fm2017 guide [FM17][GUIDE] How To Locate or Move Your User Data Location

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Football Manager 2017 - How to Locate or Move your User Data Location

Like with FM2016 in Football Manager 2017 your User Data Location is no longer listed or editable from within the game.

However as the Touch Mode in Football Manager 2017 is now a seperate entry in your Steam Game Library the instructions are slightly different depending on which mode of FM2017 you are using.

This guide is split into two parts;

1. How to Locate Your User Data Location - If you only want to add custom content to your game or want access to your save game this is the guide you want.

Football Manager 2017 - How to Locate your Default User Data Location

Football Manager Touch 2017 - How to Locate Your Default User Data Location

2. How to Change Your User Data Location - If you want to move your user data location to a different part of your computer then you need to read this part of the guide as well.

Football Manager 2017 - How to Change your User Data Location

Football Manager Touch 2017 - How to Change your User Data Location

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Football Manager 2017: How To Locate Your Default User Data Location

 

With the removal of the User Data Location feature from the preferences menu it is no longer possible to locate your User Data Location from within the game.

However depending on the OS you are using your default User Data Location will be located in one of these folders:

Windows

C:\Users\[Your Windows Username]\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2017\

Mac

/Users/[Your Mac Username]/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2017/

Linux

/home/documents/Sports Interactive/FM2017/

Your User Data Location is where the game stores any user generated files, this can be files generated by the game such as Save Games (though you can still customize your save game location from the save game menus in game), saved shortlists, tactics or custom views, or it will be where you put any custom graphics you have downloaded such as skins, kits or logos.

Whilst the process to change and locate your User Data Location has changed for FM17 the subfolders (such as graphics and skins) that you put user generated content into hasn't changed and as such you should follow the same procedures as in previous versions.

Also note that with the BETA at least FM2017 isn't creating the graphics folder within your User Data Location, so if you are adding custom graphics you will need to create this folder before adding custom graphics.

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Football Manager Touch 2017: How To Locate Your Default User Data Location

As the Touch version of Football Manager 2017 is now a seperate game in your Steam Library it uses slightly different folder locations to the main version of the game.

With the removal of the User Data Location feature from the preferences menu it is no longer possible to locate your Saving Location from within the game.

However depending on the OS you are using your default User Data Location will be located in one of these folders:

Windows

C:\Users\[Your Windows Username]\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager Touch 2017\

Mac

/Users/[Your Mac Username]/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager Touch 2017/

Linux

/home/documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager Touch 2017/

Your User Data Location is where the game stores any user generated files, this can be files generated by the game such as Save Games (though you can still customize your save game location from the save game menus in game), saved shortlists, tactics or custom views, or it will be where you put any custom graphics you have downloaded such as skins, kits or logos.

Whilst the process to change and locate your User Data Location has changed for FMT17 the subfolders (such as graphics and skins) that you put user generated content into hasn't changed and as such you should follow the same procedures as in previous versions.

Also note that with the BETA at least FMT2017 isn't creating the graphics folder within your User Data Location, so if you are adding custom graphics you will need to create this folder before adding custom graphics.

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Football Manager 2017: How to change your User Data Location

Like with FM2016 you are no longer able to adjust your User Data Location (Saving Location) from within the Preferences Menu.

This feature was removed because it was apparently causing confusion among users, however it is still possible to adjust your User Data Location if you don't want it in the default location, however you now need to add a command line to the game launch options.

(NOTE: You only need to follow the below instructions if you want to move the location, these instructions aren't needed if you are just wanting to add content to the default location).

To do this follow the instructions below:

- Go into Steam -> Library -> Games view.

- Locate Football Manager 2017 and right-click on the game.

- Select 'Properties'

- Click 'Set Launch Options...'

- Copy the following into the dialogue box: --user_data_location="<path>"

- In the <path> section, enter the exact path you wish the folder to be generated (ie D:\Users\ etc)

So for example if you wanted your User Data Location to be G:\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2017

You would add the following text to the dialogue box:

--user_data_location="G:\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2017"

So your Launch Options box should look something like this for Football Manager 2017:

Note that this folder location needs to already exist on your hard drive before setting the launch option, then when you next launch FM2017 the game will automatically generate the needed subfolders (such as games and skins). There also shouldn't be any problem with setting both your Full and Touch Mode Saving Locations to the same location, which should save you having to duplicate any custom graphics you have downloaded.

