multi users, multi ini files

[BoydMills]

Hi,

I have a series of applications that depend on an INI file being in the Windows directory.

Also, many diffeent users are allowed to log on and change the INI file.

But Windows 7 places changed INI files in USER directories for the logged-on users.

So my Apps never get to see the changes!

How do I get Windows 7 to place my INI file in Windows directory where I need it?

 

[logicearth]

Uhhh...An application storing its configuration in the Windows directory is foolish, what are these broken applications you are using?

 

[BoydMills]

Well I have several thousand installations across North America and I am not about to send someone ( unless you are volunteering ) to change where these files are stored. Nor am I prepared to change thousands of lines of code ( unless you are volunteering ).

So how do I get rid of this bug!

 

[logicearth]

So how do I get rid of this bug!

The bug is in the application itself.

 

[BoydMills]

If by "application" you mean windows 7 then yes.

My application runs just fine, started on Windows 3.1, migrated to NT 4.0, Windows 2000, XP, Vista.

Not so much on Windows 7.

What has changed? answer: Windows 7.

So how do I disable this bug?

 

[logicearth]

You fix the application not to use the Windows directory. It is as simple as that.
Otherwise when Windows 8, 9, 10, 11 comes out, you are going to have the same problem.
You would have also faced the same problem in Vista, but I suspect you punched a hole in the security there.

Fix the application now or later, either way you are going to have to fix it.
Delaying won't help you in the long run.

 

[WebMattR]

How do I get Windows 7 to place my INI file in Windows directory where I need it?

I may be wrong, and if so I apologize, but even if you do get this to work, you're going to have problems with file permissions, since each user is going to need more administrative privledges on the files and the windows directory than is given to them by default (assuming they're just users). It'll be cheaper and more efficient in the long run to just fix the way it functions now.


p.s: Speaking as someone who supports .ini based software in the windows directory (our company uses a piece of software that does that), it's a terrible design scheme. It requires us to give full control of the windows directory to a lot of users who really we'd prefer didn't have that level of control.

 

[BoydMills]

What we have done in previous flavours of Windows is, during installation as administrator, grant 'everyone' 'all' access to just the ini files. That leaves the rest of Windows protect as the OS sees fit.
But not good enough for Windows 7!
Boyd