How to change the default project directory (folder) in Netbeans 6.9?

Question

How to change the default project directory in Netbeans 6.9 for Java SE\ME\EE?

Solution 1

I don't think you can make it module-specific but you can set it as follows:

1. Close NetBeans
2. Find the projectui.properties file. For me (Windows) it was under C:\Documents and Settings\Catchwa\.netbeans\6.9\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\projectui.properties
3. The projectsFolder=C:\\NetBeansProjects variable is I think what you want to change.

Solution 2

I found mine in a slightly different location (Windows 7 64-bit using Netbeans 7.2):

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\7.2\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\projectui.properties

Solution 3

Slightly different way of doing it for NetBeans 7.3 latest release (at least for Windows 7, 64-bit). Search your system for netbeans.conf (from explorer window) or go to its default install location:

C:\Program Files\NetBeans 7.3\etc\netbeans.conf

Look for netbeans.conf on Mac OS X:

find / -name "netbeans.conf" -print &

Look for netbeans.conf in Linux:

sudo find / -name "netbeans.conf" 2> /dev/null

---

Then edit the netbeans.conf file to replace the userdir line:

netbeans_default_userdir="${DEFAULT_USERDIR_ROOT}/7.3"

With your new projects directory/folder path:

 netbeans_default_userdir="C:/APPS/netbeans/"

-OR-

 netbeans_default_userdir="\Applicatons\netbeans\"

(NOTE: if you have trouble in Windows in a network managed security environment, you'll need admin access to make this change. Open the file using your editor's ".exe" directly by right-clicking the launcher file and clicking "Run as Administrator", I had to do this for Notepad++ because it said "Another application is using the file", but in fact it was just locked to non-admin users).

This changes the default userdir which stores user-specific IDE settings, but not the default project folder/directory. Next, you need to open NetBeans IDE with the new IDE settings and start to create a new Java project (then cancel after second screen in project creation wizard). It will now create a new projectui.properties file in the userdir you set; this is the file that wasn't found before this workaround that you need to edit as per the other suggestions. Mine was located here after these changes:

C:\APPS\netbeans\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules 

Finally, you've reached the finish line and can change the projectsFolder property value to the path you want, if you don't see a line for projectsFolder then simply type or paste one in at the bottom of the file to point to your path where you want NetBeans to store projects by default, such as:

 projectsFolder=C:/APPS/projects/

-OR-

 projectsFolder=\Applicatons\projects\

Wow, that's alot of settings changes but it finally works for me the way I wanted it to, being able to switch my IDE back and forth between a local workspace and a network workspace using my username space on the corporate LAN just by changing projectsFolder property value in the projectui.properties folder.

NOTE: On Linux or Mac you might not need the first step of modifying netbeans.conf as the projectui.properties should be as follows (may vary by OS version): $HOME/.netbeans/7.3/config/Preferences/org/netbeans/modules/projectui.properties

Solution 4

Under Windows 7, logged in under AD, the projectui.properties file's directory was under the parent folder listed in the USERPROFILE environment variable (type set in a command prompt window):

C:\Users\my_login_name\\.netbeans\7.0\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\projectui.properties

It was not in the directories pointed at by the HOME or APPDATA variables.

Changed projectsFolder value to new location, restarted NetBeans and default folder for new projects was in the new location. It worked!

Solution 5

In linux/Ubuntu

1. View hidden files in home directory (press ctrl+H on /home folder).
2. .netbeans\7.3\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\projectui.properties

Update the following content in projectui.properties file

projectsFolder=/home/folder/NB

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Comments

[battistis]

unfortunately I can not find that variable in my projectui.properties maybe I should create it?

[gaborsch]

Duplication of a previous answer

[Jason]

In Linux, the projectui.properties file is in $HOME/.netbeans/$VERSION/config/Preferences/org/netbeans/mod‌​ules where $VERSION is the full NB version number.

[daiscog]

Also noteworthy: if you use SVN, you can edit C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\7.x\config\Prefer‌​ences\org\netbeans\m‌​odules\subversion.pr‌​operties and set checkoutStep.checkoutDirectory to change the default checkout path.

[bcmoney]

This didn't seem to work for me, "projectui.properties" file was not at that path (at least for the latest version of Netbeans 7.3 in an enterprise/network-managed security 64-bit Windows 7 setting)... so see my workaround below if you had the same problem.

[Lalith J.]

Tested and working on 8.0.2 too. you do not see the C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\<netbeans version>\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\projectui.p‌​roperties in a clean netbeans install , you have to create a one project first then the file will appear. Note** Path C:\Program Files\<netbeans version>\etc\netbeans.conf is a different file do not confuse it with C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\<netbeans version>\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\projectui.p‌​roperties.

[Ferrmolina]

Thanks this help me :)

[Doug]

As a shorthand when navigating, use: %APPDATA%\Netbeans\ (etc)

[chrips]

OSX (Don't forget to change version number depending on your installed version. Mine is 8.2): /Users/username/Library/Application\ Support/NetBeans/8.2/config/Preferences/org/netbeans/modules‌​/projectui.propertie‌​s

[jla]

For more recent versions of windows (Vista & later) and NetBeans, look in %APPDATA%\NetBeans\<nbversion>\config\Preferences\org\netbea‌​ns\modules, eg C:\Users\jla\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\8.1\config\Preferences‌​\org\netbeans\module‌​s

[chrips]

and its incomplete

[Nazari]

Note: change netbeans_default_userdir="${DEFAULT_USERDIR_ROOT}/7.3" not recommended it will break your IDE for in case if you have version 12

[GDP2]

Strangely for me, this didn't seem to work... I had to reinstall NetBeans and reset the default root project directory from the initial startup screen. It may have been because I was using a special build of NetBeans for a school course.

[Catchwa]

@GDP2 or maybe because this answer is 12 years old :)