# $user-path(5)

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## NAME

$user-path - MicroEmacs user directory

## SYNOPSIS

$user-path

## DESCRIPTION

$user-path is the name of the MicroEmacs user directory where user configuration files such as $user-name .emf, $user-name .erf and personal spelling dictionaries are stored. This is an absolute directory path and is always terminated with a directory separator character '`/`'.

The value of the variable is determined when the editor is started as follows:

- The environment variable $MEUSERPATH(5) is defined, the $user-path is set to this value. If the environment $MEUSERPATH is defined without a trailing '`/`' then it is automatically added.
- The environment variable $MEPATH(5) is defined and $MEUSERPATH(5) is undefined. The first directory in the $MEPATH variable is used as the $user-path directory.
- The directory is determined from the system:
  UNIX: the home directory from `/etc/passwd` entry is used and appended with `.jasspa` i.e. `$HOME/.jasspa`, if the sub-directory $user-name is detected in this directory then it is used instead (`$HOME/.jasspa/$user-name`).
  Microsoft Windows: the user application data directory is obtained from the system and appended with `jasspa` i.e. `$APPDATA/jasspa`. If the sub-directory $user-name is detected in this directory then it is used instead (`$APPDATA/jasspa/$user-name`).
  MS-DOS and older versions of Microsoft Windows without Internet Explorer 4.0 then a sub-directory $user-name of the program directory $progname(5) is used.

For most conventional login systems then the correct user path is retrieved and it is not necessary to over-ride the pathname, unless a special configuration of MicroEmacs is being used. Where the user directory is to be manually specified then $MEUSERPATH(5) is the preferred method.

## NOTES

The user should not attempt to write to $user-path, the variable should be controlled through the aforementioned techniques.

## SEE ALSO

me(1), $home(5), $progname(5) $search-path(5), $user-name(5), $MEINSTALLPATH(5), $MENAME(5), $MEPATH(5), $MEUSERPATH(5), emf(8), erf(8).

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

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