>I used to store certain preferences in the Windows registry, using the Local Machine > Software folder.
>
>In Windows 7 that cannot be written to anymore without Administrator rights. I suppose I should use the current_user > software folder now, is this a good place for preferences/settings? I Just wanted to be sure before I do the change.

For application specific (the same for each user), in VS it is the app.config file. A comparable xml would be appropriate for VFP.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.environment.specialfolder.aspx

Note the changes for Windows 7 submitted by a user (Note I had to add spaces to avoid it thinking it was a tag here on the UT) --

ApplicationData: C:\Users\ < user name > \AppData\Roaming
CommonApplicationData: C:\ProgramData
ProgramFiles: C:\Program Files
CommonProgramFiles: C:\Program Files\Common Files
DesktopDirectory: C:\Users\ < user name > \Desktop
LocalApplicationData: C:\Users\ < user name > \AppData\Local
MyDocuments: C:\Users\ < user name > \Documents
System: C:\WINDOWS\system32

if you are like me looking for:

%USERDATA%\Application Data\Folder\

You need:

%USERDATA%\AppData\Roaming\Folder

And look at Doug's recommendations:
http://doughennig.blogspot.com/2007/01/finding-paths-for-special-folders.html