safe # of Folder/sub Folder levels on Desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mary Fowler Leek
  • Start date Start date
M

Mary Fowler Leek

I tend to keep a messy desktop. I'd like to organize the links I keep on my
desktop into folders and subfolders.

How many folder levels can I use and still be within the proper operating
requirements for XP Home edition?

My thanks for your assistance.

Mary
 
Mary Fowler Leek said:
I tend to keep a messy desktop. I'd like to organize the links I keep on my
desktop into folders and subfolders.

How many folder levels can I use and still be within the proper operating
requirements for XP Home edition?

My thanks for your assistance.

Mary
Click to expand...

IIRC the issue is the length of the path and name, which is expressed in a
number of characters. They can get pretty long, when you consider that
"C:\documents and settings\your name\my documents\" is already 49
characters. On an NTFS partition, the maximum is 256 characters.


HTH
-pk
 
Thank you for taking the time to explain what I must watch out for. I'm
thinking, if I'm careful with my folder names, I can go one sub folder deep
and still maintain system integrity.

Mary
 
Mary said:
Thank you for taking the time to explain what I must watch out for.
I'm thinking, if I'm careful with my folder names, I can go one sub
folder deep and still maintain system integrity.
Click to expand...

You could create a folder in the ROOT of a drive and then have a link to it
on your desktop...
That way you do not *start* as deeply as if you just created the folder on
your desktop.

And I am not talking about a 'shortcut', but more of a 'junction point'.

- Create your folder in the root of (for example) your data drive (D:\?).
For ease of example, let's say you created the folder "Stuff".

- Leaving Windows Explorer (My Computer) open so you can see the Stuff
directory (along with everything else at the root of D:), do the following:
- Start button --> RUN --> %userprofile%\nethood\ --> OK

- Now you should have two open explorer windows... 'C:\Documents and
Settings\<your username>\nethood\' and 'D:\'. At this point you want to
create a shortcut to "Stuff" in "Nethood"... So...

- Right-Click and hold down the right mouse button on the "Stuff" folder.
- Drag said folder to the "NetHood" folder.
- Let go of the right-button of your mouse to drop it.
- When it asks - choose "Create Shortcuts Here".
- Rename the shortcut to something more descriptive to you (instead of
"Shortcut to Stuff") - right-click on it, choose rename, give it the new
name...

- Move the shortcut you just renamed to your desktop.

You have created a 'Junction' between that folder on your desktop and the
folder called "Stuff" on the "D:" drive - in the very root. If you have a
256 character limit from the root, you have 250+ letters left now. When you
drag/drop to the folder on your desktop, you are actually writing to the
folder D:\stuff\ and not to the folder on your desktop. If you delete the
folder on your desktop, you only deleted the link to D:\stuff\ - the folder
itself still exists.

D:\ and "Stuff" are examples - you could use any drive you have (even C) and
any folder name...
 
Thank you, Shenan, for another way to handle this project. It is a very
practical solution.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. It's very much appreciated.

Mary
 
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