Questions about folder organization

[Flycaster]

XP Home. When I open My Computer, I get the following tree--I've put in
only the folders that I am interested in discussing:

Desktop
My Documents
My Computer
Local Disk C
Docs and Settings
My Documents
My Pictures
My Pictures

1. The My Docs right under Desktop appears to contain the the same
files and folders as the My Docs under Docs and Settings. If this is
correct, why this duplication and does it make any sense to delete one
of them?

2. The My Pictures folder within Docs and Settings does not contain the
same files and folders as the My Pictures under Local Disk C. The My
Pictures under Local Disk C is my main picture folder. Are they two
different folders and can I delete one of them (the one under Docs and
Settings) without causing problems?

3. If possible, I'd like to be able to have the My Pictures (under
Local Disk C) moved to a top position similar to the first My Documents.
Is this possible? If so, how?

Thanks,

Adam

 

[Mike Brearley]

XP Home. When I open My Computer, I get the following tree--I've put in
only the folders that I am interested in discussing:

Desktop
My Documents
My Computer
Local Disk C
Docs and Settings
My Documents
My Pictures
My Pictures

1. The My Docs right under Desktop appears to contain the the same files
and folders as the My Docs under Docs and Settings. If this is correct,
why this duplication and does it make any sense to delete one of them?

2. The My Pictures folder within Docs and Settings does not contain the
same files and folders as the My Pictures under Local Disk C. The My
Pictures under Local Disk C is my main picture folder. Are they two
different folders and can I delete one of them (the one under Docs and
Settings) without causing problems?

3. If possible, I'd like to be able to have the My Pictures (under Local
Disk C) moved to a top position similar to the first My Documents. Is this
possible? If so, how?

Thanks,

Adam

1. No. Do not delete one of them. They are the same exact folder, just
two different places that it's displaying it. The one under Desktop is
there as a link to the actual folder to make life easier (so you don't have
to go to c:\documents and settings\username\my documents everytime you want
to open a file, you simply click on the one on the desktop.

2. The one under docs and settings is the default 'My Pictures' folder. The
one under the C:\ drive must have been created by something (a user or a
program install). I wouldn't delete either one, unless the c:\my pictures
is empty and not used, then delete that one.

3. Right click on the My Pictures on the local C and select cut. Browse to
docs and settings (where you see the other 'my pictures' and click edit -->
paste.

--
Posted 'as is'. If there are any spelling and/or grammar mistakes, they
were a direct result of my fingers and brain not being synchronized or my
lack of caffeine.

Mike Brearley

 

[Bruce Hendry]

1. The My Docs you see under Desktop is actually a special shortcut that
points to the logged on users folder under Docs and Settings. It exists as
a matter of convenience as the typical user accesses it frequently, so XP
puts it up top in the tree. You can change where it points to, i.e., if you
wanted to point it to some other folder. If you delete it, make sure you
delete the shorcut under Desktop and not the actual folder under Docs and
Settings.

2. The My Pictures folder under Local Disk C is NOT a shortcut. If you
use it more and have nothing in the My Pictures under Docs and Settings,
there isn't a problem with deleting it. However, the folders under Docs and
Settings are specific to your logon. Only delete the one under your user
profile. If you share the computer with anyone else, there may be some
confusion about whose My Pictures folder is where. See 3, though.

3. If you truly want My Pictures to display in the tree from My Computer
just like My Documents, one way is to use a 3rd party program called Shell
Object Editor, Ramesh turned me onto it and it works well. I'm pasting my
exchange with him below and it contains the link to the shell editor. Good
luck.

It's possible, using the same old technique of creating a namespace icon in
the Desktop and routing it to a real folder. This utility does the job
perfectly. http://www.tropictech.de/software/shellobject/

As for the "the top of the shell hierarchy", there is another key/value to
be added, after a small manipulation of the sort order values. This has to
be done manually.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


Ramesh, is there any way to create another "My Documents" folder, i.e., My
Documents2 or something, so you can have 2 different targets that are given
the same special display priveleges in Windows Explorer, i.e., displayed at
the top of the shell hierarchy?

How to Change the Default Location of the My Documents Folder:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310147/EN-US/

 

[Flycaster]

1. No. Do not delete one of them. They are the same exact folder, just
two different places that it's displaying it. The one under Desktop is
there as a link to the actual folder to make life easier (so you don't have
to go to c:\documents and settings\username\my documents everytime you want
to open a file, you simply click on the one on the desktop.

2. The one under docs and settings is the default 'My Pictures' folder. The
one under the C:\ drive must have been created by something (a user or a
program install). I wouldn't delete either one, unless the c:\my pictures
is empty and not used, then delete that one.

How can I make the c:\My Pictures my default, or can I?