4 Replies Latest reply: Oct 28, 2013 10:15 AM by Joseph Nicolia RSS

    Illustrator Settings, Preferences, Assets - Locations

    Joseph Nicolia Community Member

      Hi all,

       

      I am trying to find as much detail as possible on the location of all Illustrator settings, preferences and application assets in Illustrator CC. There is some information in Adobe's online documentation, but it is incomplete, as far as I can tell:

      http://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/preference-file-location-illustrator.html

       

      It's late, so it's possible i'm just missing it...

       

       

      For Mac OS, I think I've got it on lock.

       

      Application Data (Global, all users, application-based):
      Mac HD > Applications > Adobe Illustrator CC > Presets > en_US


      Library - Application Support (User-based):
      Mac HD > Users > ~Username > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Adobe Illustrator 17 > en_US

       

      Library - Preferences (User-based):
      Mac HD > Users > ~Username > Library > Preferences > Adobe Illustrator 17 Settings > en_US

       

       

      For Windows, it seems a bit more nebulous... I've found a few, but I'm not sure I've found them all, and it's unclear. I'm checkin on a Windows 7 box, and here's what I've found so far:

       

      Program Files (Global, all users, program-based):
      C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CC (64 Bit)\Presets

       

      (?) Application Data 1 (User-based):
      C:\Users\~Username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator\17.0.0

       

      (?) Application Data 2 (User-based):

      C:\Users\~Username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator 17 Settings\en_US\x64

       


      From what I can tell, the first "user-baed" directory in the 17.0.0 folder, is just an xml-based preferences resource. But I don't know if that file, along with the other user-based directory comprises a 'complete' analog to the two directories in Mac OS.

       

       

      Are there more? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

       

      Note: My work here is based on the English (US/Universal) install.

        • 1. Re: Illustrator Settings, Preferences, Assets - Locations
          Mike Gondek2 Community Member

          mac - right click on application >> show package contents

          • 2. Re: Illustrator Settings, Preferences, Assets - Locations
            Joseph Nicolia Community Member

            I am familiar with the locations of all of the files for Mac OS and am hvaing no problems with that.

             


            The two Windows directories I listed seem to be allowing me to make changes and import settings from another build properly:

             

            Application Data 1 (User-based):
            C:\Users\~Username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator\17.0.0

             

            Application Data 2 (User-based):

            C:\Users\~Username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator 17 Settings\en_US\x64

             

             

            I was able to move some files in place there and get the application to respond as needed.

             

            Also, on a related note, when I did similar things in Windows as I did in Mac, it failed in similar ways. Moving workspace data into the application on either OS seems to break the interface completely.

            • 3. Re: Illustrator Settings, Preferences, Assets - Locations
              Monika Gause CommunityMVP

              What exactly are you doing there?

              • 4. Re: Illustrator Settings, Preferences, Assets - Locations
                Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                I am attempting to find any and all Adobe Illustrator system files, preferences files and application assets.

                 

                Once I know where all of them are, I want to move files that I have prepared on other machines into the proper directories, to "pre-load" Illustrator for various users.

                 


                In MacOS, there are 3 separate directories. 1 local, application-based directory (which acts as a global repository for application assets for all users) and 2 local, user-based directories.

                 

                Inputting data into all of those directories tailors the user experience, by immediately giving the user a set of basic options that I've defined (and tested).

                 

                 


                In Windows, the directories are different, and cross in odd places. I'm currently testing with various solutions, but wanted to see if other users had information on where all of the relevant files are, in case I was missing something.