PUB: How to Change the Working Directory for Microsoft Publisher (149612)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher 97 1.0
  • Microsoft Publisher for Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 3.51
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
This article was previously published under Q149612

SUMMARY

There is no way to specify a working directory from within Microsoft Publisher.

To specify which default directory Publisher will open publications from and save publications to, you must change the properties of the icon or shortcut that you use to start Microsoft Publisher.

MORE INFORMATION

To change the working directory in Windows 95 and Windows NT version 4

  1. Locate the shortcut that you use to start Publisher, and use the following steps:
    1. With the right mouse button, click a blank area of the taskbar, and click Properties.
    2. Click the Start Menu Programs tab.
    3. Click the Advanced button.

      This will open Windows Explorer.
    4. On the left side of the Windows Explorer window, double-click the icon for the program group that contains your Publisher shortcut.

      The Publisher shortcut will appear on the right side of the window.
  2. With the right mouse button, click the Publisher shortcut, and click Properties.
  3. Click the Shortcut tab.
  4. Change the text in the Start From box to the path of the folder you want to use as your working directory.

    NOTE: If the folder has a long file name, enclose the path in quotation marks. For example, if you want to use a folder called "My Documents," the text in the Start From box should resemble the following:

    "C:\My Documents"

  5. Click OK.

To change the working directory in Windows 3.x and Windows NT 3.51

  1. In Program Manager, open the program group that contains your Microsoft Publisher icon.
  2. Click the Microsoft Publisher icon.
  3. On the File menu, click Properties.
  4. Change the text in the Working Directory box to the path to the folder you want to use as your working directory. If that folder has a long file name, enclose the path in quotation marks. If, for example, you want to use a folder called "My Documents," the text in the Working Directory text box should resemble the following:

    "C:\My Documents"

  5. Click OK.
NOTE: These procedures only change the working directory when you start Publisher from a shortcut or an icon. If you start it in some other way (such as by double-clicking on Mspub.exe from Explorer or File Manager), the Working Directory will default to the Publisher folder.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/17/2005
Keywords:kbenv kbhowto kbusage KB149612
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