files won't list in alphabetical order

[Guest]

Hi everyone, in My Computer I have a directory that lists its file like this:
001001c_b
001002c_b
18200e1c_a
18200e2c_a
021001c_a
021001c_b
etc..

Doesn't matter if I click the Name heading, ascending or descending they
stay the same relatively speaking. If I go to a Windows command line and type
dir, they will come out in the right order (the 182... files last). Any ideas?

Thanks - Jen

 

[Matt]

Two articles that may explain it:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318872

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdzcz/is_200309/ai_ziff111211

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Use TweakUI

TweakUI
[+] Explorer
Use intuitive filename sorting

[[If this is checked the Explorer will sort files so that, for e.g. “File 5”
comes before “File 10” because 5 comes before 10. If this is unchecked then
Explorer will use literal sorting, in which case “File 10” will come before
“File 5” because 1 comes before 5. ]]
----

Download TweakUI here >>>

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Tweak UI
TweakUI.exe

 

[Alex Nichol]

001001c_b
001002c_b
18200e1c_a
18200e2c_a
021001c_a
021001c_b
etc..

Doesn't matter if I click the Name heading, ascending or descending they
stay the same relatively speaking. If I go to a Windows command line and type
dir, they will come out in the right order (the 182... files last).

It depends on what you mean by 'right order'. There used to be a great
deal of complaint that numeric fields where *not* in numeric order, so
by default in XP, ranges of decimal digits are treated as single numeric
entities, sorted in numeric order. And 1002 is less than 18200 in your
example. You can switch this back, Using TweakUI - one of the XP
Powertoys from (if you have installed XP SP1)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp
Its Explorer section, uncheck 'use intuitive filename sorting'