I'm trying to figure out how to change the directory where the Bookmarks file is saved. I've successfully changed my user data directory (with the --user-data-dir switch) but that's a bit more than I need. I only need to change where the Bookmarks file is saved.

What I'm trying to accomplish is syncing chrome bookmarks across multiple PCs with dropbox. I'd rather not sync my history/cookies/cache etc, which is what happens when I change my entire user data directory.

Ideas?

Well, I don't know how to change the directory but I know where they are located.

In Vista:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\History

In XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Local Settings\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\History

Maybe if you share that directory with your other computers, you could make it sync between each other...

I couldn't really help you, but remember, Google Search is your friend.

You can sort out the cache with the --disk-cache-dir=... option - solves the issue for me, as this is really the biggest chunk

I'm a bit confused. Could you describe that better, Axel, please?

I have found a way to do this in vista/windows 7 using the 'symbolic link' command for the bookmarks files to redirect to an 'offline files' location (I guess it would work similarly with dropbox). It's a bit long-winded, but let me know if you need an explanation...

sod it - here's the explanation, it'll help me too when I need to re-install, can just copy/paste!

- close chrome if it's open

- go to the user data directory where the bookmarks and bookmarks.bak files are located (on my pc this is "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default")

- move (not copy) the 2 files to the desired directory (for me: "s:\favourites\chrome")

- click start, type cmd, right-click and run as administrator (admin rights probably not necessary, but best to get it into muscle memory!)

- Create a hard-linked file to "bookmarks" by typing: mklink /h "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\bookmarks" "s:\favourites\chrome\bookmarks"

- Create a hard-linked file to "bookmarks.bak" by typing: mklink /h "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\bookmarks.bak" "s:\favourites\chrome\bookmarks.bak"

That's it - chrome will believe the files are where they used to be, but we know better obviously replace the paths with whatever directories you like, and keep the inverted commas round the paths if there are spaces. Unfortunately I don't think it works with xp since vista upgraded ntfs a little to allow symbolic links.