# Folders created during installation

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360>\
**Category:** Processing\
**Created:** [June 28, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360 "2019-06-28T14:23:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![andre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@andre](https://discourse.processing.org/u/andre)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/1 "2019-06-28T14:23:23Z")

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Could someone please explain what is goes on when installing Processing on Windows?  
Actually all I did was I downloaded ZIP-file onto an external USB drive and unzipped it onto the same drive.

This resulted in a new folder with file Processing.exe and subfolders core, java, lib, modes and tools which are filled with other non-empty subfolders.

On first running Processing.exe new Processing folder was created on my C://desktop/myDocuments containing subfolders examples, libraries, modes, templates,tools. All these empty.  
No “skatchbook” folder was created where sketched are supposed to be stored and no “data” folder where images are supposed to be stored.  
This looks confusing.

Questions.

1. why two separate folders for Processor are created with duplicated subfolders names (modes and tools)?
2. Could I combine them in a single folder on an external drive (I feel uncomfortable to keep my work on C drive where Windows is installed)
3. Could I remove the empty folder with the same nemes (modes and tools)?
4. Where folders Skatchbook and Data needs to be created?
5. Is it obligatory to store skatched in a folder named Skatchbook? Same question about folder Data for images.

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**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/2 "2019-06-28T15:10:19Z")

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Open processing and open File \> Preferences:  
 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/2X/7/71deab00952ec8c73120ce50e29cca0f9dd67306.png)

I sometimes use a portable USB stick for projects that I demo and change the sketchbook location.

The preferences.txt location can’t be modified in Preferences.  
Make a copy of it if you wish for portability.  
I have recompiled the source code to make it portable at one time; it did work but I did need to use this for most of my needs.

Some information here:  
[https://processing.org/reference/environment/](https://processing.org/reference/environment/)

I would keep the folder “Processing” (can be renamed) and contents as is and copy to your preferred location.  
Try opening a few of the “examples” (read only) and “save as”.

🙂

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**Author:** ![andre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@andre](https://discourse.processing.org/u/andre)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/3 "2019-06-28T15:22:08Z")

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I also noticed that if I run a scatch from the USB drive, a new folder called “Processing” is created in My Documents. If I delete this folder, the scatch would not start sayng that this skatchbook is no longer available. But the second attempt succeeds, yet advised that a library is not available.  
So even if a skatch is sitting on an external drive an added library gets onto MyDocuments. Moreover, if Imove the added library folder from MyDocuments onto the external drive, the scatch still looks for it in MyDocuments.  
Is there a way to force it not to depend on MyDocuments folder?

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**Author:** ![andre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@andre](https://discourse.processing.org/u/andre)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/4 "2019-06-28T15:23:03Z")

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thank you, will try your advice and report

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**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/5 "2019-06-28T16:37:19Z")

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For complete portability I started here:

> **[Processing 2.x and 3.x Forum](https://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/12177/make-processing-really-portable)**
>
> Processing is an electronic sketchbook, a language and a worldwide community. This is its forum.

  

> **[processing/processing](https://github.com/processing/processing/wiki/Build-Instructions)**
>
> Source code for the Processing Core and Development Environment (PDE) - processing/processing

The Processing 3.3.7 that I compiled worked!

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/2X/d/d00dc8ff5cb76b0e8c7d21ec8be62b9c24bb9358.png)

This is not for the faint of heart!  
This is for the adventurous!

I have not done this in years so you are on your own if you chose to take this **path.**

🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@andre](https://discourse.processing.org/u/andre)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/6 "2019-06-28T17:02:58Z")

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Yes it worked! I changed the path in the Preferences and then observed that it has been changed in preferences.txt. I delited Processing in MyDocuments, run the scketch from USB drive. It asked for the Video library which I added and it added to USB drive.  
Yet I understand that if I attempt to run it on another computer? I will have to copy my preferences.txt there.  
The problem might be to know where exactly to topy it as on another computer the path shown on the example may not exist. On my computer there is no GLV folder at all. So I have to run Processing first and then replace the preferences.txt

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/8 "2023-01-24T23:50:12Z")

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Update to my last adventure…

I made a portable Processing 3.3.7 as referenced here:

> [@Folders created during installation](https://discourse.processing.org/t/folders-created-during-installation/12360/5):
>
> For complete portability I started here: The Processing 3.3.7 that I compiled worked! This is not for the faint of heart! This is for the adventurous! I have not done this in years so you are on your own if you chose to take this path. slight_smile

This evening I made a portable version with Processing 4.1.2 as follows:

- See the _PuddingHill_ post here:  
[https://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/12177/make-processing-really-portable/](https://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/12177/make-processing-really-portable/)

- Source code available here with instructions for _Building the Code_:  
[GitHub - benfry/processing4: Processing 4.x releases for Java 17](https://github.com/processing/processing4)

I put this on a portable drive and it worked on two different PCs.

The _Examples_ were not on the portable version and I copied them from a Processing 4.1.2 install on PC to the portable drive.

The above created a portable version of Processing 4.1.2 version for me.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/8/3/83c91c94ea67563397b13ff6b4324601326bffe4.png)

Give it a try!

A much simpler option is here at the end of the GitHub issue:

> [@How can make Processing run as a stand-alone, portable S/W?](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-can-make-processing-run-as-a-stand-alone-portable-s-w/40657/2):
>

`:)`