# I cannot change Sketchbook folder

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629>\
**Category:** Beginners\
**Created:** [January 18, 2023, 9:51am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629 "2023-01-18T09:51:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Alkis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Alkis](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Alkis)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 9:51am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/1 "2023-01-18T09:51:36Z")

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I change the Sketchbook folder in Preferences and the default one (C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Processing) always comes back!

Can anyone tell me how to change Sketchbook folder in Processing 4?

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![jafal](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/jafal/32/19112_2.png) [@jafal](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jafal)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 10:40am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/2 "2023-01-18T10:40:57Z")

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Hi and welcome

> **[Preferences · processing/processing4 Wiki](https://github.com/processing/processing4/wiki/Preferences)**
>
> Processing 4.x releases for Java 17. Contribute to processing/processing4 development by creating an account on GitHub.

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**Author:** ![Alkis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Alkis](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Alkis)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 12:40pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/3 "2023-01-18T12:40:21Z")

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Thank you for your prompt answer!

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**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/4 "2023-01-18T15:15:29Z")

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Also when upgrading from P3 to P4, take extra care not to use the same “SketchBook” folder being used by P3 on P4.

Choose or create another “SketchBook” folder for P4 so P4’s new libraries won’t corrupt P3’s!

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**Author:** ![Alkis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Alkis](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Alkis)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/5 "2023-01-18T17:20:14Z")

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I did exactly what the reference said, changing ‘preferences.txt’ as needed.  
Nope! The default folder (C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Processing) is still there! Which means that ‘preferences.txt’ is ignored.

It’s really unbelievable for such a sophisticated S/W to stumble on such a simple and basic issue, a customary action that so many programs in the history of PCs have adopted since 40 years ago!

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**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/6 "2023-01-18T18:02:40Z")

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File `"%AppData%\Processing\preferences.txt"` is where Processing looks up its configuration.

Among them we have properties such as these 3:

- `sketchbook.path=`
- `sketchbook.path.three=`
- `sketchbook.path.four=`

Which determines the each “Sketchbook” path for Processing versions 2, 3 & 4 respectively.

Again, have utmost care when upgrading Processing to a major version, as not to mix those paths!

Otherwise libraries, modes and tools will conflict w/ each other due to major version incompatibility!

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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:** [January 18, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/7 "2023-01-18T23:59:23Z")

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Hello,

If you have issues saving preferences…

The issue is discussed here:

> <https://github.com/benfry/processing4/issues/608>
>
> \## Description
> 
> 
> When I close Processing using the button on the right of the… window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\`, changes to preferences (except language for some reasons) are not saved after a restart. The problem also include the Welcome Screen and the Theme Selector (see below). However, there are no problems if I close using Menu Bar -\> File -\> Quit or by pressing \`Ctrl-Q\`.
> 
> \## Expected Behavior
> 
> 
> Preferences should be saved whatever the way I close Processing.
> 
> \## Current Behavior
> 
> Preferences are not saved when I close Processing using the button on the right of the window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\`.
> This includes:
> - Preferences from the Preference Window (except language selection)
> - The Welcome Screen (if I close that window using the button on the right of the window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\` (and \*\*not\*\* by the "Get Started" button), and then closing Processing the same way)
> - Theme Selection (however this has been fixed in #565 by another way, but it was exactly the same base problem \*(if you look closely in the comments from the original poster of that issue, you will see that the problem was there, because changing the font size was \*\*also\*\* not saved)\*).
> - Basically, every things that are saved in \`preferences.txt\` and that are editable from Processing itself (except language selection).
> 
> \## Steps to Reproduce
> 
> 
> \*These steps assume the Welcome Screen is disabled at the start.\*
> 1. Open a new instance of Processing and go to Preferences
> 2. Change some preferences \*\*(it doesn't matter if these needs a restart or not)\*\*
> 3. You may also change the language
> 4. \*\*Close the preference window using the "Ok" button\*\* at the bottom of the preference window
> 5. Close Processing \*\*using the button on the right of the window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\`\*\*
> 6. Restart Processing
> 7. \*\*\*You should see in Preferences that only the language has been updated. If you didn't do step 3, you should see that nothing has been saved.\*\*\*
> 8. Change some other Preferences
> 9. \*\*Close the preference window using the "Ok" button\*\* at the bottom of the preference window
> 10. Close Processing \*\*using Menu Bar -\> File -\> Quit or by pressing \`Ctrl-Q\`\*\*
> 11. Restart Processing
> 12. \*\*\*You should see in Preferences that this time everything has been updated.\*\*\*
> 13. Now, go to Menu Bar -\> Help -\> Welcome to Processing to show the welcome screen
> 14. Tick the box to "Show this message on startup" so it is now active \*\*(assuming it was not active before)\*\*.
> 15. Close the Welcome Screen \*\*using the button on the right of the window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\`\*\*
> 16. Close Processing \*\*using the button on the right of the window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\`\*\*
> 17. Restart Processing
> 18. \*\*\*You should see that the Welcome Screen is NOT present.\*\*\*
> 19. Go back to the Welcome Screen and re-enable it \*once again\*.
> 20. Either
> - a) Close the Welcome Screen \*\*using the button on the right of the window title bar or by pressing \`Alt-F4\`\*\* then close Processing \*\*using Menu Bar -\> File -\> Quit or by pressing \`Ctrl-Q\`\*\*
> - b) Or close the Welcome Screen using the "Get Started" button and then close Processing (any ways are possible here)
> 21. Restart Processing
> 22. \*\*\*This time, you should see the Welcome Screen shows up correctly\*\*\*.
> 
> \## Your Environment
> 
>  
> 
> \* Processing version: Processing 4.0.2
> \* Operating System and OS version: Windows 10 22H2
> \* Other information: This problem is not happening to me with Processing 3.x, but it is happening in Processing 4.0.1, and one of the beta for Processing 4 that I once tested before (don't remember which one). I've also asked another person who just installed Processing on Windows 11 and that person had the exact same problem.
> 
> \## Possible Causes / Solutions
> 
> The \`Preference.save()\` method is not executed when the user closes Processing whatever the way.
> Doing the saving in the Preference window and the Welcome Screen is a good idea, but that only may not be sufficient since it means that this problem can be raised again in the future if another window needs to save some preferences.

I save my preferences as noted in the issue above:

> 1. Change some other Preferences
> 2. **Close the preference window using the “Ok” button** at the bottom of the preference window
> 3. Close Processing **using Menu Bar → File → Quit or by pressing `Ctrl-Q`**
> 4. Restart Processing
> 5. _ **You should see in Preferences that this time everything has been updated.** _

The above works for me on W10.

Processing 4.1.2 is now available:

> **[Download Processing](https://processing.org/download/)**
>
> Processing is open source and is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Projects created with Processing are also cross-platform, and can be used on macOS, Windows, Android, Raspberry Pi, and many o…

`:)`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alkis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Alkis](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Alkis)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 10:23am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-change-sketchbook-folder/40629/8 "2023-01-19T10:23:21Z")

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Both the issues I reported (changing Sketchbook folder and installing Python mode) are solved very easily and as expected by installing version 3.5.4. The solution was offered by @tabreturn ([I cannot add Python mode! - #9 by Alkis](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-cannot-add-python-mode/40630/9)).

Thanks a lot to everyone who contributed! 🙏