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Netbeans clutters user's home directory with directories such as .nbi/ .nbprofiler/ .netbeans/ .netbeans-registration/ 1. clutter: On windows, folder names that start with '.' are not hidden, so these are listed first and clutter the users' directory (and may leave some resentment for cluttering their directory, making navigation harder). 2. backups: windows applications separate the application created files into (a) user settings, and (b) local-machine caches. NetBeans settings could be stored in subdirectories under %HOME%/Application Data/NetBeans/ a.k.a. %APPDATA%/NetBeans/ NetBeans caches, logs, and temporaries would be stored in subdirectories under %HOME%/Local Settings/Application Data/NetBeans/ The bulky Netbeans caches of downloaded data would be appropriate for the latter. I backup the user settings but not the local caches; it would be easier if Netbeans already made the distinction. Most other software with installers, including OpenOffice and even the current Gnu Emacs, use the Application Data directory for user settings, and many use the Local Settings/Application Data directory for recomputable caches as well. For reference: ---------- Application Specification for Microsoft Windows 2000 for Desktop Applications Chapter 4: Data and Settings Management 4.2 Classify and store application data correctly Using Application Data Folders http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms995853.aspx * CSIDL_APPDATA As part of the User profile, this folder will roam. Use this folder to store all user-specific application preferences. For example, if a user can specify a custom dictionary to be used in your application, you should store it here. That way if the user roams from computer to computer, their dictionary will roam with them. This also allows other users to have their own individual custom dictionaries. * CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA This folder is for application data that does not roam. It is still part of the User profile, so this is still per-user information. Application data that is machine-dependent, such as user specified monitor resolution, should be stored here. This data must not roam because different machines have different monitors. In addition, large blocks of data which can easily be re-created should be placed here to minimize download time that is incurred when roaming. For example, Internet Explorer keeps its cache of downloaded html/gif pages here so that they don't roam with the user. But the smaller cookie and history lists are stored in CSIDL_APPDATA so that they roam. ----------
->enhancement.
*** Bug 179820 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I can confirm same behavior on Windows 7 x64. These directories should be put in their proper locations as noted in original report, or at least the installer should provide option to set the storage location.
I appreciate that this will be done soon. If you want to create a clean portable app of netbeans this is very important. > http://portableapps.com/node/25974#comment-166420
I guess it's dup of issue 196075, planned for the next release. *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 196075 ***