecialFolder.CommonPictures:
SpecialFolder.CommonVideos:
SpecialFolder.Resources:
SpecialFolder.LocalizedResources:
SpecialFolder.CommonOemLinks:
SpecialFolder.CDBurning:
where $USER is the current user
Output on Ubuntu 16.04 using dotnet core (3.0.100)
ApplicationData: /home/$USER/.config
CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
ProgramFiles:
DesktopDirectory: /home/$USER/Desktop
LocalApplicationData: /home/$USER/.local/share
MyDocuments: /home/$USER
System:
Personal: /home/$USER
Output on Android 6 using Xamarin 7.2
Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/.config
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles:
Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/Desktop
Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/.local/share
Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files
Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/Desktop
Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files
Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup:
Environment.SpecialFolder.Recent:
Environment.SpecialFolder.SendTo:
Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu:
Environment.SpecialFolder.MyMusic: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/Music
Environment.SpecialFolder.MyVideos: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/Videos
Environment.SpecialFolder.MyComputer:
Environment.SpecialFolder.NetworkShortcuts:
Environment.SpecialFolder.Fonts: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/.fonts
Environment.SpecialFolder.Templates: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/Templates
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonPrograms:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartup:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory:
Environment.SpecialFolder.PrinterShortcuts:
Environment.SpecialFolder.InternetCache:
Environment.SpecialFolder.Cookies:
Environment.SpecialFolder.History:
Environment.SpecialFolder.Windows:
Environment.SpecialFolder.MyPictures: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files/Pictures
Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile: /data/user/0/$APPNAME/files
Environment.SpecialFolder.SystemX86:
Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFilesX86:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonTemplates: /usr/share/templates
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonDocuments:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonAdminTools:
Environment.SpecialFolder.AdminTools:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonMusic:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonPictures:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonVideos:
Environment.SpecialFolder.Resources:
Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalizedResources:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonOemLinks:
Environment.SpecialFolder.CDBurning:
Where $APPNAME is the name of your Xamarin application (eg. MyApp.Droid)
Output on iOS Simulator 10.3 using Xamarin 7.2
ApplicationData: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/.config
CommonApplicationData: /usr/share
ProgramFiles: /Applications
DesktopDirectory: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/Desktop
LocalApplicationData: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents
MyDocuments: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents
Desktop: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/Desktop
MyDocuments: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents
Startup:
Recent:
SendTo:
StartMenu:
MyMusic: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/Music
MyVideos: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/Videos
MyComputer:
NetworkShortcuts:
Fonts: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/.fonts
Templates: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/Templates
CommonStartMenu:
CommonPrograms:
CommonStartup:
CommonDesktopDirectory:
PrinterShortcuts:
InternetCache: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Library/Caches
Cookies:
History:
Windows:
MyPictures: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents/Pictures
UserProfile: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID
SystemX86:
ProgramFilesX86:
CommonProgramFiles:
CommonProgramFilesX86:
CommonTemplates: /usr/share/templates
CommonDocuments:
CommonAdminTools:
AdminTools:
CommonMusic:
CommonPictures:
CommonVideos:
Resources: /Users/$USER/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$DEVICEGUID/data/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Library
LocalizedResources:
CommonOemLinks:
CDBurning:
Where $DEVICEGUID is the simulator GUID (depending on the selected simulator)
Output on ipad 10.3 using Xamarin 7.2
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents
Output on ipad 13.3 using Xamarin 16.4
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents
SpecialFolder.UserProfile: /private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/$APPLICATIONGUID/Documents
Output on windows 10 using .net core 3.1
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: C:\Users\$USER\Documents
Output on Ubuntu 18.04 using .net core 3.1
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /home/$USER
Output on MacOS Catalina using .net core 3.1
SpecialFolder.MyDocuments: /Users/$USER
Output on Windows 10
Fonts: C:\Windows\Fonts
CommonStartMenu: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
CommonPrograms: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
CommonStartup: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
CommonDesktopDirectory: C:\Users\Public\Desktop
CommonApplicationData: C:\ProgramData
Windows: C:\Windows
System: C:\Windows\system32
ProgramFiles: C:\Program Files (x86)
SystemX86: C:\Windows\SysWOW64
ProgramFilesX86: C:\Program Files (x86)
CommonProgramFiles: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonProgramFilesX86: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonTemplates: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
CommonDocuments: C:\Users\Public\Documents
CommonAdminTools: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
CommonMusic: C:\Users\Public\Music
CommonPictures: C:\Users\Public\Pictures
CommonVideos: C:\Users\Public\Videos
Resources: C:\Windows\resources
LocalizedResources:
CommonOemLinks:
Code Snippet if you want to log your own
foreach(Environment.SpecialFolder f in Enum.GetValues(typeof(Environment.SpecialFolder)))
{
string commonAppData = Environment.GetFolderPath(f);
Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", f, commonAppData);
}
Console.ReadLine();