FAQ: Why Can't a New File Be Saved to C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Business Analyst When Using

Answer

VirtualStore functionality in Microsoft Vista and Server 2008 operating systems prevents users from editing or saving files within the 'Program Files' directory or subdirectories.

If a file contained in the 'Program Files' directory is edited or a new file is saved under this directory, a virtual path is created, but the actual file is saved under C:\Users\<User_name>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\<MyApp>.

This potentially causes confusion, because in the case where 'Save As' is used, the file does not appear under the 'Program Files' directory after saving it.

Also, if a file is in the 'VirtualStore' directory, applications reference it first instead of the location under 'Program Files', even if a newer version of the file is copied or installed under the 'Program Files' directory.

This can lead to the user potentially using the wrong file.

For Business Analyst users to work around this issue, use 'Save As' and save the files under a directory other than 'Program Files' when making edits to related files such as .mxds.

Article ID: 000010441

Software:

ArcGIS Business Analyst Desktop

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Why can't a new file be saved to C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Business Analyst when using Microsoft Vista?

Answer

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