New files created in program directory by default

Amaya 8.8.4, Windows 98

Start Amaya
File
  New
    Any document format

The default directory for creating new files is taken from the
currently-open file.  If the user has not specified a 'home' page, the
directory will be that of the Amaya welcome page, which is (Windows98)
C:\PROGRAM FILES\AMAYA\amaya\.
This directory contains Amaya data files.

If the user creates a new file without changing the default, the new file
will be intermixed with Amaya data files.

This can result in:
 - The user not realizing where the file was saved.
 - Once the user finds the 'lost' files, accidental deletion of Amaya system
files.
 - If the filename.ext chosen by the user matches one of Amaya's data files,
destruction of that file. I assume the user would have to confirm
replacement, but many people do that about 20ms before realizing they should
not have.

Suggested change:
 - If the currently-open file is within the Amaya install directory tree,
   then obtain the default new-file path from a new variable in thot.rc
(initially set to null).
 - When the user presses 'confirm', store the path (less filename.ext) into
the new variable. This will capture the path that was typed in or to which
the user browsed, for reuse the next time the user returns to the Welcome
page or opens Amaya again..

This:
 - helps protect Amaya from damage.
 - provides a convenience for the user who has opened Amaya for the specific
purpose of creating a new file in the same directory they used for the last
new file.
 - Still allows Amaya to plug in the path to the currently-viewed page in
all other cases.
   [Frankly, I find this to be odd and unexpected behavior.  I'm used to
systems remembering
   what I did last time, not looking over my should to guess what I might
want to do now.]

Chris Beall

Received on Thursday, 2 March 2006 23:02:16 UTC