Directory

[Zygy]

From a self-taught user.
The instruction reads:- Navigate to a Folder, right-click the directory and
chose "Always available offline"
When I navigate to a Folder in My Documents and right-click on it I do not
get "Always available offline" as an option.
How do I get the Directory, so that I can proceed with the right-click on
the Folder and get the desired result.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Are you doing this on a network folder or a local folder?

 

[Zygy]

Local Folder

Are you doing this on a network folder or a local folder?

 

[Gordon]

Local Folder

You only get the "Use Off-line" option on a NETWORK folder....

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Then it won't work. You can't make a local folder "available offline"
because the only time it's offline is when the computer is shut off. The
"available offline" setting is so that network folders will be synchronized
and available even if you are disconnected from the network or network
resource.

 

[Zygy]

Whether it will work or not I will know when I try, after you have replied
to my original question i.e. how do I get the Directory? At the same time
maybe you will tell me how to get Windows Explorer in case the way through
the Directory will not work. Thank you and the other contributor.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

The words 'directory' and 'folder' are the same thing.
Microsoft called it a 'directory' in earlier versions of Windows.
Then they changed it to a 'folder'.
So now we have the same thing called a directory or a folder.

What you say is 99% correct, and for most practical purposes for most
people, it's fine. But it's not completely correct, and there is a
slight difference between the two. Read here for an explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directory_(file_systems)

That pages states "Strictly speaking, there is a difference between a
directory which is a file system concept, and the graphical user
interface metaphor that is used to represent it (a folder). For
example, Microsoft Windows uses the concept of special folders to help
present the contents of the computer to the user in a fairly
consistent way that frees the user from having to deal with absolute
directory paths, which can vary between versions of Windows, and
between individual installations."

 

[mazorj]

What you say is 99% correct, and for most practical purposes for
most
people, it's fine. But it's not completely correct, and there is a
slight difference between the two. Read here for an explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directory_(file_systems)

That pages states "Strictly speaking, there is a difference between
a
directory which is a file system concept, and the graphical user
interface metaphor that is used to represent it (a folder). For
example, Microsoft Windows uses the concept of special folders to
help
present the contents of the computer to the user in a fairly
consistent way that frees the user from having to deal with absolute
directory paths, which can vary between versions of Windows, and
between individual installations."

As someone who was quite comfortable using directories and
subdirectories in CP/M and DOS, thank you for explaining that
technical difference, of which I was not aware. It makes perfect
sense in view of the way that Windows imbues graphic objects with
properties not available or even contemplated under DOS.

For all practical purposes in transitioning to Windows, it was
sufficient for us DOS users to just think of and treat Folders as
Directories. One exception for me was grasping the concept of using
special folders like Documents and My Music merely to hold links that
point to other "real" folders. It wasn't until I started browsing the
Users folder and its entries that I discovered the "real" location of
these files. It wasn't so bad under XP but with Vista I had a lot of
heartburn over trying to access places like My Photographs only to be
told that I didn't have rights to it. Huh? "That's MY folder, you
dummy! What do you mean I don't have rights to it?" Resetting the
security rights and file attributes in these "My X" folders was
confusing and creates far more headaches than solutions. But if I
drill down to Users/myaccountname, I can do anything I want in the
"real" folders for Documents, Music, Photographs. etc.

I know it's a security thing but I'm the only user on my machines and
I have robust security measures guarding my outside links. Unless I'm
missing something, IMO in my case it's an unnecessary and unwanted
obstruction to file management. Informed comments to the contrary are
welcome.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

As someone who was quite comfortable using directories and
subdirectories in CP/M and DOS, thank you for explaining that
technical difference, of which I was not aware. It makes perfect
sense in view of the way that Windows imbues graphic objects with
properties not available or even contemplated under DOS.

For all practical purposes in transitioning to Windows, it was
sufficient for us DOS users to just think of and treat Folders as
Directories.

Absolutely! No argument from me. As I said, "What you say is 99%
correct, and for most practical purposes for most people, it's fine."

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Let's try this from another angle ... what exactly are you (1) trying to do;
or (2) hoping to accomplish? What you replied below doesn't make any sense
to me in the context of your original question.

 

[Gordon]

with Vista I had a lot of heartburn over trying to access places like My
Photographs only to be told that I didn't have rights to it. Huh?
"That's MY folder, you dummy! What do you mean I don't have rights to
it?"

That's because they are NOT "folders or directories" at ALL. They are
junction points (aka Symbolic Link if you are familiar with *nix) and
contain nothing other than pointers to enable legacy applications that use
the old "My this" and "My That" folders to use the newer Vista named
folders.
See here for more info:

Windows Vista Junction Points:

http://www.svrops.com/svrops/articles/jpoints.htm

 

[Zygy]

From the postings above I came to the conclusion that Petri in IT
Knowledgebase must have been taking nonsense when he said:- "Navigate to a
shared folder, right click the directory and chose Always available offline
ect" that is if the contributors are right and a Folder and Directory are
basically the same thing! I wish you answered my question instead of asking
further ones. How to I get Windows Explorer? Just tell me please if you
know!

 

[Gordon]

From the postings above I came to the conclusion that Petri in IT
Knowledgebase must have been taking nonsense when he said:- "Navigate to a
shared folder, right click the directory and chose Always available
offline ect" that is if the contributors are right and a Folder and
Directory are basically the same thing!

No - you've got the wrong end of the stick. A shared LOCAL folder is never
"offline" - how can it be? And thus does NOT have the "Make available
offline" function. A NETWORK folder can be set to be used offline (Doesn't
matter whether you call it a Folder or a Directory - the pertinent factor
here is that it is a NETWORK folder or directory) because you can disconnect
from the network. A LOCAL folder can never be "disconnected" unless you
remove the hard disk that contains it!

 

[Zygy]

I am not wrong, although I am a self-taught user I can only follow the
taught clever ones instructions. Read the first instruction commencing "In
order..." on:- http://www.petri.co.il/windows_vista_sync_centre.html and
tell him he is wrong!

 

[Gordon]

I am not wrong, although I am a self-taught user I can only follow the
taught clever ones instructions. Read the first instruction commencing "In
order..." on:- http://www.petri.co.il/windows_vista_sync_centre.html and
tell him he is wrong!

No he's not entirely wrong - but there are serious omissions in that page of
how you create an off-line folder.
This is what offline folders is all about:.
Say you have a desktop computer and a laptop.
You want to keep the Documents folders on both in sync.
You set the location of the Documents folder on the Laptop to point at the
Documents folder on the Desktop.
Now, under normal circumstances, you would only be able to see the Documents
folder on the desktop, from the laptop, when the desktop machine is switched
on.
So how do you get round this?
When you view the Documents folder on the Desktop FROM THE LAPTOP if you
right-click, you get the function to "use offline". In other words, the
laptop treats the Documents folder on the desktop as a NETWORK folder.
If you right-click the documents folder on the DESKTOP when logged onto the
DESKTOP, then of COURSE you don't get the "use offline" function

See here for more info on offline folders: (although they are specifically
for XP the practicalities are the same in Vista. Notice they both talk about
making NETWORK folders and files available off-line...)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307853
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/learnmore/offlinefiles.mspx