Best place for configuration files

Question

I am creating an application that gets installed into the the [ProgramFiles] directory. The application writes to a config file every time it closes and the user also has the ability to write a config file at any point in time. After the application is installed no configuration files can be written. I am getting the following error:  "LabVIEW:  File permission error. You do not have the correct permissions for the file."
1. What do I need to do to be able to write config files to the directory where the application is installed?
2. If I wanted to save the files in some users folder, how can I keep track of this path from the development environment, to the exe and then across different OS's?
3. Is there a general convention/location for config files that the application needs to write to?
I know during the build installer phase we can put data in all these different Microsoft folders. But is there a way to get the paths to these folders in my application? (see image below)
I am running Windows 7 and LabVIEW 8.5.
Thanks for your help
-Anthony M.

Answer 1

Win32 consists of several DLLs. It is not .Net but the original interface in Windows to access operation system functions. It is available on every Windows PC because it implements Windows. The LV VI "File Dialog" is just a wrapper for the Win32 function FileOpenEx Which every program uses to select a file.
Storing user settings in the registry is outdatet. Modern Visual Studio programs store setting in files with .config extention.
Settings may be stored in various places depending of their need.
Settings which apply only to this special PC are stored where the application is installed. These settings are set during setup and won't change afterwards whithout any changes to the PC.
Settings which are common to different Windows users are stored in the All users\Appdata folder. The path to this folder is in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Common AppData. Typical data stored there are test setups or serial numbers of external devices.
Data files which are common to different Windows users are stored in the All users\Data folder. The path to this folder is in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Common Documents. Typical data may be test result protocolls.
Settings which are unique to different Windows users are stored in the<username> \Appdata folder. The path to this folder is in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\AppData. Typical data may be personal number, department number.
Data files which are unique to different Windows users are stored in the <username>\Data folder. The path to this folder is in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Personal.
It is normal that the user has full acces to the last for paths and read access to the first path.
Use the Example Finder to find the registry VI examples.
Waldemar
Using 7.1.1, 8.5.1, 8.6.1, 2009 on XP and RT
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