$BaseDirectory

Usage

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

Notes

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

• Typical values are:

C:\DocumentsandSettings\AllUsers\ApplicationData\Mathematica	Windows
/Library/Mathematica	Macintosh
/usr/share/Mathematica	Unix

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

• Typical subdirectories of $BaseDirectory are:

Applications	Mathematica application packages
Autoload	packages to be autoloaded on startup
FrontEnd	front end initialization files
Kernel	kernel initialization files
Licensing	license management files
SystemFiles	general system files

• 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.

• New in Version 5.