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Does PropellerTool keep a history for file changes? — Parallax Forums

Does PropellerTool keep a history for file changes?

AkkarinAkkarin Posts: 43
edited 2014-02-26 11:21 in General Discussion
Hi everyone,

I discovered a strange behavior this morning:

I copied my library folder (../Parallax Inc/Propeller Tool v1.3/Library) to another location in order to copy it to my laptop.
I noticed that changes I made to files in the library were gone.
I did a little testing and recognized, that the file date does not change if I make a change and then save the file. If I double click that file in the library folder, the changes are there -> OK
If I copy this file to any location different from the library folder and then double click on it, the changes are gone.
And also, if I open the file from the library folder (remember, that is the file where I made the changes and that are still there if I double click on it), the changes are already gone. I disabled "Enable auto recover" and "Retain undo history" but that doesn't change anything.

So I assume that Propeller Tool does save a history of changes somewhere and inserts them when a file is opened.
Has anyone discovered something like that before? BTW: Win 8 (not 8.1), Prop Tool 1.3.


Thanks,

Akk4rin

Comments

  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2014-02-12 13:10
    This is a Windows 'Feature' protecting the program folder in windows. Changes made there are not really made but somehow mirrored to some obscure place at user/xxx/Appdata/ something.

    Solution is to install PropTool and Libraries somewhere else, not in Program Files.

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2014-02-12 15:26
    Programs can't save stuff in the "Program Files" folder (this is supposedly a security feature), so usually they will use AppData which is a hidden folder in C:\Users\(your user name)\. Why they have to hide your appdata from yourself is beyond me. Strangely enough, programs that install to Program Files (x86) can write all they want in that folder - so much for security.

    If this library is a sub folder of your "My Documents", then that is actually in C:\Users\(your user name)\Documents. I have never understood why they felt the need to obfuscate file locations this way. Nevertheless, any files you save in either location should be correct and not be changed by anything other than you saving new data.

    This is how it works in Windows 7 anyway, I have no idea what kind of craziness might be going on in Windows 8. Might be similar or could be something different.
  • AkkarinAkkarin Posts: 43
    edited 2014-02-13 00:12
    Hi,
    thank you guys. I'll have a look at this.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-02-13 03:53
    I have read this story many times around the net.

    Windows just gets more and more brain damaged.
  • AkkarinAkkarin Posts: 43
    edited 2014-02-13 23:32
    To put that to an end:
    I found the folder:
    C:\Users\MYUSERNAME\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Parallax Inc\Propeller Tool v1.3\Library

    crazy!!
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2014-02-15 13:20
    You can disable this stupidity by disabling UAC, which will make it possible for file under Program Files to be modified again. This requires a registry hack but it's pretty simple and Google will turn it right up if you search "disable UAC windows 8 registry." This has the interesting side effect of disabling ALL metro/modern apps. I have also been told Adobe Reader doesn't work on one of the machines where I did this.

    In both cases I bought the new computer to run one specific program, which would not run with UAC enabled, so the other stuff being disabled represents little lost value.
  • trookstrooks Posts: 228
    edited 2014-02-15 16:23
    Whenever I modify any downloaded file I always at least add an 'M' to the beginning of the file name. Since that is a totally new file I never have a problem moving or copying. Since I always save my work to removable media that leaves all the original downloads in pristine condition.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2014-02-16 08:53
    Since I always save my work to removable media that leaves all the original downloads in pristine condition.

    What file system does your removable device use?

    Personally, I would always have at least one device in a system that uses fat 32, this is one way to strip all the so-called security overhead imposed by NTFS (which for most users is just a pita). If you have ever moved an NTFS formatted drive from one computer to another and found you can no longer modify any of the files on it, then you know of what I'm speaking. takeown anyone?
  • trookstrooks Posts: 228
    edited 2014-02-26 11:21
    RDL2004 wrote: »
    What file system does your removable device use?

    Personally, I would always have at least one device in a system that uses fat 32, this is one way to strip all the so-called security overhead imposed by NTFS (which for most users is just a pita). If you have ever moved an NTFS formatted drive from one computer to another and found you can no longer modify any of the files on it, then you know of what I'm speaking. takeown anyone?


    Rick,

    I use fat 64 exclusively on my working computer. So far I have not yet encountered a situation where fat 32 was required.

    I foresee never taking any thumb drives farther than my little storage rack on a shelf above the computer.
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