Windows 7: AppData folder not visible in windows explorer [closed]

Question

I am somewhat new to Windows 7. I am running a foreign language version of Windows 7 (not sure if this matters or not). Anyways, when I use cmd to run a command prompt environment and

C:\Users\MyUserNameHere> dir

I don't see the folder named AppData.

When I do the same thing and go and check this out from the windows explorer application I also cannot see the AppData folder. However, when I

C:\Users\MyUserNameHere> cd AppData

I can cd to this folder. It is as though this folder is somehow hidden.

So, my questions are:

1. What is this folder for, i.e., what is its purpose in Windows 7? I see some installations install stuff under this folder and others do not. Why?

2. What is the difference between the three directories contained therein: Local, LocalLow, and Roaming? Do they have different purposes?

3. Can I "unhide" this hidden AppData folder so that I can navigate to it with more ease in the windows explorer.exe application?

4. Aptana Studio 3 installed itself under the AppData\Local directory whereas webcam shots taken with skype are found under AppData\Roaming. Why this choice of directories? (this question is just a special case of 2.)

Thank you for clarifications,

I also would like to be pointed to a book detailing this sort of things for Windows 7 so that I may be able to better use the OS if you don't mind suggesting a link or book.

Answer 1

1. The folder is used for applications to store any user data, such as settings or cache files.

2. See this site for a good explanation.

3. You can un-hide the folder by turning off the "hidden folders" feature under [Edit>Folder Options] (press the alt key to see the menus). Or see the above link for further info.

4. I expect that the program is storing the shots in roaming so that if you were using a networked pc (such as on a domain in a work place) the images would be able to travel from PC to PC when you logged on and off.

Answer 2

As mentioned AppData folder is hidden by default to view it from a CMD line use the following;

cd %userprofile%
dir /a:h

The %userprofile% is a useful environment variable for accessing the current user profile folder location. The switch added to dir tells dir to show files / folders with the attribute hidden.

Note: Changing the hidden files option in Folder options will only effect Explorer and Cmd.exe will still hide files / folders with the hidden attribute.

---

Following on from jamesakadamingo answer point 4

The reason for the difference is the AppData\Local folder is used for storing information specific to the users profile that should be stored locally (i.e it is specific to the current machine). LocalLow is the same but is specifically for low integrity applications to store data locally.

In your example of Aptana Studio 3 if you went and used another machine you wouldn't necessarily have Aptana Studio 3 installed, so persisting that information isn't of any benefit.

Whereas AppData\Roaming follows users from machine to machine (if their user profile is roaming) and usually contains information that could persist and still be of benefit, in the case of Skype, WebCam shots (which are just images accessible with any image viewer or editor) this would be useful content to persist with your profile.