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up vote 3 down vote favorite

I have just moved from Linux to Windows, and I have to use the Zend Framework library. Where should the library be placed?

  • Directly on C drive
  • Create a lib folder like C:/lib/
  • Create a lib folder in my user folder

I am wondering if there is a classic folder where these kind of libraries are placed.

Update:I am asking about the location on my own standpoint. The Zend Framework library is a PHP framework.

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Please provide more information. – Ramhound Jun 25 '12 at 14:09
What Zend library? – Yannis Rizos♦ Jun 25 '12 at 14:15
Do you mean from your own standpoint of from your final users standpoints ? – Emilio Garavaglia Jun 25 '12 at 14:24
Thank you, I have updated the question with more details. – Gabriel Diaconescu Jun 26 '12 at 7:30

2 Answers

up vote 10 down vote accepted

Generally speaking, your app should live in either:
1) C:\Program Files\your_app_name
2) C:\Program Files (x86)\your_app_name

For 32 bit OSs such as XP, use #1. For 64 bit OSs use #1 if your app is 64 bit. Use #2 if your app is 32 bit.

Also take a look at MS's Developer Guidelines

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5  
Please note that the actual names of those folders depends on the localization of the OS: "Program Files" exist only on english-localized installations. You should rely on environment variables or to registry keys to get the actual folder names. In any case don't place things directly in those folders, ut create appropriate sub-folders. – Emilio Garavaglia Jun 25 '12 at 14:43
4  
@EmilioGaravaglia "Program Files" does exist in non english-localized installations, but you just see another name in Explorer. But I agree, use the evironment variable %programfiles%. – ComFreek Jun 25 '12 at 14:56
3  
@ComFreek: Not sure: may be it is remapped at the file-stystem level, not as a shell-extension. But it may be even not on C:\ ... so ... never trust, but refer to %programfiles%. Also, user dependent configuration data, should go to %appdata% Anyways, thanks for the clarification. – Emilio Garavaglia Jun 25 '12 at 15:01
3  
@ComFreek: that is only true since Windows Vista. In an Win XP environment, the folder names were localized. – Doc Brown Jun 25 '12 at 15:31
I don't think that's such a good idea. Access to files in those directories requires elevation to administrator. – vascowhite Nov 6 '12 at 8:21
up vote 2 down vote

I would generally make any application specific dependencies travel with the source code rather than install libraries in a specific location. This means you don't have to hunt down the specific version of said library 18 months from now when you are applying an emergency patch at the very least. It can open the door to continuos delivery and deployment.

Major dependencies -- such as PHP or Java or what have you -- should be installed in a typical manner for the platform. For PHP in windows this typically means the Web Platform Installer.

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