Compatibility Filesystem

Vista seems to have some sort of weird "compatibility files" which
shadow the standard file system for some applications. In the Explorer
toolbar there is a "Compatibility Files" button which opens up a
browser which points to;

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Progr am Files\whatever

Can someone explain to me what this compatibility filesystem is and
how to avoid is? Is it intended for 16 bit applications? I have a 32
bit editing DLL which writes to the compatibility filestore instead of
to the standard filesystem and I would like to correct this if
possible.

Vista has locked down parts of it's operating so programs can no longer use
them. Programs were NEVER supposed to write their user data to C:\Program
Files - C:\Windows etc. But many programmers are lazy and it was convenient
for them to do so. Now they cant.

If a poorly designed program (junk?) tries to write to these restricted
areas the writes are redirected to the compatibility area of the file
system. These writes are just isolated from the restricted areas. Their
respective programs just "think" that the files were written to C:\Program
Files\Junk Program. They have not been.

End result. Replace the offending program or accept the results.

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience


<eagle@multi.bits> wrote in message
news:1i43b4htei6nl96rbnuptr6g672m3aqnjg@4ax.com...
> Vista seems to have some sort of weird "compatibility files" which
> shadow the standard file system for some applications. In the Explorer
> toolbar there is a "Compatibility Files" button which opens up a
> browser which points to;
>
> C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Progr am Files\whatever
>
> Can someone explain to me what this compatibility filesystem is and
> how to avoid is? Is it intended for 16 bit applications? I have a 32
> bit editing DLL which writes to the compatibility filestore instead of
> to the standard filesystem and I would like to correct this if
> possible.

<eagle@multi.bits> wrote in message
news:1i43b4htei6nl96rbnuptr6g672m3aqnjg@4ax.com...
> Vista seems to have some sort of weird "compatibility files" which
> shadow the standard file system for some applications. In the Explorer
> toolbar there is a "Compatibility Files" button which opens up a
> browser which points to;
>
> C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Progr am Files\whatever
>
> Can someone explain to me what this compatibility filesystem is and
> how to avoid is? Is it intended for 16 bit applications? I have a 32
> bit editing DLL which writes to the compatibility filestore instead of
> to the standard filesystem and I would like to correct this if
> possible.

It has nothing to do with bits. It's there to provide a place for older
programs to put things when they have hard programmed into them the
destinations like "My Documents" and such. Since these folders don't exist
in Vista it has these pointer folders (Junctions) that allow the program to
function while actually putting the documents in the new folders like
"Documents". Don't mess with it. It works just fine.

Good luck.