System 7.5: Default Open & Save Dialog Box Directory (5/95)


My customer has installed System 7.5 and noticed some differences in the default directory when he goes to Open files inside his programs.

Most of the time when he goes to open a file, the Open dialog box gives him as a default directory the directory where he last opened a file. However, sometimes when he goes to open a file, the Open dialog defaults to the root directory of his boot volume (not the directory where his programs are or the root directory of the partition where his programs are). He did not see this behavior under System 7.1.

Have the customer check the General Controls panel. There is a setting there for Documents that controls the behavior of the open/save dialogs.

There are 3 choices in the Documents section (bottom right corner of window):

Folder which contains the application
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If you want the old behavior, select the Folder that contains the Application. It then opens all the time.

Last folder used in the Application
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If you set this option to "Last folder...", when you open a file the Open dialog box gives you as a default directory the directory where you last opened a file. If set for "Last Folder..." and the application has not yet been launched, it has no last folder and defaults to the root of the hard drive.

Documents Folder
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This option, when selected, will automatically default to the directory of the "Documents" folder on the desktop when saving or opening documents.


Article Change History:
19 May 1995 - Added information about Documents folder option.
06 Mar 1995 - Added keyword; minor technical updates.
16 Feb 1995 - Updated keyword; reviewed for technical accuracy.

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Published Date: Feb 19, 2012