[DanCooper]

than the other option is to save them in the <Documents>\Ember Media Manager
sub folder.

We have to use standard Windows folders if we want it to work correctly on all machines and OS versions.

If we use weird folders we will always find non compatible scenarios

I think the correct set is:
Program files - Ember program and plugins
AppData\Roaming\Ember - configuration xml files, temps, cache, etc..
Documents\Ember - the database

This is following Windows dev guidelines and best practices

To allow mobility you only need to move the database.
the program should be installed on all machines and the AppData is recreated by the program via wizard-setup.

We have to keep it clean... now is quite messy... also on a machine there are multiple copies of same files and no one understands which are used

I know what you mean and want to achieve.
Nevertheless, a very bad idea.

The good thing about Ember is that is simply all in a folder and NOT are files outside of the folder. Ember can be compressed to a USB flash drive on any computer without using the synchronized must be something (if the network drives are mapped to the same). It must not only the database will always be copied, but the Temp folder. In the Temp folder, for example, are all pre-recorded Thumbs for the episodes. It would be too difficult to always get the files from different folders and then save at the right place. Furthermore, it would no longer be possible to use Ember in the dropbox.

For me there is no reason to change that. I really see only disadvantages.

In reality we can do it work both ways.
From setup it will put the files in correct directories. If files are not there it will look for the ones in the same folder (portable).

In any case this is windows not Linux so the portability is achieved via moving and sync'ing the data not the app.

If you already use W8 this should be clear, it automatically sync the data between different computers using skydrive you just have to install the app on the different machines.

I will not go in the discussion on which approach is better (endless and useless discussion) just the fact how the different OS should work.

I have ember on 3 pc and I sync the data only. I installed it on the three pc and copy the DB and advanced settings...

... this is why I know how to do it....

hehehehe

If you want to make this the function MUST be a manually option (and already selectable in the Wizard). A dynamic query would be fatal. I use 3 different installations of Ember on my PC, one for my movie database, one to test the new releases and one for the neighbors server. If a installtion use automatically the settings of another that would be a disaster.