If done correctly the contents of your custom User Data Location should look something like this after having run the game with the launch option set:

Also note that if you have any already created anything in game with the default location set (such as save games, shortlists, or tactics) you will need to manually copy the items over to your new location. Also the BETA versions aren't creating the graphics folder so before you add any graphics you'll need to create this folder yourself.

To reset your User Data Location to the default position you just need to delete the command line and on your next restart of FM17 the game will go back to using the default location. (Again you'll need to maunaly copy over any existing files from your old custom location to the default location for them to be read by the game).

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Football Manager Touch 2017: How to change your User Data Location

Like with FM2016 you are no longer able to adjust your User Data Location (Saving Location) from within the Preferences Menu.

This feature was removed because it was apparently causing confusion among users, however it is still possible to adjust your User Data Location if you don't want it in the default location, however you now need to add a command line to the game launch options.

(NOTE: You only need to follow the below instructions if you want to move the location, these instructions aren't needed if you are just wanting to add content to the default location).

To do this follow the instructions below:

- Go into Steam -> Library -> Games view.

- Locate Football Manager Touch 2017 and right-click on the game.

- Select 'Properties'

- Click 'Set Launch Options...'

- Copy the following into the dialogue box: --user_data_location="<path>"

- In the <path> section, enter the exact path you wish the folder to be generated (ie D:\Users\ etc)

So for example if you wanted your Saving Location to be G:\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2017

You would add the following text to the dialogue box:

--user_data_location="G:\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2017"

So  your Launch Options box should look something like this for Football Manager Touch 2017:

Note that this folder location needs to already exist on your hard drive before setting the launch option, then when you next launch FMT2017 the game will automatically generate the needed subfolders (such as games and skins). There also shouldn't be any problem with setting both your Full and Touch Mode Saving Locations to the same location, which should save you having to duplicate any custom graphics you have downloaded.

If done correctly the contents of your custom User Data Location should look something like this after having run the game with the launch option set:

Also note that if you have any already created anything in game with the default location set (such as save games, shortlists, or tactics) you will need to manually copy the items over to your new location. Also the BETA versions aren't creating the graphics folder so before you add any graphics you'll need to create this folder yourself.

To reset your Saving Location to the default position you just need to delete the command line and on your next restart of FMT17 the game will go back to using the default location. (Again you'll need to maunaly copy over any existing files from your old custom location to the default location for them to be read by the game).

[bartdude]

Useful info Michael as my small (120Gb) SSD was reaching capacity and this is a good option until I upgrade to a larger SSD !

[phnompenhandy]

I followed this a couple of weeks ago when on the beta to  relocate my  User Data Location  to D:Football Manager 2017.

Now that the full game has downloaded I have one in my C drive AND D drive. I just checked the Steam box and it points to the D drive; however, any work I do in the editor saves to the C drive. Should I delete the full folder in the C drive? Will the game automatically look in the D drive? What about the editor folder - can that be moved to the D drive too?

[michaeltmurrayuk]

As far as I am aware the game will always recreate the folders in the default location, it just want read or save to them.

I don't use the editor as not sure if it has an save as option that allows you to change where the files are saved, your best asking that in the editor forum.

[femster]

Hi,

I am using a Mac. I installed from Beta and I just looked at my documents folder and I have 3 FM 2017 folders. What can I do to fix this?

I downloaded a skin and the game is not picking it up, it might be to do with this.

[michaeltmurrayuk]

It looks like you have searched your full computer so its fine that multiple folders have appeared, the one you want is located here:

/Users/[Your Mac Username]/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2017/

Hopefully if you click the Documents option on your favourites list it should take you straight to your Documents folder and from their you just need to locate the Sports Interactive folder and inside that should be just the one Football Manager 2017 folder (or the touch folder if you are playing that version).

[terrorsquad]

At the moment my fm17 is in the onedrive folder and everytime i change my user data location nofting happens what am i doing wrong

[michaeltmurrayuk]

1 hour ago, terrorsquad said:

At the moment my fm17 is in the onedrive folder and everytime i change my user data location nofting happens what am i doing wrong

Try deleting the option you have added to the launch options box, run the game then exit the game and try setting the location again, also make sure the folder you are trying to set it to exists on your hard drive otherwise the changes won't happen.

