Table Of Contents
The information for all projects is stored in a folder called the "Root Folder". The Root Folder tool is an infrequently used tool to redirect data storage for all projects. If, instead, you wish to work with multiple data sets (projects) then use the Projects tool. The following are some reasons to use the Root Folder tool:
- You can redirect data storage to a folder that you can see in the Finder. That way you can archive it (zip it), send it to others, share it amongst different computers, define it to be located at a network mount point, etc.
- The Root Folder can potentially be used by different applications. But, in a sandbox environment, you must dereference the Root Folder for one application so that you can then instruct another application to use the Root Folder.
- The Root Folder tool does not move your data and it does not delete your data. It merely redirects (points to) a different location (a Folder) on your disk to store information. You can have multiple Root Folders, but it is up to you to keep track of where the Root Folders are and only one Root Folder can be used at a time.
- The default location for the Root Folder is in the application's Container which is a somewhat obscure location on your disk that you might accidentally caused to be removed if you remove the application. By defining a new and well known and seen Root Folder you can explicitly make it more noticeable and disassociate it with an application.
The Root Folder tool is accessed via the application menu item ( ► ). The figure below diagrams the Root Folder tool.
Use the Root Folder tool in the following ways.
- Click the "Open Root Folder..." button and use the resulting Open Panel to select a new folder. Once done, click the "Redirect Root Folder Reference" button.
- Click the "Default Root Folder" button to use the application's Container Root Folder then click the "Redirect Root Folder Reference" button to complete the redirection.
When you redirect the Root Folder then all your previous data appears to be lost. That is because it is dereferenced. To retrieve a reference to previous data use the Root Folder tool to direct the Root Folder to the previous Root Folder. Remember: The Root Folder tool does not delete or move data, it simply defines a reference to where data is stored and retrieved.