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I do not have access to the source code but I have a jar file that takes some input for settings when it is run. It remembers the settings for subsequent runs so I assumed that it was storing information internally. However, if I delete the jar and download a new copy, the new copy has access to the same information the deleted one had.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this means it is storing/reading a file somewhere on my system? Is there any way to find that file? I tried hoping on windows and searching all files by date modified, but no such luck. Can hop on Ubuntu if needed.

Any input would be appreciated.

thekid77777
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    check the usual temporary folders, they might be stored in those – RAZ_Muh_Taz Jun 24 '21 at 21:25
  • tried c:\temp nothing there – thekid77777 Jun 24 '21 at 21:30
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    Check your user home directory; a lot of applications will create an app-specific folder there to store information (the folder may be hidden). Or check the standard location for application data used by your operating system (e.g. `C:\Users\\AppData\...` on Windows—not sure about MacOS or Linux). – Slaw Jun 24 '21 at 21:32
  • I've been poking around in C:\Users\\AppData\ for a while. Can't seem to find it :( – thekid77777 Jun 24 '21 at 21:40
  • not too concerned about this windows installation, might start blowing away folders and see what happens – thekid77777 Jun 24 '21 at 21:43
  • What kind of jar file is it? Free for everyone available on the internet? If so can you share a link? is there a doku / readme? Or is it provided to you by the programmer? If so why don't you ask him? – Eritrean Jun 24 '21 at 21:47
  • @Eritrean no dice on documentation unfortunately. Although It's public, it's from a school and probably best not to link here. When I noticed it had to be reading/writing local data I just got curious to see if I could find what it was doing. – thekid77777 Jun 24 '21 at 21:54
  • I've also tried revoking read/write priviledges to see if I can get a directory to pop up but no such luck there either – thekid77777 Jun 24 '21 at 22:02
  • found it on linux, in a hidden java folder in home directory. still looking on windows for the equivalent – thekid77777 Jun 24 '21 at 23:15
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    The application may be using the [Preferences API](https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/16/docs/api/java.prefs/module-summary.html), in which case I believe that API stores preferences in the registry on Windows. – Slaw Jun 24 '21 at 23:41
  • @Slaw thanks I didn't know about that. Will check it out. – thekid77777 Jun 25 '21 at 03:27
  • @Slaw sorry for the delayed follow up, turns out you were right. found https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4947555/where-are-the-java-preferences-stored-in-windows-7 based on what you said, thanks again – thekid77777 Jul 03 '21 at 01:08

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