Re: How to set default directory in .emacs init file?

[Lennart Borgman]

Drew Adams wrote:
> > But I've just installed gnu emacs for Windows on my XP desktop, and
> > annoyingly, the Find File command starts looking in the install
> > directory for emacs! I'd like it to start in my data directory, which
> > is in a totally separate partition.
> >     
>
> There may be a better way, but I just specify the starting directory in the
> Windows shortcut I use to start emacs. Right-click the shortcut that has
> this as target: C:\your\path\to\runemacs.exe, and put the folder you want in
> the "Start in:" field - e.g. C:\your\directory.
>
> I also provide the same directory to runemacs.exe, so that I start Emacs in
> Dired: C:\your\path\to\runemacs.exe "C:\your\directory".  HTH.
>   

If you start Emacs in another way (for example through emacsclient) you 
can just add something like

  (setq default-directory "c:/my/data/path/")

to your .emacs