When setting the default folder used for exporting files (primarily 'HTML' export):
- New documents open with the default export folder not set —the folder button label is empty. On first use of Export, if no folder is set, the user will be invited, via a Chooser dialog, to select a folder. Preview will use this folder for generating any preview files—previewing is essentially doing the same as exporting the viewed note.
- Older documents will continue to use the previous default of
~/Desktop, unless a user-chosen location has been set.
The export folder may be changed by either:
- using the Export inspector's Export Folder button
- a button in the Export Inspector allows selecting to the temporary folder location (as the OS normally hides this from users), but note this is intended for internal-only previewing (i.e. zero export output)
- choosing File ▸ Export ▸ HTML and selecting an different export folder.
If the current choice of export folder is the temporary folder, choosing menu File ▸ Export HTML will invite the user to select a new export folder, rather than defaulting to the (hidden and thus confusing) temporary folder.
Exporting to the temporary folder is not a useful thing to do, but is a boon when using internal preview/presentation.
A hidden factor underlying the changes from older behaviour are changes by Apple in internal security required for previewing Web(-type) content. As a result, notes need to be exported before they may be previewed. For a user doing internal preview, exporting files would require clear-up afterwards. By exporting to hidden temporary files, the zero-configuration of internal preview is maintained. Conversely normal file export is able to work as before.
See also—notes linking to here: