Office System folders stuck in Documents.... How to fix?

[wildgeese]

Hello,

I'm new to Mac and Office for Mac. I have tried changing my Office
preferences so that the "Microsoft User Data" and "Updater 5" folders
will appear elsewhere in my computer, NOT in my documents folder, but
in a subfolder there. However, despite changing them successfully,
the folders keep reappearing back in the documents folder, even after
deleting them. I need to stay organized and put these folders where I
want them! How do I do that?

Thanks for any help with this!
Nicole

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Hi Nicole,

Welcome to the Mac!

I have no idea what Updater 5 is? More information? I don't think it's
an Office thing.

The Microsoft User Data (MUD folder) *is* hard coded to live in
Documents. I believe you can trick Office into thinking it's there
while it actually lives somewhere else, but it's a bit tricky--you
should ask on the Entourage group about that. There is not a preference
to control this. The only thing that *has* to live in the MUD folder,
though, is the database where Entourage saves emails, address info, etc,
not any documents or anything.

Daiya

 

[Michel Bintener]

I have no idea what Updater 5 is? More information? I don't think it's
an Office thing.

Updater 5 hasn't got anything to do with Office; it is created by Adobe
Reader 8 and cannot be deleted. If you attempt to do so, Adobe Reader will
create a new Updater 5 folder the next time it is launched.

The Microsoft User Data (MUD folder) *is* hard coded to live in
Documents. I believe you can trick Office into thinking it's there
while it actually lives somewhere else, but it's a bit tricky--you
should ask on the Entourage group about that. There is not a preference
to control this. The only thing that *has* to live in the MUD folder,
though, is the database where Entourage saves emails, address info, etc,
not any documents or anything.

You can create an alias to the Microsoft User Data folder, but this wouldn't
change anything at all; instead of a folder, you'd have an alias to a folder
inside the Documents folder, so no matter what you do, you'll always have
some form of Microsoft User Data item in there.

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

***Always reply to the newsgroup.***

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Nicole -

To add to what the others have said - and with full appreciation for your
desire to "stay organized" - there are certain things on the Mac which
_need_ and _are expected_ to be in certain places. If you go shifting them
around they will either A) be recreated where they are supposed to be or B)
whatever is looking for them won't work.

There are many who assert that - despite what its name suggests - the
Documents folder isn't intended for user-created files. It is intended to be
one of the locations for applications to put stuff they depend on for that
user account. It isn't the equivalent of the nebulous "My Documents" folder
on a Windows system.

By all means create your own hierarchy of folders & start in the Documents
folder if you wish, but my personal preference is to store my files
_outside_ the Documents folder. In fact, I prefer to store [most of] my
files on a completely separate external firewire drive, isolated from the OS
and apps altogether... But that's just me In the Preferences for most
programs you can specify whatever folder location you wish as the default
for that program, and you'll also find that there are any number of ways
that you can access frequently needed files/folders without having to to any
complex navigation.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[JE McGimpsey]

There are many who assert that - despite what its name suggests - the
Documents folder isn't intended for user-created files. It is intended to be
one of the locations for applications to put stuff they depend on for that
user account.

And there are others of us who assert that those "many" are simply
wrong, and that such stuff was intended to be put in

~:Library:Application Support

so go figure...

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Wellll... I fully concur on where it _should_ go, but I also defer to where
it _does_ go

*IF* you insist on being pragmatic...<g>

 

[CyberTaz]

Wellll... I fully concur on where it _should_ go, but I also defer to where
it _does_ go

 

[CyberTaz]

*IF* you insist on being pragmatic...<g>

I believe the fitting platitude is either "A wise man knows when he's
beaten.", or "beating one's head against a brick wall"... or something of
the sort :}

 

[wildgeese]

btw, belated thanks to all for your help! still plodding through word
mac issues, and your suggestions were helpful!