Folder view won't alphabetize file names

[Guest]

I have folder that contains about 35-40 files. No matter what I change in
the folder view options (by name, type, size, refreshing, etc) it refuses to
alphabetize the file names.

File names all begin with the same 1st word, followed by a different 2rd
word which will not alphabetize

The strange part is that it has sorted the file names in 2 groups, both of
which do alphabetize, but not the entire list. I do not have the view set up
for groups.

Anybody else ever experienced this phenomena?

Irene

 

[ur_happy]

hi Irene

You can alphebaetize the file names follow this:

in the folder>view >drop down>Arrange icons by>drop down>select
Name>select Auto arrange.
that's it
this will solve your problem

let me know if it is solved

Urvashi

 

[Guest]

Urvashi must not have seen that you have already tried his suggestion just in
a different way. Now Carefully look at your filenames there may be a slight
difference between the 2 groups that are arranging in their own alphabetical
order. If there is an extra space after the first word then it will seperate
these in 2 groups. Look for any differences such as this. Say you named
your files all by your name then by something describing it. Basically here
is what you would look for:

Irene waking up
Irene walking
Irene working

if you arrange these 3 by name then you will get this

Irene working
Irene waking up
Irene waking up

Something as simple as an extra space can mess up the arranging by names.
Check close and good luck,

Joe

Kemco ITP

 

[Guest]

When I choose to view the file names by List or Details, the option to choose
Auto Arrange is grayed out. If I switch to Thumbnails, Tiles or Icons, Auto
Arrange is available and already checked.

I tried doing, re-doing, refreshing, etc. and it still won't alphabetize the
list in any of the views. I'm stumped...

Irene

 

[Guest]

your files all by your name then by something describing it. Basically here

is what you would look for:

Irene waking up
Irene walking
Irene working

if you arrange these 3 by name then you will get this

Irene working
Irene waking up
Irene waking up

Typo

It should be:

Irene working
Irene waking up
Irene walking

sorry,

Joe

Kemco ITP

 

[Guest]

What you said made the most sense.
Even though I carefully and systematically named the files, I figured there
had to be something, like a space, etc. that was throwing off the sort order.


I only found it when I changed the display setting of the fonts to EXTRA
large. It was then that I saw a missing letter "i" in some files. It's a
short and narrow font and not readily visible in a the normal font setting
until I enlarged it.

User error on my part. I hate when that happens!
Thank you both for your input.
Irene

 

[Wesley Vogel]

The strange part is that it has sorted the file names in 2 groups, both of

which do alphabetize, but not the entire list. I do not have the view
set up for groups.

First, turn off Show in Groups.

View menu, point to Arrange Icons By and UNCheck: Show in Groups.

Show in Groups allows you to group your files by any detail of the file,
such as name, size, type, or date modified. For example, if you group by
file type, image files appear in one group, Microsoft Word files appear in
another group, and Excel files in another. Show in Groups is available in
the Thumbnails, Tiles, Icons, and Details views. To show your files in
groups, on the View menu, point to Arrange Icons by, and then click Show in
Groups.

Sort in Explorer

In details view, by default Windows Explorer displays files and folders in
ascending order.

To sort items using a different column..

In the Contents pane, click the category that contains the items that you
want to sort.

To sort items in ascending or descending order, click the column heading,
notice which way the arrow is pointing.

On the View menu, point to Arrange Icons by |
Name, Size, Type or Modified.

How To Arrange Files Using Folder Views in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306554

TweakUI tip
From the View Menu, select "Choose Details" to select which file properties
should be shown in the Explorer window. To sort by a file property, check
its name in the "Choose Details" in order to make that property available in
the "Arrange Icons by" menu.

These work for most Windows programs.

Click and Drag a header divider to change the width of a column.

Double click the header divider to open a column to the width needed to view
the longest entry. You have to drag it back to get it to be narrow again.
If the column is wider than the longest entry, double click the header
divider to resize it to the width of the longest entry.

Ctrl + + (Hold the Ctrl key down and press the plus key on the numeric
keypad), this will adjust all the column widths to the longest entry in each
column. You have to drag them back to get them narrow again.

Right click one of the headers to get a choice to add or remove headers.

Right click one of the headers, down at the bottom, click More... to get
Choose Details if you want to change the order.

This also works in any folder in lieu of using View | Choose Details.

Column Headers can also be left clicked and dragged to change the order.

1. On the View menu, click Choose Details and then click the name of the
column that you want to adjust.
2. In the Width of selected column (in pixels) box, enter the size that you
want and then click OK.

How to Change Column Settings in Windows Explorer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310297

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In