File sorting issue

[Shawna]

File sorting issue

Here is a collection of emails/postings - all wanting the same thing
(Folders first then files most recent first) Does anyone know of a
solution?

Thanks,
Shawna


Begin Paste
-------------

I recently changed to XP.

For the order of files in a directory I usually use Details or List
then often sort the file/folder listing into date order with most
recent on top. In 98 this arrangement listed the folders at the
beginning. Thus when I open a folder I immediately see the list of
subfolders (in case I want to go deeper or transfer a recent file to a
folder) followed by recent files in case I want to use one again or
move it to a subfolder. I usually find this arrangement by far the
most convenient.

But, XP puts the folder list on the bottom instead of leaving them at
the top. This is *very* inconvenient.

Is there a way to make XP sort/order file/folder lists like 98 does
it?

jim

-----------


Hi, I have been using Windows XP since it came out. I still miss
Win98 in the following respect:
In many directories, I like to use the "details" view that windows
explorer provides, and set it to show me the most recently modified
files.
Back in Win98, this view combination shows folders first - and then
files. (Most recent folder to least recent folder, then most recent
file to least recent file.)
This way, at a glance, you could see all recently changed files and
all folders without resorting or scrolling down to the end of what may
be a very long list of files.
I loved it that way, it made sense, it was convienient.

In Windows XP, this behavior was changed. Someone decided to make it
harder.

Either you can list:
Files shown first ( most recent file to least recent file), and then
folders (most recent folder to least recent folder).

or

Files first (least recent to most recent), and then folders (least
recent to most recent).

So, my "simple" question is: how can I make Windows XP show folders
first, and then files like Win98?

thanks!


---------------



Ultimately I wish to Arrange the Icons inside my Folders thus:

All concurrently in "details":
1st by: Sub folders (Alphabetically a-z)
2nd by: Links (Alphabetically a-z)
3rd by: Zipped folders (Alphabetically a-z)
4th by: regular files (by Date with newest files at the top)
Then, set that regime to apply to all folders


If that can't be done I would settle for say:
All concurrently in "details":
1st by: Sub folders (Alphabetically a-z)
2nd by: all files (by Date with newest files at the top)
Then, set that regime to apply to all folders


Is any of this possible? I believe this would greatly assist me in
locating my files.

Thanks,

 

[purplehaz]

Well the issue is on your computer(or whoever has the problem) cause xp does
not work like you describe. It works the same as win98. When you sort by
name the folders either goto the top or bottom. If you sort from A-Z then
the folders are at the top. If you sort from Z-A then the folders are on the
bottom. Any xp I have ever seen has always acted this way. I would first
suspect your just not sorting it correctly. Make sure you do not have
"arrange icons by - show in groups" set and make sure your sorting from A-Z.

 

[Shawna]

Well the issue is on your computer(or whoever has the problem) cause xp does
not work like you describe. It works the same as win98. When you sort by
name the folders either goto the top or bottom. If you sort from A-Z then
the folders are at the top. If you sort from Z-A then the folders are on the
bottom. Any xp I have ever seen has always acted this way. I would first
suspect your just not sorting it correctly. Make sure you do not have
"arrange icons by - show in groups" set and make sure your sorting from A-Z.

Not to be sarcastic, but you misunderstand my (and other's) trouble.
It's a little bit more complicated than that. Win 98 sorted such that
folders would be at the top and files would follow (most recent to
oldest). THAT's what I and others want back.
Thanks again,
Shawna

 

[Malke]

Not to be sarcastic, but you misunderstand my (and other's) trouble.
It's a little bit more complicated than that. Win 98 sorted such that
folders would be at the top and files would follow (most recent to
oldest). THAT's what I and others want back.
Thanks again,
Shawna

That's OK, Shawna, but what purplehaz is saying, and it is the the same
for me, is the XP sorts the way you want it to on our systems. That
means you are doing something different or have something set
differently than purplehaz or I do. He was just trying to determine
what you've done differently. Bear in mind that it is always hard to
troubleshoot these sorts of things without actually sitting in front of
someone's computer.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[Shawna]

That's OK, Shawna, but what purplehaz is saying, and it is the the same
for me, is the XP sorts the way you want it to on our systems. That
means you are doing something different or have something set
differently than purplehaz or I do. He was just trying to determine
what you've done differently. Bear in mind that it is always hard to
troubleshoot these sorts of things without actually sitting in front of
someone's computer.

Good luck,

Malke

Ok ok, Thanks folks for your attempts to help me here - this is not
too complicated though.

