Windows Forms, Settings.Settings and Microsoft OneDrive

Question

Windows Forms, Settings.Settings and Microsoft OneDrive

Tom Blahovici 1

Hi
I have a Windows forms application that uses Application settings using the .NET settings class.
Typically I have a setting such as WindowXSize which is loaded when the program starts, and saved when it ends as follows:

Properties.Settings.Default.WindowXSize = 400;
Properties.Settings.Default.Save;

On load it is just the reverse.
Now this works fine and I have thousands of users with no issues. However, if someone has configured MicroSoft OneDrive to replicate their documents folder, the values never change even if the window is resized.
Not only that, the software can also allow users to save various files in a folder of their choice. Most of the time this is in the documents folder (or subfolder of it). To make sure I get the correct location of the Documents folder I have the following:

 path = System.Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments)

This always returns the typical c:\users\userid\documents folder even if OneDrive is syncing the documents folder. The user can then save the file and there are no errors. However, if the user then tries to load it, the file is not found. So it would seem that OneDrive is completely ignoring the .NET mechanisms for Application settings and file IO.
Is there any work around for this? Or am I doing something wrong?
Note that I refuse to load up OneDrive for my documents on my development machine so as to avoid all these issues as well as many others that exist.
Thanks, Tom

Ceasar Chen_MSFT 4,481 Reputation points

2022-09-30T01:42:27.253+00:00

Hi,
This question involves the Windows forms application, and I am responsible for the office general. It is advisable to wait for a response from another expert.
Tom Blahovici 1 Reputation point

2022-09-30T14:11:06.04+00:00

I've asked this question on stackoverflow and here three times over two years. Nobody ever answers and there is not a single reference on the web.
This is extremely frustrating.
How can I get Microsoft to work on this by paying? In other words is there a pay as needed service from Microsoft for .NET issues?
Tom
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2022-10-05T08:31:29.447+00:00
@Tom Blahovici , Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, Sorry for the late response, I recommend that you used the following code to get the OneDrive path:

string oneDrivePath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("OneDriveConsumer");

Based on my test, It could access the file without the problem.

Your answer

Ceasar Chen_MSFT 4,481 Reputation points

2022-09-30T01:42:27.253+00:00

Hi,
This question involves the Windows forms application, and I am responsible for the office general. It is advisable to wait for a response from another expert.
Tom Blahovici 1 Reputation point

2022-09-30T14:11:06.04+00:00

I've asked this question on stackoverflow and here three times over two years. Nobody ever answers and there is not a single reference on the web.
This is extremely frustrating.
How can I get Microsoft to work on this by paying? In other words is there a pay as needed service from Microsoft for .NET issues?
Tom
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2022-10-05T08:31:29.447+00:00

@Tom Blahovici , Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, Sorry for the late response, I recommend that you used the following code to get the OneDrive path:

string oneDrivePath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("OneDriveConsumer");

Based on my test, It could access the file without the problem.

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Windows Forms, Settings.Settings and Microsoft OneDrive

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