# How to set default save directory for notebooks?

Based on certain previous questions, I figured that if my NotebookBrowseDirectory looked like this

Options[\$FrontEnd, NotebookBrowseDirectory]
{NotebookBrowseDirectory -> "/Users/brian/mma"}


then the OSX front end would default to saving new notebooks there. Instead it defaults to saving them in the home directory /Users/brian. Does there exist a variable I can set to make the UI default to saving into a different directory from my homedir?

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 SetDirectory[dir] sets the current working directory to dir – acl Dec 2 '12 at 2:58 and SetDirectory[NotebookDirectory[]] sets the current directory to the same one as where the notebook is saved. I do the above first thing each time. – Nasser Dec 2 '12 at 3:14 NotebookBrowseDirectory works on Windows and Linux, but on Mac, we allow the operating system to assert its natural behavior over such things. I'm not now so convinced that this was a good idea, but I haven't finished a proper investigation. So, it's possible this behavior will change in the future. – John Fultz Dec 2 '12 at 8:22 @John Fultz I am glad that Mathematica integrates so nicely with OSX. In my opinion it is a elemental feature of OSX that usage of system wide GUI-logic is encouraged and that most programmes out there play within the 'rules'. Examples where custom interfaces are used (e.g. ditching the top menu bar of OSX - like Matlab does) turn out pretty bad in like 99% of the time and just ruin user experience. – Sascha Dec 2 '12 at 10:39 So would an init.m with a SetDirectory[] command work to do more or less what I want? – Brian B Dec 2 '12 at 20:23
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