Discussion: Where do you store app data / secondary documents

[TheSmileyCoder]

I was wondering what file structure do the rest of you use for your application files.

I usually have it so that my frontend gets installed into
C:\Program Files\MyAppName\

However I don't always feel it is the appropriate place for such things as exported pdfs or excel files, or temp files.

I haven't really been consistent in this matter, and its often a matter of how the security is set up at the client. I had one client where I couldn't have my installer place anything in C:\Programs Files\, but I could make my own C:\My Program Files\ and then place my frontent directory into that.

For external files I have often used something like
C:\AppNameWorkFolder\

Recently I started considering %AppData%\MyAppName and/or %temp%\MyAppName for temporary files. Another possibility could be the Documents folder.

I feel rather contempt with my frontend storage, but its really the placement of "other" files where I don't feel I have found the optimal/Best practice solution.

[zmbd]

With the way my IT has things locked down.

For the Access applications:
The client front end is usually directly sent to %userprofile%\desktop
The rest of the application:
\\servername\...\Laboratory\[department]\[application_name]
wherein the following subs: \backend ; \rawresult ; \[etc]
the current frontend is at the \[application_name]

Temporary raw results documents (typically scans of instrumentation printouts) are held in the user documents under the [application_name]\temprawresult until they are approved by the user for review then uploaded to the server.

As IT runs backups daily, this provides a very high level of recovery for the entire data structure.

The SQLServer has its own backup schema and location thus the only difference I have when the application uses it as the backend is the lack of a \backend sub.

[NeoPa]

I have a folder in my home share called Access. Under there I have some Access projects and quite a few folders with Access projects within. For clients I use what they tell me, or I come up with something at the time. I normally use the folder of the project itself in which to store related supporting files. Sometimes in subfolders.

It seems to me you're actually quite well organised already Smiley ;-)

[TheSmileyCoder]

Hi both fellow experts, and thank you for your replies.

I have been away for the weekend in londen, so sorry about the delayed followup.

I suppose I might be organized but not always as consistent as I could be. I haven't really found any "holy grail" for this subject, so maybe its not all that important in the end. Zmbd does bring a very good point about data recovery to the table though, that considerations should be made about whether to store on a local drive or network drives, if it is reports that needs to be recoverable in case of hardware failures.

[NeoPa]

Smiley:
I have been away for the weekend in londen,

You should have said. We could have tried to meet up (assuming you had any spare time). Never mind. Perhaps another time.

[TheSmileyCoder]

I was considering giving you a ring, but realized I would not have time. It was a department "study/team-building" trip to study parts of the London underground and their signalling system. Pretty tight packed schedule.

[NeoPa]

I'm glad you thought of it anyway Smiley. Maybe another time when the schedule is looser :-)

[TheSmileyCoder]

I still have my fingers crossed that I will run into some familiar faces at that PAUG conference.

[NeoPa]

I think, if I'm going to travel that far, I'll do it for a holiday :-D

Looks cool though (PAUG 2013 Database Designer Conference). I hope you enjoy it :-)

[TheSmileyCoder]

NeoPa:
I think, if I'm going to travel that far, I'll do it for a holiday :-D

3 days without kids where I can focus on my hobby? That is about as close to a "real" holiday as I can hope to get for a few years to come.

[NeoPa]

If there were a like button I'd have used that ;-)