Renaming Program Files/Avisynth folder safely

[TCmullet]

The name Avisynth or some variant of it becomes the name of a folder in "C:\Program Files (x86)" when you install Avisynth. Are there things I can do that would allow me to safely rename that folder? For example, I want to rename:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Avisynth 2.5"

to

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Avisynth" or perhaps
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Avisynth 2.6"

I suppose I could simply try it, but am a bit scared to "break my system".

The real application here is that I have two systems, each with one of the names above, and I need to make them both the same. Perhaps some simple registry pluggings after I rename the folder?

[qyot27]

Yep, you'd have to change the registry pointers. Just fire up regedit, search for 'avisynth', and change any entry for the folder to the correct location. Other than that, it'd just be the menu items, which reside somewhere in your User profile directory.

In all honesty, though, it'd just be easier to back up whatever plugins you have in the autoload folder, uninstall AviSynth, and then reinstall the latest version, and then put the plugins back. I'm pretty sure 2.6 moved to just plain 'AviSynth' when installing fresh, but maybe I'm wrong. One of the first things AviSynth+ did was change the Program Files location to 'AviSynth+', if an existing location doesn't already exist. And if the installer does still put '2.5' or '2.6' on the end, just change it during the install process so it goes where you want it.

AviSynth.dll itself won't break in this circumstance if you don't edit the registry or do a proper reinstall, it'll only be the autoload plugins that will.

[TCmullet]

Thanks. I really prefer NOT to uninstall-reinstall, so I'll utilize my general comfort with hacking the registry.

Uh, I'm very unclear what this means: "it'd just be the menu items, which reside somewhere in your User profile directory". What are "menu items"?? Oh wait, I know (but it's been a LONG time)... In start programs, I can navigate to an Avisynth MENU and see (or pick) things like "Avisynth documentation". Where do I find all that in Win10 and Win7, please? Will I simply be renaming folders there?

[qyot27]

Yeah, that's what I meant by 'menu items'. It won't be about renaming the folder in the menu itself (although you can do that too, of course), it's editing the actual menu shortcut(s) inside that folder so that they point to the proper location of those same items on the hard drive.

According to this article (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/6463/stupid-geek-tricks-how-to-open-the-start-menu-folder-in-windows-7/),

C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

are the correct areas to look at.

[TCmullet]

That article is definitely some non-trivial stuff.

Could it be said that if you never touched any of that, that you merely renamed the folder in question, and renamed pointers in the registry (as per your info), that Avisynth would work fine even if the items in the menu failed? If so, then one could do only that and proceed with using and executing Avisynth scripts, right?

Uh, I assume that a reboot would be necessary.

[Groucho2004]

That article is definitely some non-trivial stuff.
If you find that non-trivial I strongly recommend you follow qvot27's advice and re-install Avisynth. An inexperienced user should not mess around with the registry.

[StainlessS]

Gee TC, easiest way is to just make a copy of your "C:\Program Files (x86)\Avisynthxxxx" called "BAK", or whatever.
Uninstall, and reinstall, then take note of this:-
https://s20.postimg.org/mpp35bbzx/z_zps2eqbuzrc.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/4a4m7wxvd/)

Then copy plugins from original to new. Job done.

When happy everything is ok, delete the BAK folder.

Also, check that there is nothing that you have added to the original Avisynth Folder (I replace English.chm with an updated one, and
also add a shortcut with Hotkey linked to it).

You could probably do above in about 60 secs if you are quick.

EDIT: "Shortcut", at Right click, taskbar "Start/Explore (OR Explore All Users)/Programs/Etc" (on XP).

EDIT: The replacement compressed help (*.CHM) for v2.6, here:- http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=152781&highlight=compressed+chm

[TCmullet]

If you find that non-trivial I strongly recommend you follow qvot27's advice and re-install Avisynth. An inexperienced user should not mess around with the registry.

That was on first glance. When it comes to the registry, I'm very experienced (and I know that one can serious damage things there if one's not careful). But I've always been slightly uncomfortable with installers, not knowing all that goes on behind the scenes. Yes, I know it's meant to make it all easy. I will study qvot27's link some more. I'm actually pretty comfortable making changes to registry, as long as what I'm doing makes sense.

When it comes to user info, I've never been happy that MS keeps changing everything. I know they're trying to improve things, and make easier for the non-computer person. Heck, I've hardly ever used "My Documents". I made my own hard-coded "MyDocuments1" so I'd know for sure where it is, no matter what login I happen to be using. This is since Win98 or maybe Win95c.

Thanks to all for your inputs! Happy New Year to you all! :)

[qyot27]

Most of what that article covers is completely irrelevant to this discussion. The only part that is relevant, is the part that tells you where the menu shortcuts reside on the hard drive (and which I copied out and posted above). From that point on, it's on the user to go into whichever one of those directories the AviSynth menu shortcuts are in, right click->Properties on every affected shortcut, and change the shortcut's Target to the correct location. That's it.