PSPX9 - Different Install Directory

[billlagr]

Hi All..
Is there a way to change the default install directory for PSPX9? My main system disk is a SSD, and I'd prefer to install PSP to the second hard disk instead to save space.

Thanks

[Zantara]

You know what...I can't for the life of me remember how you do that in X9.
What I do know is that in X7 it is about the third screen you get, when you install it.
It gives you the chance to choose your own directory, i.e. different HD.
I should imagine you can do that with X9 as well.

I do have my materials on a different HD and let PSP point to that HD as the default location to save materials, settings etc.. Would that be an option for you?

But I'm sure it's possible to install in a different directory.

[billlagr]

You can change all the cache and working directories, but X9 downloads all the install files - and doesn't give the option to change! If there's not a way to relocate the actual install directory, that's the next best thing.

[flagpole]

You need to learn about Symbolic Links

It certainly seems plausible that they forgot to include the option to change the install location. But you can fix everything with symbolic links.

A symbolic link is like an elaborate short cut. the idea would be that you install it to the c: drive, then copy it to let's say your D: drive and leave a symbolic link at the previous location pointing to the new. When you launch it the OS is nonethewiser.

It's also quite useful for say games. When you first play a game you might want it on your SSD, but then later not.

[Rick_R]

I definitely would not try to put the main program files anywhere else. Generally that's just asking for trouble. Either programmers, compilers, or etc., routinely have at least a few things unintentionally hardcoded. And since it is assumed that users won't be installing the program in a different folder, companies normally don't test that option.

You would also run the problem that any updates would expect the program to be installed in the default directory.

Programs like Photoshop Elements and PSP include a lot of graphics files, templates, etc. However, the core program files generally don't take up much space. So you can keep those in the default install folder without using much space.

That being said ...

I routinely do this for many space-hogging programs:

1) Download a free copy of TCC/LE from http://www.JPSoft.com.

• Decades ago this was known as NDOS or 4DOS and was distributed as part of Norton Utilities. So you know it's reliable. Basically, if Microsoft had continued to actively develop command.com for the past 30 years, TCC is what it would look like today. Even the LE edition has more features than you'll need.

2) Do a regular full install in the default install directory.

3) Exit the program.

The rest of this is done with Windows Explorer or TCC/LE both "Run as Administrator":

4) In C:\Program Files\{etc.} or C:\Program FIles (x86)\ identify the "space hog" folder(s).

5) Rename those folders by prefixing a minus sign, e.g., \MyProgram\Templates becomes \MyProgram\-Templates

6) Create target folders on another drive.

7) In the "source" (space hog) folder's parent folder create a text file named JUNCTIONS LIST.TXT

8) In that file put: (a) The full source folder path, (b) The junction code, and (c) the full target path. Here's one I use for PSP X8:

• C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro X8\PlugIns
  
  was replaced with a junction to
  
  S:\Program_Data\Corel\PaintShop Pro\PlugIns
  
  mklink /j "PlugIns" "S:\Program_Data\Corel\PaintShop Pro\PlugIns"

Note that the junction name must match the original folder name exactly.

9) Open TCC/LE in the space hog's parent folder (the one with the "minus" folder). If necessary, in TCC/LE you can use standard DOS commands such as S: to switch to drive S: and CD to change folders. Remember--TCC/LE is basically cmd.exe with a lot of additional things.

10) Copy the junction code from the text file to the clipboard.

11) In TCC/LE, paste the junction code to the command line.

12) In TCC/LE, press Enter to execute the code. You should see a response that the junction was created.

• If it doesn't work, do not make changes to the code in TCC/LE. Make changes in the JUNCTIONS LIST.TXT file, then re-copy, etc. You want a record of the code that did work.

13) In Windows Explorer you should now see the "minus" folder and a new folder. Copy something to the new folder. Make sure it shows up in both the new folder and the target folder.

14) In Windows Explorer move the contents of the "minus" folder to the "new" folder. Make sure the contents also appear in the target folder. Do not move the "minus" folder itself--you'll want it there as a reminder that there is a junction.

15) Copy JUNCTIONS LIST.TXT to the parent of the target folder. You can also copy it to the target folder if you like.

16) Reboot and run the program. Rebooting isn't actually necessary, but it can't hurt. Junctions are different from shortcuts because junctions are invisible to programs--they see the data as being at the junction's location, not the target's location.

==========================
Uses and caveats:

1) Be aware that backup programs normally do not follow junctions. So if you don't back up your entire system at the same time, you could wind up with a C:\ drive backup pointing to a folder that doesn't exist on the backup of your data drive.

2) Most programs--including Windows Explorer--treat junctions "transparently". Explorer will follow the tree as if the data was physically on the same drive. It will not separately distinguish <JUNCTION> and <DIR>. If you want to see which are which, you can use the dir command in TCC/LE. Some Windows Explorer replacements do distinguish junctions and folders.

3) Lots of program create an "installers" or "updates" subfolder in the the install directory. Junctions are great for moving those elsewhere.

4) Move caches off the boot drive.

5) You can put all plugins--even a combo of Photoshop Elements and PSP, in a single location even for multiple program versions, e.g., X4, X5, X6, etc.

6) Although PSP includes various brushes, textures, etc., they never assign the same file name to two different items. So, e.g., you can take the contents of \Corel_05\ from different versions and dump all their contents into a single folder. If there are conflicts, just use "replace if newer".

7) You can put various programs' stock photos in one location and point each program there, letting them share.

8) I created a folder C:\Most Used where I keep all my "favorites" links. Then for each program that creates its own "favorites" folder, I just substitute a junction to C:\Most Used, so I don't have to copy links from one program to another and I only have to organize them once.

[Rick_R]

ONE ADDITIONAL CAVEAT: If you rename the target folder you'll break the junction.

In that case, in TCC/LE go to the junction's parent folder, delete the junction, edit the JUNCTIONS LIST.TXT file and create a new junction.

Remember to re-copy the JUNCTIONS LIST.TXT file in the target folder, so you won't have conflicting versions.

You can't just create a new junction without first deleting the existing one because the name of the old and new junctions will be the same. In the example, the junction name is Plugins.

[Rick_R]

By the way, there are slight technical differences between junctions, symlinks, hard links, soft links, etc., and in some cases there may be more than one term for the same thing.

Junctions are not something JPSoft invented and there are other programs that can create them. But I've used TCC/LE for a long time this way, I know that it works, and because it is text based you wind up with a simple record rather than having to give a list of "clicks" and then someone changes an interface and you can't replicate what was done.

[billlagr]

No.. Moving the install directory is just asking for problems. I just find it odd that there's no longer an option to specify where the initial install should be.

[Zantara]

Probably why I can't remember how it works with installing X9...it doesn't
So X8 must have been the last version where the user has control over the install directory.
On the other hand, I tried it once...with a much older version. Installed in the D-directory instead of C:
When reformatting was still done, I thought I could save myself the hassle of reinstalling PSP.
But its references are in the registry, which are in C:
No benefit from installing PSP in a different directory.
What I have done, though, is creating folders with materials such as brushes, gradients etc. in a different directory.
Whatever happens on your C: drive, your painstakingly collected materials are safe.