If that doesn't work then try posting in the bugs forum, as I don't know how you'd wipe the launch options box if you can confirm the changes in steam.

[Trav23]

I am having the same problem. No files are created when i launch the game. When i exit and go to laung options in steam the path is there.

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Make sure you have created the folder path you have pointed the game to, for example if you want to move it to G:\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2017  then you first need to create the Sports Interactive folder on your G:\ Drive and then inside that folder create the Football Manager 2017 folder, then when you run the game it should generate the game folders inside those folders.

[Trav23]

Thank you for your reply. Yes I have done this. I am attaching photos. Maybe you can see soemthing im doing wrong.

[Trav23]

Next photo

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Not sure why thats not working.

- Make sure there isn't anything else in your Launch Options box. Make sure you don't have any leading or ending spaces in the folder names.

- Check that you can acces the FM17 folder in windows, also check to make sure you have ownership of the folder, right click on the Sports Interactive folder from the above screenshot then goto properties -> security and make sure there are no ticks in the deny box for your windows user and that the allow boxes are ticked.

- try creating a smaller path just create a folder called fm in your D Drive and then in the location put "D:\fm" and see if that works. If you have another partition/hard drive try pointing it there to see if that works.

[Trav23]

I got it to work from an external usb. Why would it not be working from my D drives as per phot above. I dont have a hard drive big enough to have the face packs and logos etc. To be able to do this.

[Trav23]

GOT IT. Tried what you said. Shortened path name to FM. It worked. Thank you so much for your help.

[celtic8867]

Does anyone know how to fix this problem? Its not letting me save my game on FM17 it comes up saying SAVE GAME FAILED (Using a Mac)

[michaeltmurrayuk]

On 12/01/2017 at 10:57, celtic8867 said:

Does anyone know how to fix this problem? Its not letting me save my game on FM17 it comes up saying SAVE GAME FAILED (Using a Mac)

First make sure you have enough hard drive space in the default location and have the necessary permissions to edit files in that location (no idea how you check that on a Mac), alternatively you can use the above instructions to move, alternatively you can use the Save Game As option and then from the location drop down select a different part of your hard drive to save the game to. If that doesn't work then your best bet is to post in the bugs forum.

[stevejcraven]

I have 2 problems. I bought fm touch 2017 on my tablet through the play store so steam doesn't recognise that I have it. What can I do to fix this?

Also, all the instructions here seem to be for the game on a pc. How do I do all this on a Samsung galaxy tab A6?

Thanks in advance.

[michaeltmurrayuk]

The Tablet version of the game is different from the Steam version, as far as I am aware if you want a Steam version to play on a full computer then that would need to be purchased separately.

To edit the Tablet version you are best looking in the Touch General Forum as I don't have access to that version of the game: https://community.sigames.com/forum/135-football-manager-touch-general-discussion/

[its me]

I have a problem that the game is only reading files saved in my Documents folder on my Onedrive, not on my internal drive. I've set the destination as suggested in previous posts, but will only display the pictures if they are saved in onedrive. This is a problem as I only have a certain amount of space in onedrive. Any suggestions?

[michaeltmurrayuk]

2 hours ago, its me said:

I have a problem that the game is only reading files saved in my Documents folder on my Onedrive, not on my internal drive. I've set the destination as suggested in previous posts, but will only display the pictures if they are saved in onedrive. This is a problem as I only have a certain amount of space in onedrive. Any suggestions?

- Make sure you have set the options for the version of FM you are using, as the Full Mode and Touch Mode are now separate.

- Make sure the folder you are pointing to already exists on your hard drive.

- Try moving your User Data Location to a different place, and try giving it a simple folder name on the root of your drive so C:\fm17\ for example.

- If that doesn't work post up a screenshot of your launch options box and the folder you are trying to point to.

[wanderer89]

Having problems with this on Mac, just can't get it to work, my thumb drive is called USB, so would my path be USB:\FM?

EDIT: Finally got it working. Had to do volumes\usb\fm for it to work.