C# application using database from wrong location

Question

I have setup my sqlite database path as

  string AppPath = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath);
  dbName = AppPath + "\\data\\rbssystems.sqlite";

But when application is packed and installed using setup, my application uses

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\RBS\data

it should be using

C:\Program Files\RBS\data

Can anyone tell whats going around and how to make it read database from

C:\Program Files\RBS\data

Thanks

! wonder why the post is downvoted, for me it seem to be a genuine question — WatsMyName
– WatsMyName, Commented Mar 8, 2014 at 2:01

Thomas Levesque · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-08 02:08:50Z

3

Your app can't write to C:\Program Files unless it has administrative privileges. Windows automatically redirects you to C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files instead. See this article for the explanation: http://blogs.windows.com/windows/archive/b/developers/archive/2009/08/04/user-account-control-data-redirection.aspx

Application data should always be in the AppData folder, never in Program Files.

answered Mar 8, 2014 at 2:03

Thomas Levesque

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2 Comments

well in app.manifest file i have set <requestedExecutionLevel level="highestAvailable" UIAccess="true" />, it should allow to write, shouldn't it

@WatsMyName, it would work with level="requireAdministrator" (and you would get the UAC prompt when you start the app)