I understand that it is always hard to troubleshoot these sorts of
things without actually sitting in front of the computer.
Please be patient with me here. I hope I am not coming off as
impatient. I don't mean to. It's also hard to convey relatively
simple things in writing instead of putting someone in front of the
computer. Ever try to describe how to tie shoe laces in writing? I
even set up an old win98 machine just to make sure I'm not going
crazy.

I use several XP machines and have used XP ever since it came out - so
I doubt it's some quirky problem with *my* computer.
I know what I'm talking about on this one - I just can't seem to
convey the problem. Also, I'm beginning to think I'm the only in the
world who really cares about this. I'm surprised there isn't uproar
about it. Hardly anyone has ever noticed it. It has bugged me ever
since the release of XP. I've looked for a solution before only to
get frustrated and resigned to using it as is. MICROSOFT! HELP ME!
Why'd ya change it? I shouldn't have to search around each folder
just to see my folders and my most recent files. Both should appear
when I simply open the folder. Win98 worked well.

Window 98 does it exactly the opposite of Windows XP.


In "details" display, click the column header "Date Modified". When
the files are listed from newest to oldest:

In Win98 the folders are at the TOP.

In WinXP the folders are at the BOTTOM.


Again WIN98 makes sense. WinXP makes you click around to see what
win98 just simply always showed just by opening the folder once the
folder view setting were set.

Thanks again,
Shawna

 

[purplehaz]

Ok ok, Thanks folks for your attempts to help me here - this is not
too complicated though.

I understand that it is always hard to troubleshoot these sorts of
things without actually sitting in front of the computer.
Please be patient with me here. I hope I am not coming off as
impatient. I don't mean to. It's also hard to convey relatively
simple things in writing instead of putting someone in front of the
computer. Ever try to describe how to tie shoe laces in writing? I
even set up an old win98 machine just to make sure I'm not going
crazy.

I use several XP machines and have used XP ever since it came out - so
I doubt it's some quirky problem with *my* computer.
I know what I'm talking about on this one - I just can't seem to
convey the problem. Also, I'm beginning to think I'm the only in the
world who really cares about this. I'm surprised there isn't uproar
about it. Hardly anyone has ever noticed it. It has bugged me ever
since the release of XP. I've looked for a solution before only to
get frustrated and resigned to using it as is. MICROSOFT! HELP ME!
Why'd ya change it? I shouldn't have to search around each folder
just to see my folders and my most recent files. Both should appear
when I simply open the folder. Win98 worked well.

Window 98 does it exactly the opposite of Windows XP.


In "details" display, click the column header "Date Modified". When
the files are listed from newest to oldest:

In Win98 the folders are at the TOP.

In WinXP the folders are at the BOTTOM.


Again WIN98 makes sense. WinXP makes you click around to see what
win98 just simply always showed just by opening the folder once the
folder view setting were set.

Thanks again,
Shawna

Shawna, your not listening to us. Win98 and WinXP work exactly the same when
it comes to sorting in explorer. Trust me, it is exactly the same. You seem
to be seeing something different on your computer, and I don't doubt you, it
just that in normal operation XP does not work like you describe. There has
to be something wrong with your xp or something wrong in the way your doing
it. MS didn't change anything, trust me, really. The one new thing is sort
in groups. I just tried as you said with details view, I clicked on date
modified column and the folders are either at the top or the bottom all
grouped together, depending on if I sorted desending or asending. If I click
on the date modfied column it sorts by date, folders at the top, if I click
again, folders at the bottom, if I click again, folders at the top...etc...
If you'd like to try to trouble shoot your problem post back, as this is a
problem with your xp or technique. Maybe you can post a screen shot of your
explorer on a website you have. Just to show you, here are some screen shots
I just took 2 miutes ago. They clearly show folder on top or on bottom,
sorted by date modified, in details view. The top or bottom folders depends
on asending or descending sort order.
http://www.woodspecialties.com/view.htm

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Shawna, your not listening to us. Win98 and WinXP work exactly the same when
it comes to sorting in explorer. Trust me, it is exactly the same. You seem
to be seeing something different on your computer, and I don't doubt you, it
just that in normal operation XP does not work like you describe. There has
to be something wrong with your xp or something wrong in the way your doing
it. MS didn't change anything, trust me, really. The one new thing is sort
in groups. I just tried as you said with details view, I clicked on date
modified column and the folders are either at the top or the bottom all
grouped together, depending on if I sorted desending or asending. If I click
on the date modfied column it sorts by date, folders at the top, if I click
again, folders at the bottom, if I click again, folders at the top...etc...
If you'd like to try to trouble shoot your problem post back, as this is a
problem with your xp or technique. Maybe you can post a screen shot of your
explorer on a website you have. Just to show you, here are some screen shots
I just took 2 miutes ago. They clearly show folder on top or on bottom,
sorted by date modified, in details view. The top or bottom folders depends
on asending or descending sort order.
http://www.woodspecialties.com/view.htm

Shawna I will add my voice to the others here. I run XP on several systems
and my experience is that, in Details view, the sub folders within a
directory are listed first and files are listed after that. For example when
exploring C:\Windows all directories (folders) are listed at the top of the
window and then individual files are displayed afterward.

