Why can't I get my Desktop Icons to actually Sort by name? No matter what I
attempt I end up with the following Alphabetical Sorting:

ande, computer, network, inernet explorer, control panel, recycle bin,
acrobat, e-sword, faststone image, google, jasc paint, life-frame, nero home,
open office, peachtree, quick time, sony, virtual, clip, documents, e-sword
tutorial, folder, john's, microsoft, solitare, windows

As you can see, this is far from being sorted alphabetically. It jumps from
'r to a' and 'v to c'.

What is Vista actually sorting on?

Thanks

On 2/02/10, Ande posted:
> Why can't I get my Desktop Icons to actually Sort by name? No matter what I
> attempt I end up with the following Alphabetical Sorting:

> ande, computer, network, inernet explorer, control panel, recycle bin,
> acrobat, e-sword, faststone image, google, jasc paint, life-frame, nero home,
> open office, peachtree, quick time, sony, virtual, clip, documents, e-sword
> tutorial, folder, john's, microsoft, solitare, windows

> As you can see, this is far from being sorted alphabetically. It jumps from
> 'r to a' and 'v to c'.

> What is Vista actually sorting on?

> Thanks

The icons are stored in more than one place - under your user name and
under All Users, at least. I have come to believe that they are sorted
by location first and then name, and also certain items (Recycle Bin,
for instance) have reserved locations. There are probably other rules
as well, such folders and files last after shortcuts.

There are programs which will arrange your icons for you and restore
your preferred arrangement if needed.

I currently use Fences.

--
Gene Bloch 650.366.4267 lettersatblochg.com

On 2/2/2010 5:54 PM, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
> On 2/02/10, Ande posted:
>> Why can't I get my Desktop Icons to actually Sort by name? No matter
>> what I attempt I end up with the following Alphabetical Sorting:
>
>> ande, computer, network, inernet explorer, control panel, recycle bin,
>> acrobat, e-sword, faststone image, google, jasc paint, life-frame,
>> nero home, open office, peachtree, quick time, sony, virtual, clip,
>> documents, e-sword tutorial, folder, john's, microsoft, solitare, windows
>
>> As you can see, this is far from being sorted alphabetically. It jumps
>> from 'r to a' and 'v to c'.
>
>> What is Vista actually sorting on?
>
>> Thanks
>
> The icons are stored in more than one place - under your user name and
> under All Users, at least. I have come to believe that they are sorted
> by location first and then name, and also certain items (Recycle Bin,
> for instance) have reserved locations. There are probably other rules as
> well, such folders and files last after shortcuts.

Yes, the "system icons" like Computer, Network, Recycle Bin, Internet
Explorer, and your user folder will group themselves together
alphabetically, and then all the other visible files will group
themselves together alphabetically. The system icons always come first
and stand apart. To get these to be merged alphabetically the way you
were expecting, you'd either have to use a third-party program or
arrange them that way yourself.

--
David Trimboli
http://www.trimboli.name/

On 2/02/10, David Trimboli posted:
> On 2/2/2010 5:54 PM, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
>> On 2/02/10, Ande posted:
>>> Why can't I get my Desktop Icons to actually Sort by name? No matter
>>> what I attempt I end up with the following Alphabetical Sorting:
>>
>>> ande, computer, network, inernet explorer, control panel, recycle bin,
>>> acrobat, e-sword, faststone image, google, jasc paint, life-frame,
>>> nero home, open office, peachtree, quick time, sony, virtual, clip,
>>> documents, e-sword tutorial, folder, john's, microsoft, solitare, windows
>>
>>> As you can see, this is far from being sorted alphabetically. It jumps
>>> from 'r to a' and 'v to c'.
>>
>>> What is Vista actually sorting on?
>>
>>> Thanks
>>
>> The icons are stored in more than one place - under your user name and
>> under All Users, at least. I have come to believe that they are sorted
>> by location first and then name, and also certain items (Recycle Bin,
>> for instance) have reserved locations. There are probably other rules as
>> well, such folders and files last after shortcuts.

> Yes, the "system icons" like Computer, Network, Recycle Bin, Internet
> Explorer, and your user folder will group themselves together alphabetically,
> and then all the other visible files will group themselves together
> alphabetically. The system icons always come first and stand apart. To get
> these to be merged alphabetically the way you were expecting, you'd either
> have to use a third-party program or arrange them that way yourself.

Let's hope the OP Ande reads this...

In the past I have also manually arranged my desktop icons to my
liking, but this is a PITA when an event (such as booting to Safe Mode)
disturbs the arrangement, unless you run a program that saves and
restores desktop arrangements.

--
Gene Bloch 650.366.4267 lettersatblochg.com