Organising Folder list

[Wildman]

I want to change the layout of the folders when I open Windows Explorer. For
example, I want the folders in My Documents to be showing so I can go
directly to My Music etc, and I don't want to have the C Drive folders spread
out.

Is there a simple way to do this? Also if whoever replies to this knows, is
it the same method in Vista?

-
Thanks for your help

 

[Bruce Hagen]

No idea how to do it in Vista.

How To Customize the Windows Explorer Views in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q307856&

 

[Wildman]

Thanks for your prompt reply Bruce. I went to the site you quoted and
followed the instructions ie start, All progs, accessories then it said to
right click on windows explorer but I don't have explorer there.

Is there another way to get to this point?

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Do a search for:

Windows Explorer

Right click on the result and Send To Desktop (create shortcut). Then follow
the instructions.

 

[Wildman]

Thanks I will give it a try

 

[Wildman]

I did that and everything happened but it didn't seem to make much
difference. I must be missing something.
When I open explorer I get '(+) My Documents ' followed by '(-) My computer.
What I am looking for is to get '(-) My Documents followed by '(+) My
Computer",all the following can remain the same.

I am going away for a few days now so if I don't respond that is the
reason, I am not ignoring you.

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Read the Examples in the link I provided. It shows the changes you need to
make to have what you want to see expanded when you open Windows Explorer.

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Wildman

You need to change the properties of the shortcut you're using to open
Explorer. Bruce was explaining how to create a desktop shortcut so you
could do this, as you said you didn't have one.

You can't get My Computer to display *under* My Documents because it's a
higher-level folder, but you can get Explorer to open directly *at* My
Documents. Right-click your shortcut and choose Properties. Then copy
the following line and paste it into the Target box:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe /e, C:\Documents and Settings\YourUsername\My Documents

substituting the name of your account for "YourUsername". Click OK and
you should find Explorer now opens with My Documents expanded.

Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes

 

[Wildman]

Hey Nightowl,

Your right, all I want is for "My documents" to open up and preferably "My
Computer to close up" although this is not that important.

However I followed your instructions , I think, and had no error messages
but there was no change when I open Explorer.

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Wildman

That's puzzling. . . works fine here, I just tried it again to be sure.
You did copy and paste the line into the Target box, change YourUsername
to the name of your account and OK your way out?

Sorry to ask, but you did start Explorer from this shortcut (the one
where you had changed the Target line), not some other way, didn't you?

 

[Wildman]

Hey Nightowl, I got it to work but it is not exactly what I am after.

When I open Explorer now the first entry in the pane is 'Desktop" followed
underneath by (+) My Documents followed by (-)My Computer which is split out
and contains all sorts of stuff including Documents and Settings etc. and my
Documents under my user name. Your solution works down there. I am looking
to have the 'My Documents" up the top split out and my computer closed up. I
have tried to change the target line differently to do this but clearly I am
not getting it right.

Don't be sorry asking about me opening the wrong shortcut because that is
exactly what I did.

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Wildman

Ah, now I see what you mean.

Try copying and pasting this line into the Target box instead:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}

Does this do the trick?

 

[Nightowl]

Sorry, that line seems to have wrapped in the posted message. Let me try
again:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}

 

[Wildman]

Nightowl, thanks for your patience I hope you have a little more.

I was not able to get it to work, came up with 'path does not exist or not
in directory". I thought I copied it correctly but I don't know how to do a
copy and paste from your reply to the 'Target". Can I do it this way?

I assumed all the '0' were zero's.


Thanks for your help and patience

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Wildman

Hey, no problem You're the one who's been very patient trying out
all the suggestions so far, do so don't worry. It's worth having another
try with this one as this should give you exactly what you want.

It would be best to copy and paste as it's easy to make a mistake
retyping such a complex command string

Use your mouse to highlight the line, then in your browser click on the
Edit menu and choose Copy. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C
(hold down Control and keep it held down while you hit C, then release
both keys).

Then go to the Properties of the shortcut. The line in the Target box
will probably already be highlighted; if so, just press Ctrl+V to paste
the copied line. If it's not highlighted, delete what's already there,
click in it and press Ctrl+V.

Let us know how you get on

 

[Wildman]

Bloody great. Worked first go and I have now learnt something new.

I am intrigued to know how you know how put together such a long
instruction to achieve this result.

Thanks again Nightowl.

 

[Nightowl]

You're very welcome I'm so pleased you got it to work and now have
Explorer showing the view you want.

The command looks a bit different from the kind we tried earlier, that
give a path to a folder, because that top entry for My Documents isn't
an ordinary folder. It's a kind of virtual view of the My Documents
under Documents and Settings\Username, so we have to refer to it in a
special way.

Take care and best wishes,

--
Nightowl

Bloody great. Worked first go and I have now learnt something new.

I am intrigued to know how you know how put together such a long
instruction to achieve this result.

Thanks again Nightowl.