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%LocalAppData% is for files you wouldn't want to synchronize across multiple computers using the same account. Installed programs squarely fall into that catego
by wongarsu 1y ago
%LocalAppData% is for files you wouldn't want to synchronize across multiple computers using the same account. Installed programs squarely fall into that category, even just based on size. %AppData% is also commonly used to install executables, but I'd consider that a bug. Just like putting your cache dir in %appdata% instead of %localappdata%
- rkagerer 1y agoThe only reason publishers use those appdata paths for executables is so regular users can install their software without needing an administrator or a UAC prompt, since Microsoft locked down installing to the various Program Files directories.
- wongarsu 1y agoBut %localappdata% has all the same advantages and permissions. Using %appdata% for executables is usually a mix of ignorance and indifference. Roaming user profiles are a rare setup nowadays and are even less common on developer machines. And it's not like it breaks in obvious ways, the is just more storage space used and login is slower because more data is transferred from the server, in a setup that devs and PMs don't use