Special protocol

Available Paths

• special://xbmc - XBMC' installation root directory. This path is read-only contains the XBMC binary, support libraries and default configuration files, skins, scripts and plugins. Users should not modify files or install addons in this directory.
• special://home - XBMC's user specific (OS user) configuration directory. This path contains a writable version of the special://xbmc directories. Any addons should be installed here.
• special://temp - XBMC's temporary directory. This path is used to cache various data during normal usage, it is also where the log files reside. Unless you need the log, nothing in this directory is detrimental to XBMC's operation. Normally special://home/temp
• special://masterprofile - XBMC's main configuration directory. Normally located at special://home/userdata, this directory contains global settings and sources, as well as any XBMC profile directories. Normally special://home/userdata
• special://profile - XBMC's currently active profile directory. This directory points at special://masterprofile/profile_name (or special://masterprofile if no profile is in use) and contains per profile overrides for settings and sources.
• special://subtitles - User defined custom subtitle path. Set it in Video Settings.
• special://userdata - Alias from special://masterprofile.
• special://database - This path contains the database files XBMC uses to store library info. Normally special://masterprofile/Database.
• special://thumbnails - This path contains cached thumbnails. Normally special://masterprofile/Thumbnails
• special://recordings - This path contains saved shoutcast radio recordings. You will be asked to specify this directory the first time you attempt to record a stream.
• special://screenshots - This path contains XBMC screen shots. You will be asked to specify this directory the first time you take a screen shot.
• special://musicplaylists - This path contains saved music playlists. Normally special://profile/playlists/music.
• special://videoplaylists - This path contains saved video playlists. Normally special://profile/playlists/video.
• special://cdrips - This path contains the tracks from CDs you rip with XBMC. You will be asked to specify this directory the first time you rip a CD.
• special://skin - This path points to the currently active skin's root directory.

Platform Specific Default Mappings

Linux

• special://xbmc - /usr/share/xbmc when installed from a binary package (ie PPA, rpm, deb, etc). /usr/local/share/xbmc when compiled (unless you specify an alternate prefix)
• special://userhome - /home/[username]
• special://home - special://userhome/.xbmc (Note the '.', this directory is hidden so you may need to enable hidden files in your file manager to see it).

OS X

• special://xbmc - /Applications/XBMC.app/Contents/Resources/XBMC
• special://home - Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/XBMC

Apple TV

• special://xbmc - /Users/frontrow/Applications/XBMC.app/Contents/Resources/XBMC
• special://home - /Users/frontrow/Library/Application Support/XBMC

Windows XP

This assumes your Windows install drive is C:. Replace as necessary.

• special://xbmc - C:\Program Files\XBMC
• special://home - C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\XBMC\

Windows Vista/7

This assumes your Windows install drive is C:. Replace as necessary.

• special://xbmc - C:\Program Files\XBMC
• special://home - C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\XBMC

Xbox

This assumes you have installed XBMC in E:\APPS. Replace as necessary.

• special://xbmc - E:\APPS\
• special://home - special://xbmc

Portable Mode

In portable mode, XBMC is entirely self contained, so its install directory must be writable.

• special://xbmc - Where ever you installed XBMC (MUST be writable).
• special://home - special://xbmc