VS X5 Pro Installation Paths in Windows Explorer

[Old_Friend]

Hi. I'm confused by the way VideoStudio X5 Pro got installed onto my Windows 7 64-bit OS.

Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer!) show that VideoStudio was installed into a subdirectory named "Documents," yet that subdirectory is empty except for the VS sub-folders.

I want to know whether or not I can delete that particular folder named "Documents" (which includes those VS sub-folders) SAFELY.

All my VideoStudio files are in my own custom-named folder, and seem to be working quite well from there. I'm confused.

NOTE: I tried to provided a jpg graphic showing my situation, but this forum limits the upload filesize to a rediculous 256KB's, which is the size of a postage stamp! Sorry!

[Ken Berry]

In fact, on your 64 bit system, your actual VS program files are in C:\Program Files (x86) under Corel. The Documents sub-folder is really the designated working folder under Preferences. So if you have designated your own working folder, you should be able to delete the Documents subfolder. Note, however, that to change the designated Working Folder you need to do it first under Settings > Preferences, but also, for the burning module, by clicking on the first (left) of the three icons in the bottom left of the burning screen and selecting Preferences there too. Otherwise, I suspect VS will simply re-create the Documents sub-folder every time you delete it and reopen VS. Indeed, I have the suspicion it might do so anyway, regardless of designating another working folder. But if nothing goes into it, there is no harm done in simply leaving it there and ignoring it.

[BrianCee]

Well my directory structure looks like this - I guess yours is similar

142Kb - and quite a bit bigger than a postage stamp - in fact if you click on the image it gets even bigger

click on the image to enlarge it

[Old_Friend]

I made a quickie screenshot and cropped it very small to show you the error message I receive when I try to attach a normal 1920x1080 screenshot. Even that one was cropped down slightly, so it wasn't even full size.

Here's the error message from the forum:

EDITED: I noticed afterwards that your is a PNG and mine is JPG.

[Old_Friend]

In fact, on your 64 bit system, your actual VS program files are in C:\Program Files (x86) under Corel. The Documents sub-folder is really the designated working folder under Preferences. So if you have designated your own working folder, you should be able to delete the Documents subfolder. Note, however, that to change the designated Working Folder you need to do it first under Settings > Preferences, but also, for the burning module, by clicking on the first (left) of the three icons in the bottom left of the burning screen and selecting Preferences there too. Otherwise, I suspect VS will simply re-create the Documents sub-folder every time you delete it and reopen VS. Indeed, I have the suspicion it might do so anyway, regardless of designating another working folder. But if nothing goes into it, there is no harm done in simply leaving it there and ignoring it.

Thank you, Ken. I believe your answer will help, although I haven't yet tried it. I'll let you know of the success after I get a chance to try it. I'm in the process of backing up my entire system before trying it. But, MS's Windows Backup has been causing me severe grief. It won't complete a backup. I'm pursuing that issue on another forum (outside the scope of Corel).

I fail to understand why Corel made the decision to create and use a folder named "Documents" to merely store information which pertains solely to Video Studio, since Video Studio has its own folders created during installation. Weird to me.

My biggest concern was over the fact that the name "Documents" is one of the default names used by Microsoft, and therefore I was afraid that if I deleted that name, it might impact ALL aspects of my Windows Explorer folder names which use the same term. I don't trust MS at all. There are far too many bugs in Win7.

[BrianCee]

As you can see from my attachment above - none of my versions of VideoStudio have created a folder called 'documents' any where on my system.

They all create folders in "My Documents" called "Corel VideoStudio" or "Corel VideoStudio Pro" - with a further sub-folder for each version - I have never seen VS create a folder just called 'Documents'.

[Old_Friend]

As you can see from my attachment above - none of my versions of VideoStudio have created a folder called 'documents' any where on my system.

They all create folders in "My Documents" called "Corel VideoStudio" or "Corel VideoStudio Pro" - with a further sub-folder for each version - I have never seen VS create a folder just called 'Documents'.

Yes, you do have a an additional folder name Documents (which may be the same one that VS installed onto my path?). Yours is right under the VSPT thing. However, yours seems to be located within the VS folder, and mine isn't. I'm confused. ha ha. I never "decided" to create such a folder in that location. That's what's confusing. Corel seems to have done it.

