Folder & File Structure Overview
AppProfileSafe uses two main locations for its files: the installation folder (where AppProfileSafe.exe resides) and the data folder under %ProgramData%. Both are set up automatically on first launch.
Installation Folder
The installation folder contains the application executable, the main configuration file, schema files, and shipped templates:
| File / Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
AppProfileSafe.exe | GUI application — launches the graphical interface for interactive export, import, simulation, and configuration. |
AppProfileSafe.CLI.exe | Command-line interface — runs export, import, compliance reports, and preflight checks from the terminal. Designed for scheduled tasks, SCCM, Intune, and deployment scripts. |
settings.xml | Main configuration file — defines all data folder paths, logging, and retention settings. See Configuration: settings.xml. |
Schema\ | XSD schema files shipped with the application. This location is hardcoded and cannot be changed via settings.xml. See XML Schema Reference. |
Log\ | Application log files with automatic rotation. See Where to Find Logs. |
EventPipeline\ | Event pipeline queue |
Data Folder (ProgramData)
By default, all application data is stored under:
%ProgramData%\IT-Consulting Kinner\AppProfileSafe
On first launch, AppProfileSafe creates the following directories automatically:
| Folder | Purpose | Created Automatically |
|---|---|---|
AppDefinitions |
Application definition XML files — one file per application. Defines which registry entries and files to back up. See What Is an Application Definition? | Yes |
Mappings |
Mapping configuration files for path transformation during import. See What Is a Mapping File? | Yes |
Audit |
Audit trail CSV files with integrity-protected hash chain. Also contains import change reports (DiffCSV). See Audit Logging. | Yes |
License |
License file location. Place your License.json here. See How Licensing Works. |
Yes |
Key |
Public key for license signature verification (AppProfileSafe.pem). |
Yes |
Report |
Run reports (per-operation) and compliance reports. See Run Reports and Compliance Reports. | No — created when the first report is generated |
Config |
Event pipeline and integration configuration: eventpipeline.xml, siem.xml, webhook.xml, redaction.xml. See Event Pipeline Architecture. |
No — must be set up manually if needed |
All paths can be customized in settings.xml. Paths support environment variables (e.g. %ProgramData%) and can be absolute or relative to the installation folder. Note: The Schema folder location is hardcoded to the installation directory and cannot be changed.
Schema Files
The Schema folder in the installation directory contains XSD files used to validate all XML configuration and data files:
| Schema File | Validates |
|---|---|
AppProfileSafe.Settings-v1.0.0.xsd |
settings.xml |
AppProfileSafe.UserSettings-v1.0.0.xsd |
User settings override files provided via --userSettingsFile (CLI only) |
AppProfileSafe.App-v1.0.0.xsd |
Application definition XML files |
AppProfileSafe.Manifest-v1.0.0.xsd |
Export manifest files |
AppProfileSafe.Mappings-v1.0.0.xsd |
Mapping configuration files |
AppProfileSafe.Registry-v1.0.0.xsd |
Exported registry data XML files |
AppProfileSafe.EventPipeline-v1.0.0.xsd |
eventpipeline.xml |
AppProfileSafe.Siem-v1.0.0.xsd |
siem.xml |
AppProfileSafe.Webhook-v1.0.0.xsd |
webhook.xml |
AppProfileSafe.Redaction-v1.0.0.xsd |
redaction.xml |
Event Pipeline Queue
If the Event Pipeline is configured, an additional queue folder is used to persistently store events before delivery to sinks (SIEM, Webhook, Windows Event Log). The queue folder path is defined in eventpipeline.xml and contains NDJSON files for pending events and dead-letter entries for failed deliveries.
Export Output Structure
When you run an export, AppProfileSafe creates the following structure at the chosen target location:
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
MyBackup.xml |
Manifest file listing all exported applications and metadata |
MyBackup\ |
Data folder (named after the manifest filename without extension) |
MyBackup\AppName\Registry\ |
Exported registry data as XML for each application |
MyBackup\AppName\Files\ |
Exported files and folders for each application |
For details on the manifest structure, see Understanding the Manifest File.