# FAQ(29) - find-file start location; where is it ?

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## QUESTION (29)

find-file start location; where is it ?

## ANSWER

The find-file(2) start location is defined as follows:-

- `*scratch*` is current buffer; the current working directory.
- `file` is current buffer; the directory location containing file.

Running under Microsoft Windows or UNIX, using an icon launch, then it may become frustrating that the start location is always `C:\Program` `Files\JASSPA\MicroEmacs` (Microsoft windows) or `/usr/local/bin` (UNIX) this is simply resolved by starting the executable with the -c option, as defined by me(1). The -c option starts the editor with the last editing session, this is typically where a user will want to commence an editing session.

If the -c approach is not acceptable, then it is worth defining the environment variable `$HOME` within the start up script, or in the users environment. Using find-file with tilde (`~`) implies that the directory start path is `$HOME`.

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(c) Copyright JASSPA 2009
Last Modified: 2009/08/29
Generated On: 2009/10/12

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