Try this and see if it helps. Open a folder and then select the View you
want and sort it as you want. Hold down the Shift key and click the "x" in
the upper corner of the window to close it. This will do a hard close of the
window and should enable the change to stick.

 

[Allen]

Shawna, I have the same problem you do. I run XP on a
laptop and 98SE on a desktop.
On the desktop (98SE), in detail view, if I sort
descending order of date modified, the subfolders are
listed first and then the files, newest to oldest. If I
sort ascending order of date modified, the files are
listed first, oldest to newest, and the subfolders are
last.
On the laptop (XP), in classic folders - detail view,
descending order of date modified, lists the files first,
newest to oldest, and the folders last.
This is very frustrating to me, also, and results in many
extra keystrokes and clicks! Please, Microsoft, at least
give us an option to list folders first, regardless of
sort option.
Cheers....Allen

-----Original Message-----

Shawna, your not listening to us. Win98 and WinXP work

exactly the same
when

it comes to sorting in explorer. Trust me, it is

exactly the same. You
seem

to be seeing something different on your computer, and

I don't doubt you,
it

just that in normal operation XP does not work like you

describe. There
has

to be something wrong with your xp or something wrong

in the way your
doing

it. MS didn't change anything, trust me, really. The one new thing is sort
in groups. I just tried as you said with details view, I clicked on date
modified column and the folders are either at the top or the bottom all
grouped together, depending on if I sorted desending or

asending. If I
click

on the date modfied column it sorts by date, folders at

the top, if I
click

again, folders at the bottom, if I click again, folders

at the
top...etc...

If you'd like to try to trouble shoot your problem post back, as this is a
problem with your xp or technique. Maybe you can post a

screen shot of
your

explorer on a website you have. Just to show you, here

are some screen
shots

I just took 2 miutes ago. They clearly show folder on top or on bottom,
sorted by date modified, in details view. The top or

bottom folders
depends

on asending or descending sort order.
http://www.woodspecialties.com/view.htm

Shawna I will add my voice to the others here. I run XP on several systems
and my experience is that, in Details view, the sub folders within a
directory are listed first and files are listed after that. For example when
exploring C:\Windows all directories (folders) are listed at the top of the
window and then individual files are displayed afterward.

Try this and see if it helps. Open a folder and then select the View you
want and sort it as you want. Hold down the Shift key and click the "x" in
the upper corner of the window to close it. This will do a hard close of the
window and should enable the change to stick.
--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp



.

 

[Shawna]

Allen,
I'm glad you can see the problem.
On the advice of some wise poster, I put up a web page with screen
shots to better explain the problem.
http://321.0catch.com/Screenshots.htm
Please check it out.
Let get to the botom of it!
Shawna

Shawna, I have the same problem you do. I run XP on a
laptop and 98SE on a desktop.
On the desktop (98SE), in detail view, if I sort
descending order of date modified, the subfolders are
listed first and then the files, newest to oldest. If I
sort ascending order of date modified, the files are
listed first, oldest to newest, and the subfolders are
last.
On the laptop (XP), in classic folders - detail view,
descending order of date modified, lists the files first,
newest to oldest, and the folders last.
This is very frustrating to me, also, and results in many
extra keystrokes and clicks! Please, Microsoft, at least
give us an option to list folders first, regardless of
sort option.
Cheers....Allen

-----Original Message-----

exactly the same
whenexactly the same. You
seemI don't doubt you,
itdescribe. There
hasin the way your
doingasending. If I
clickthe top, if I
clickat the
top...etc...screen shot of
yourare some screen
shotsbottom folders
depends

on asending or descending sort order.
http://www.woodspecialties.com/view.htm

Shawna I will add my voice to the others here. I run XP on several systems
and my experience is that, in Details view, the sub folders within a
directory are listed first and files are listed after that. For example when
exploring C:\Windows all directories (folders) are listed at the top of the
window and then individual files are displayed afterward.

Try this and see if it helps. Open a folder and then select the View you
want and sort it as you want. Hold down the Shift key and click the "x" in
the upper corner of the window to close it. This will do a hard close of the
window and should enable the change to stick.
--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp



.