Computer and Software Support


Flattemp

This page is from Microsoft

Updated: January 21, 2005

Enables or disables flat temporary folders.

 
Syntax
flattemp {/query | /enable | /disable}
Parameters
/query
Queries the current setting.
/enable
Enables flat temporary directories.
/disable
Disables flat temporary directories.
/?
Displays help at the command prompt.
Remarks
  • After each user has a unique temporary directory, use flattemp/enable to enable flat temporary directories.
  • The default method for creating temporary folders for multiple users (usually pointed to by the TEMP and TMP environment variables) is to create subfolders in the \Temp folder, using the logonID as the subfolder name. For example, if the TEMP environment variable points to C:\Temp, the temporary folder assigned to the user logonID 4 is C:\Temp\4. Using flattemp, you can point directly to the \Temp folder and prevent subfolders from forming. This is useful when you want the user temporary folders to be contained in home directories, whether on a terminal server local drive or on a shared network drive. You should use this command only when each user has a separate temporary folder. For instructions on using temporary folders per session, see Related Topics.
  • You must have administrative credentials to run flattemp.
  • You might encounter application errors if the user's temporary directory is on a network drive. This occurs when the shared network drive becomes momentarily inaccessible on the network. Because the temporary files of the application are either inaccessible or out of synchronization, it responds as if the disk has stopped. Moving the temporary directory to a network drive is not recommended. The default is to keep temporary directories on the local hard disk. If you experience unexpected behavior or disk-corruption errors with certain applications, stabilize your network or move the temporary directories back to the local hard disk.
  • If you disable using separate temporary folders per-session, flattemp settings are ignored. This option is set in Terminal Services Configuration.
Examples
To display the current setting for flat temporary folders, type:

flattemp /query

To enable flat temporary directories, type:

flattemp /enable

To disable flat temporary directories, type:

flattemp /disable

Formatting legend

Format Meaning
Italic Information that the user must supply
Bold Elements that the user must type exactly as shown
Ellipsis (...) Parameter that can be repeated several times in a command line
Between brackets ([]) Optional items
Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (|). Example: {even|odd} Set of choices from which the user must choose only one
Courier font Code or program output