diff --git a/Timeline/TLE.fl b/Timeline/TLE.fl
index bf293ee..0b9acc1 100644
--- a/Timeline/TLE.fl
+++ b/Timeline/TLE.fl
@@ -234,9 +234,15 @@ main_window->redraw();}
           }
           MenuItem {} {
             label {&Open}
-            callback {const char *name = fl_dir_chooser( "Open Project", NULL, NULL );
+            callback {char *path;
 
-open( name );}
+read_line( user_config_dir, "default_path", &path );
+
+const char *name = fl_dir_chooser( "Open Project", path, NULL );
+
+free( path );
+
+open( name );} selected
             xywh {10 10 40 25}
           }
           MenuItem {} {
@@ -647,8 +653,7 @@ else
 }
 
 m->redraw();
-project_name->redraw();} {selected
-    }
+project_name->redraw();} {}
   }
   Function {update_progress( Fl_Progress *p, char *s, float v )} {open private return_type {static void}
   } {
@@ -829,7 +834,8 @@ if ( r < 0 )
   }
 } 
 
-class New_Project_Dialog {} {
+class New_Project_Dialog {open
+} {
   Function {New_Project_Dialog()} {open
   } {
     code {make_window();} {}
@@ -877,9 +883,15 @@ while ( _window->shown() )
 {
 	fl_alert( "Must be a directory" );
 	o->value( "" );
-}}
+	return;
+}
+
+write_line( user_config_dir, "default_path", o->value() );}
         xywh {75 100 375 35}
         code0 {\#include <FL/filename.H>}
+        code1 {char *v;}
+        code2 {read_line( user_config_dir, "default_path", &v );}
+        code3 {o->value( v );}
       }
       Fl_Box {} {
         label {New Project}
diff --git a/util/file.C b/util/file.C
index b7a6195..f35f3a8 100644
--- a/util/file.C
+++ b/util/file.C
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 
 unsigned long
 mtime ( const char *file )
@@ -136,3 +138,43 @@ touch ( int fd )
 
     fchmod( fd, st.st_mode );
 }
+
+/** write a single string to a file */
+void
+write_line ( const char *dir, const char *name, const char *value )
+{
+    char path[512];
+
+    snprintf( path, sizeof( path ), "%s/%s", dir, name );
+
+    FILE *fp = fopen( path, "w" );
+
+    if ( ! fp )
+        return;
+
+    fputs( value, fp );
+
+    fclose( fp );
+}
+
+/** write a single string to a file */
+void
+read_line ( const char *dir, const char *name, char **value )
+{
+    char path[512];
+
+    *value = 0;
+
+    snprintf( path, sizeof( path ), "%s/%s", dir, name );
+
+    FILE *fp = fopen( path, "r" );
+
+    if ( ! fp )
+        return;
+
+    *value = (char*)malloc( 512 );
+
+    fgets( *value, 512, fp );
+
+    fclose( fp );
+}
diff --git a/util/file.h b/util/file.h
index 12210e3..9c02b7c 100644
--- a/util/file.h
+++ b/util/file.h
@@ -28,3 +28,5 @@ void release_lock ( int *lockfd, const char *filename );
 int backwards_fgetc ( FILE *fp );
 char * backwards_fgets ( char *s, int size, FILE *fp );
 void touch ( int fd );
+void write_line ( const char *dir, const char *name, const char *value );
+void read_line ( const char *dir, const char *name, char **value );