Try opening that particular Documents folder and see if it says "15.0" or whatever.

EDITED: Well, it was there 20 minutes ago, but now that I'm double-checking, I no longer see it. I wouldn't have written this reply if I hadn't seen it. Sorry!
The date of your post which included that graphic was Jan 4th, but the date of the graphic is Jan 5th. Did you change the graphic today?

[BrianCee]

The date of your post which included that graphic was Jan 4th, but the date of the graphic is Jan 5th. Did you change the graphic today?

Yes I did - but I honestly did it because when checking back on it while typing my last reply I realised it was showing some private information which I would rather not show.

I promise that I did not alter or change the directory structure in any way I do not have a folder called 'Documents'

...

[BrianCee]

RED FACE TIME

Old_Friend - I am very very sorry. it appears I have unintentionally caused confusion to you regarding the set up on my computer.

When I put up the original screenshot of my directory structure I copied it from my desktop computer - - this afternoon when I noticed it was showing some private information I copied it from my laptop which I honestly believed to be identical.

But following the confusion earlier I realised what I had done and checked out the desktop again - and you've guessed it - that does have the 'Documents' folder - they are not quite identical.

but that 'Documents' folder is nothing at all to do with VideoStudio - I can only assume it is a standard windows folder because as you can see from the screen shot now attached I have been using it to put many of my own personal documents in it - it is a separate folder under 'My Documents' it is not a sub-folder or main folder of any of the VideoStudio ones.

My sincere apologies to you.

click on the image to enlarge it

[Ken Berry]

I suspect we are getting tied up in knots over Microsoft terminology. In one sense, "Documents" is not a folder per se (though it is!) -- it is a "Library" containing folders, one of which relates to Corel Video Studio, with sub-folders for the versions installed on the computer e.g. 15.0. In Windows Explorer, if you click on the Documents library in the left hand column, it then opens down into "My Documents" and "Public Documents" (at least it does on my computer).

But in a sense this is all nothing but pedantry. There are what appear to be folders called "Documents" -- though are technically a Library -- which when opened have a lot of folders relating to different programs on the computer that generate working folders. I too wonder at the silliness of having working folders relating to, say, videos, listed under 'Documents' and not under the 'Videos' library headings; ditto for images (e.g. Corel PSP) not appearing under "Pictures". But there we are -- not Corel's fault as such, just another quirk of Microsoft's...

[Old_Friend]

RED FACE TIME

Old_Friend - I am very very sorry. it appears I have unintentionally caused confusion to you regarding the set up on my computer.

My sincere apologies to you.

Brian, don't worry about it. I'm just relieved to know that I haven't actually lost my mind completely! ha ha.

[Old_Friend]

I suspect we are getting tied up in knots over Microsoft terminology. In one sense, "Documents" is not a folder per se (though it is!) -- it is a "Library" containing folders, one of which relates to Corel Video Studio, with sub-folders for the versions installed on the computer e.g. 15.0. In Windows Explorer, if you click on the Documents library in the left hand column, it then opens down into "My Documents" and "Public Documents" (at least it does on my computer).

But in a sense this is all nothing but pedantry. There are what appear to be folders called "Documents" -- though are technically a Library -- which when opened have a lot of folders relating to different programs on the computer that generate working folders.

Thanks, Ken. It appears you are assuming that I was referring to the LIBRARIES. I wasn't.

The "Documents" folder I noticed in my Windows Explorer was OUTSIDE the Libraries so-called 'folders'. That's why I struggled so hard to present a screencapture of what I WAS SEEING.

Thanks for the clarification. Personally, I hate what MS has done with Windows7 and what I consider its silly Library concept. It's confusing and superfluous to most of my needs. I try my best to NOT use the Library gimmick. I want to see my REAL folders and files where I placed them. That's why mine are all in real folders which I created and gave them custom-names. That way, I can find and work with my REAL files... not links to them as the Libraries provide. For instance, if you delete a worthless file from the Library, you haven't actually deleted it! To me, that's total nonsense.

[Old_Friend]

Without any further guidance, I solved the problem myself. Issue resolved.