$BaseDirectory

$BaseDirectory gives the base directory in which system-wide files to be loaded by Mathematica are conventionally placed.

$BaseDirectory returns the full name of the directory as a string.

Typical values are:

The value of $UserBaseDirectory can be specified by setting the MATHEMATICA_USERBASE operating system environment variable when the Mathematica kernel is launched. It cannot be reset from inside the kernel.

Typical subdirectories of $BaseDirectory are:

These subdirectories are, if possible, created automatically the first time Mathematica is run.

Appropriate subdirectories are automatically included on $Path.

The subdirectories of $BaseDirectory are given in $Path after the corresponding ones of $UserBaseDirectory.

See Section 2.12.4 and Section A.8.2.

See also: $UserBaseDirectory, $InstallationDirectory, $InitialDirectory, $HomeDirectory.

New in Version 5.0.