Question: changing the default data location for an app

[moun10addict]

Hi all,
Sorry for asking such a dumb question in this forum. I'm not a programmer, but have a question that probably only you can answer since I haven't found the answer anywhere else.

OK, so the question is: how do I tell an application (specifically iCal, Address Book, Mail, iPhoto, iTunes) to look for it's default data in a different location. For example, iCal gets its calendar data from ~/Library/Calendars. How would I make iCal instead get this from, for example ~/Desktop/Calendars?

I'm sure it's probably a simple change to an application file, but I just need to know which one and how to do it.

I really appreciate your help!

[kainjow]

It might not be possible, but you could try making an alias from your new folder to the original folder. So for example you could replace the folder ~/Library/Calendars with an alias to another folder.

[moun10addict]

It might not be possible, but you could try making an alias from your new folder to the original folder. So for example you could replace the folder ~/Library/Calendars with an alias to another folder.

That was my first thought, so I tried moving it, then making an alias, but unfortunately that did not work. It's like the app will not read an alias. Thank you though for the suggestion.

[kainjow]

You could try a symbolic link:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2001110610290643