the xxx path is invalid

[rnmerchant]

I've been having frequent error messages - particularly "the presets path is invalid and xxx has been saved in the default locations documents\corel\...

I've not wanted stuff like this in my documents folder. My documents folder I use for documents not program files. So I deleted all the references in the file locations options to this folder locations....

Then the error.

Notably the file locations options that remain are the program folder "C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2020 (64-bit)\Languages\EN\Scripts-Trusted" and the like. I have not deleted locations like that but added in a different programs folder: to wit "c:\programs\corel\presets".

Here's my thought. The location c:\program files\... is special under Win8 and 10 and programs typically cannot write to it. Which is why I put in the c:\programs\ folder, which is not special and just one I named. But it's second on the list, and I still get the error.

Trying to figure this out, I am making a guess that PSP can't write to the C:\Program Files\ folder, doesn't go to the second name on the list, and generates a Win10 error and writes to the C:\documents folder.

Anyone know enough about programming to support this thought? I'm just trying to figure out these issues that have been bugging me through many versions.

Richard

[migf1]

Hello Richard,

I've never tried to completely erase any of the File Locations lists, but it sounds about right for PSP to complain when it does not find defined folders for its various presets, and use its default folders instead.

Try defining desired folders for every missing preset category, under File -> Preferences -> File Locations.

Btw, at least on Windows 8.1 you should already have a C:\ProgramData folder, which many programs use to store data (including PSP). You can use that one instead of creating a C:\programs folder yourself (but that doesn't mean you cannot do it).

By default, C:\ProgramData is hidden, so if you opt to use it you may want to tell Windows to show hidden items: https://youtu.be/ct2q5pN3cEU

[Scribzy]

You can check to see if it has folder permissions by right clicking on the folder and going to properties and then the security tab to see if psp can read/write to it

[LeviFiction]

Two small things I can suggest:
1) If you think it's what you named the folder just change the folder and update the folder locations to test if that's the case. (for example Assets not Program as these are not program files. But whatever semantics). My recommendation would be to put this in your user folder not the main C drive folder anyway. There is no reason to have it in the Main C drive and not your user folder. If you want to be available to all users of the computer you can use the Public user folder for that purpose as well. Just don't ues the C:\ that's not really a place for specialized personally created assets should be stored.

2) Just so you're aware. Changing the File Location and setting up the new folder as the Default location (a must by the way) will force PSP to save any user created assets to those new folders. But even if you delete the original folders PSP will always recreate them in the Documents folder because it's hard-coded to do so.

If you want to change the actual default location where PSP creates its folders, that is a registry setting.

[ehume]

Two small things I can suggest:
1) If you think it's what you named the folder just change the folder and update the folder locations to test if that's the case. (for example Assets not Program as these are not program files. But whatever semantics). My recommendation would be to put this in your user folder not the main C drive folder anyway. There is no reason to have it in the Main C drive and not your user folder. If you want to be available to all users of the computer you can use the Public user folder for that purpose as well. Just don't ues the C:\ that's not really a place for specialized personally created assets should be stored.

2) Just so you're aware. Changing the File Location and setting up the new folder as the Default location (a must by the way) will force PSP to save any user created assets to those new folders. But even if you delete the original folders PSP will always recreate them in the Documents folder because it's hard-coded to do so.

If you want to change the actual default location where PSP creates its folders, that is a registry setting.

Maybe Windows these days is reliable. But I found years ago when I looked with a case change in one of the letters I wiped out the contents of my Windows-specified Documents folder. Since then (two+ decades ago?) I have not trusted any Windows-specified Documents folder. I have kept all my documents in c:/[name] or f:/[name]. I normally do not save files to the c: drive, though I see a BIOS update file there. Maybe PSP doesn't like it?

[LeviFiction]

Yeah I have never managed to do that. Been using Windows since 3.1. Unlike Linux and Unix based systems Windows is case insensitive when it comes to file names. So not sure how you managed that.

[ehume]

Yeah I have never managed to do that. Been using Windows since 3.1. Unlike Linux and Unix based systems Windows is case insensitive when it comes to file names. So not sure how you managed that.

Not sure, either. I always thought Windows was case insensitive when it comes to file names. It certainly fooled me. I haven't trusted Windows because of it.

[migf1]

Yeah, better not mess with the names of Windows system/personal folders (many of them appear in several places as placeholders, or used to anyway)

However, storing your stuff in sub-folders inside Documents (My Documents, or however MS calls it on different versions of Windows) shouldn't be a problem at all. Neither should be renaming those sub-folders anyway you want (provided they are not system folders themselves... I'm saying that cause I think very old versions of Windows included My Images, My Videos, etc inside My Documents... but I may remember wrong).

On Windows, filenames were always case INsensitive (I think LOL). You probably messed up with a placeholder or something. Actually Windows provide a specific procedure for redirecting My Documents to a different place: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... nts-folder (and it doesn't delete original contents, it hides them).

Anyway, better not mess with them, unless absolutely necessary

[rnmerchant]

I've installed PSP 2021 and I do not get the error anymore...

Nor do I when I open PSP 2020 now.

No explanation aside from something changed; seems unlikely to be due to the 2021 installation but who knows.

Mark: unsolved but resolved.