Flattemp

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Flattemp

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

See Also

Concepts

Command-line reference A-Z
Command shell overview
Terminal Services commands
Use separate temporary folders for each session