change default for My Documents

Using W98 When I use 'Save As' to save something from the internet it always defaults to the My Document Folder. How can you change this to default to another folder? Thanks

 

You can go into the registry and do one of two things. You can set a new Sve As Location and this will be the default. Or you can free that up so that wherever you save will be the default until you change the location. This way you can change it any time you like without going back into the registry.
Here's How to change it to a new Permanent Default.
Navigate to these two keys and change the value for personal to the path of the folder you want to use.

HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

You may have to change the save as dialog box the first time you use it. After that it should work.

I have to go into ny Registry folder to find the other technique. I use that one myself but can't remember it offhand.

 

The second method involves going into the registry and navigating to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Explorer\Documents

Create a new DWORD and name it
DisableStartInMyDocuments
Modify this to a value of 1

This will allow you to set the default save asl ocation in IE to anything you like simply by saving to a location. It will remain set to that location until you save to another location.
I am attaching the registry file (as a text file) for Download. Change its name to disable.reg and double click on it to enter into the registry. That's if you would rather not go into the registry.

 

Mo:

I tried this last tweak, since the My Docs default has always annoyed me.
The Explorer Key and Documents key were not present, but I used your reg file to add them in.

BUT, I see no difference.

If I select a graphic, right mouse, Save Picture as, My Docs is still the default.

???

 

WhitPhil,
"Save Picture As" doesn't work. I had a hack I used but it was uneven and problematic. If You remove or rename My Pictures , the default Picture save as defaults to My documents. If you then try to save somewhere else and create a new default folder that works in IE 5.5 and under (at least for me) I have not been allowed to do it since I upgraded to IE 6. The thing is, when I was able to change the Pictures default Folder, the only way to change back was to recreate the My Pictures Folder in My Documents. Therefore, there were only two choices. My Pictures or the new Folder designated when a picture was saved there. It is a one time only change. I don't usually post it because it can be too uneven.
And it won't work for IE 6.0. At least not for me.
The File menu "SaveAs" does work.
If I were saving a lot of pictures, I would keep a folder minimized and drag and drop them into it.

 

There is another key where you can add the DWORD. I will attach that txt file. Change the extension to .reg and double click on it to enter into the Registry. This one will work in IE6 to change the My pictures Save as location. The same limitations apply. First, change the name of My Pictures or delete it. Then apply the registry file. Step three, save a picture in a new location. Once done, that will be the default save as for Pictures. For the Pictures, I can only get two locations to work. Either the New Folder I choose or My Pictures. But this new location will work in IE6, I now save pictures in another Folder. if the other is not working for My Pictures in your Browser, try this one.


As Always, this will work to give you the choice to change the File>Save As location at will.


Tony Klein PM'd me to ask if I knew that it should be DisableInMyDocs
I have always used DisableInMyDocuments
Either seems to work.

Mo

 

Mo:

Thanks. But that little gem didn't work either.
I'm running 5.01, which may be the reason.
Not to worry, I'll give it another shot when I decide to move to 6.

 

WhitPhil,
Sorry. I generally used 5.5 before I moved to 6. I did give this to a friend who I thought was running IE 5.01 SP1 at the time.
Did you try DisableInMyDocs instead?

As Tony pointed out, it is how the DWORD is named at most sites .
Mo

 

Mo:
Nada.
Tried both variations. Even put them in HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Explorer\Documents, since I saw a Not Found on this key in RegMon.
The Save As does work though.

Next upgrade, I guess.


****Addendum

Ripped out both and re-evaluated.

1. Realized that even without the reg tweak, the Save As remembers the last one. IE5.01SP2

2. After RegMon'ing again, saw that I had used DisableInMyDocuments (as per your post, but not your attachment!!)
and the actual variable is
DisableStartInMyDocs
WHICH, if I change in HKCU\....\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Documents makes the default move to \Desktop, but it doesn't remember the last Save Picture as.

 

WhitPhil,
That's interesting. I actually did use Desktop as my SaveAs location because it was convenient. So, it's either My Pictures or Desktop.
I am going to have to ask that friend what Folder he used. He posted at another Forum last year that the Tweak worked for him.

IE does not remember the file Save AS location on its own. Another odd thing I found. I just reinstalled and had not applied that hack before this post. My IE was not remembering the last Saveas location when I started a new session. Before I applied the hack, it always reverted to My Docs.
I added the hack and it worked. I removed the hack last night and even without it, the last save as was remembered. I was looking into it and even did a scanreg /opt and then a fix. I thought it was only my computer. I know they are not capable of learned behavior.
However, I see you are having the same experience. I wonder if someone else who has not applied this hack would help us out please? See if File>save As always reverts to My Documents?

Mine did before the hack.

 

The Weird and Wonderful world of Computers.

I don't think,(but may have somewhere in the distant past), that I made a tweak to change the Save As.
And how it knows, ....(well, the Shadow knows).

I didn't play any further, since I really wanted it to remember where I saved last, as opposed to changing the location of My Pictures.

One of the fields that showed as a Not Found was HKCU\....\CV\Explorer\User Shell\My Pictures. So my "guess" would be that perhaps setting "My Pictures" to a folder may allow it to be offered as a default.

It's one of those, would be nice if it worked, but not so painful if it doesn't work, tweaks!!

Now if I could just turn off Modemlog (again), I'd be laughin'.
But that's another story, and perhaps post, when I surrender.

 

WhitPhil,

Merry Christmas. I have been doing just that. Also, it looks like the default SaveAs does remember. I perhaps am behind the times. I know people asked how to change that. Too much Egg Nog! LOL

To change the My Pictures default location: Go to the registry and Modify Personal String Value to a new folder you will create. For instance
C:\Whatever
(The new Folder you will create will have the My Documents Icon. This has no effect on the My Documents Folder. That will still be where you left it.)

In these two Keys:
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders



HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders


Step two. Create a New Folder in "Whatever" and name it My Pictures. (It has to be named My Pictures.)

Step three:
Go to the registry again
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

In the right pane modify the My Pictures String value to reflect the path to the new My Pictures. In this example:

C:\Whatever\My Pictures


I have been testing this. Even if you have a My Documents\My Pictures folder, this will work. So now you can set a new default My picures in any Folder you like. But you have to go into the registry to make the change.

I used the root directory. You can create your new folder with the new My Pictures Folder anywhere you like. In another Partition or wherever.

 

I know My Pictures and this solution isn't as flexible as File SaveAs. My Pictures just will not remember the last Save Location. Maybe because the File SaveAS is set up differently.
In the reg there is the String Value for the last save as directory for files. Not for my Pictures. And that would explain it.


Here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
String Value Save Directory

 

i've always found the MY PICTURES folder annoying. whenever it appears i delete it.

 

I don't need to default it... when I save as ... I select from the scroll button the directory & then the folder Im saving to:

I never have paid any attention to the default. I just bypass it anyway.