Best flex directory for all users

Question

I'm using File.applicationStorageDirectory to store data of my app. Problem is when there are many windows users on one machine. One user has no access to others users data. I need to have common directory for all users.

In docs I see that all the OS-independent paths in Flex are based on spcific user directory. And the Application directory is read-only. So is there any directory which is common for all the users so I could store data there?

I know I could use explicit directory like:

var file:File = new File();

file.nativePath = "C:\\AIR Test";

But I need OS-independent, somewhat hidden (not in obvious place) directory.

Application	`C:\Program Files\filename`
Application-storage	`C:\Documents and settings\userName\ApplicationData\applicationID\Local Store`
Cache	C:\Documents and settings\userName\Local Settings\Temp
Desktop	`C:\Documents and settings\userName\Desktop`
Documents	`C:\Documents and settings\userName\My Documents`
Temporary	`C:\Documents and settings\userName\Local Settings\Temp\randomString.tmp`
User	`C:\Documents and settings\userName`

zwetan_uk · Accepted Answer

variable between % are environment variables
(same for mac but they start with $)
you can access them using the NativeProcess class

here an example

package
{
    import flash.desktop.NativeProcess;
    import flash.desktop.NativeProcessStartupInfo;
    import flash.system.Capabilities;
    import flash.events.IOErrorEvent;
    import flash.events.NativeProcessExitEvent;
    import flash.events.ProgressEvent;

    public class Test
    {
        function Test()
        {
            super();
            _setupAndLaunch();
        }

        private function onProcessOutput( event:ProgressEvent ):void
        {
            var data:String = _process.standardOutput.readUTFBytes( _process.standardOutput.bytesAvailable );
            trace( "stdout: " + data );
        }
        private function onProcessError( event:ProgressEvent ):void
        {
            trace("stderr: " + _process.standardError.readUTFBytes( _process.standardError.bytesAvailable ) );
        }
        private function onProcessExit( event:NativeProcessExitEvent ):void
        {
            trace( "Process exited with " + event.exitCode );
        }

        private function onProcessIOError( event:IOErrorEvent ):void
        {
            trace( event.toString() );
        }
        private function _getPlatform():String
        {
            var platform:String = "";
            var manufacturer:String = Capabilities.manufacturer;

            if( (manufacturer != "") && (manufacturer.indexOf( " " ) > -1) )
            {
                var tmp:String = manufacturer.split( " " )[1];
                platform = tmp.toLowerCase();
            }
            else
            {
                platform = manufacturer.toLowerCase();
            }

            return platform;
        }
        private function _setupAndLaunch():void
        {
            var filepath:String;
            var args:Vector.<String> = new Vector.<String>();

            switch( _getPlatform() )
            {
                case "windows":
                // very weak way to do it
                filepath = "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe";
                args[0] = "/C";
                args[1] = "echo %USERNAME%";
                break;

                case "macintosh":
                case "linux":
                filepath = "/bin/sh";
                args[0] = "-c";
                args[1] = "echo $USER";
                break;
            }

            var file:File = new File( filepath );

            if( file.exists )
            {
                var startupInfo:NativeProcessStartupInfo = new NativeProcessStartupInfo();
                    startupInfo.executable = file;
                    startupInfo.arguments = args;

                _process = new NativeProcess();

                _process.addEventListener( ProgressEvent.STANDARD_OUTPUT_DATA, onProcessOutput );
                _process.addEventListener( ProgressEvent.STANDARD_ERROR_DATA, onProcessError );
                _process.addEventListener( NativeProcessExitEvent.EXIT, onProcessExit );
                _process.addEventListener( IOErrorEvent.STANDARD_OUTPUT_IO_ERROR, onProcessIOError );
                _process.addEventListener( IOErrorEvent.STANDARD_ERROR_IO_ERROR, onProcessIOError );

                _process.start( startupInfo );
            }
            else
            {
                trace( "file '" + filepath + "' does not exists" );
            }
        }
    }
}

zwetan_uk · Answer

for something that can be READ and WRITE by All users

Under Windows you want to look for %ALLUSERSPROFILE%

see CSIDL (constant special item ID list)
and KNOWNFOLDERID

let's say you want to share a file foobar.txt under the same app

you will then use %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\MyApp\foobar.txt

under Windows XP it would be

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\MyApp\foobar.txt

under Windows 10 it would be
C:\ProgramData\MyApp\foobar.txt

for Mac OS you want to look for /Library/Application Support

eg. /Library/Application Support/MyApp/foobar.txt

but this will ask for the admin password
so as a failsafe if you can't save it there

then save it here ~/Library/Application Support/MyApp/foobar.txt

but you could also uses the following
/Library/Preferences/MyApp/

~/Library/Preferences/MyApp/

and
/Library/MyApp/

~/Library/MyApp/

see macOS Library Directory Details

Now under mac if entering the admin password is a problem
but you still need to sahre the same file/path
then use /Users/Shared/

eg. /Users/Shared/MyCompany/MyApp/foobar.txt
or even /Users/Shared/Library/Application Support/MyApp/foobar.txt

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