Library Question: Can I integrate the "Arrange by Folder" view?


  1. JayUSA
    Posts : 8
    Win 7 Pro
       New #1

    Library Question: Can I integrate the "Arrange by Folder" view?


    Hello,

    I have created a library called "America" and put 4 folders into it: "East", "West", "North" and "South".

    Each of these regional folders (real folders, not libraries) contains a separate folder for each state in that region. Thus, the "West" folder contains folders called "California","Oregon", etc..

    Lastly each state folder contains all types of files pertaining to the specific state.

    When I open the "America" library, I would like to see an integrated (and alphabetized) listing of ALL the state folders: "Alabama", "Alaska", "Arkansas",etc..

    However, when I configure the library to sort by folder, it sorts the state folders by name, but only WITHIN their respective regions. That's not my vision: I'm looking for an integrated A-to-Z list of all the folders across all the regions.

    Alternatively, if I select the "Sort by name" option, then all the state folders disappear, and they are replaced by a very long list of all the component files -- it's an integrated, alphabetized list (good), but of files (bad), not the state folders that contain them.

    Can anyone suggest a clever tweak to move me closer to my vision?

    Thanks!!

    Jay
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  3. boohbah
    Posts : 14,606
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7600
       New #2

    possibly you could arrange them manually,
    this tutorial here will allow you to move the folders around to suit you preference
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  4. JayUSA
    Posts : 8
    Win 7 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Thanks for the input...

    Just to be clear, I don't want to have file names appear in the library, just the state level folder names.

    If I tagged all 50 of the state folders with the same tag, then selected sort by tag, would they then appear as a single, integrated and alphabetized list of folders?

    Very interested to hear your thoughts,

    Jay
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  6. Zepher
    Posts : 2,164
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
       New #4

    Make 2 Libraries, 1 called Region and 1 called States.
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  7. JayUSA
    Posts : 8
    Win 7 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    Zepher,

    Thank you for your very interesting suggestion!

    Can you explain a little more precisely what you mean? Are you suggesting nested libraries or something? I can't quite envisage an implementation of your suggestion that will result in 50 alphabetized state-level folders (drawn from 4 regional folders).

    Thanks!

    Jay
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  8. kado897
    Posts : 10,455
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
       New #6

    Right click an empty area in the libray. I the context menu select "Group by->(none)". Then your sort by name will be all folders. Actually I think you also need "Arrange By->Folder" to get the states.
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  10. Zepher
    Posts : 2,164
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
       New #7

    JayUSA said:
    Zepher,

    Thank you for your very interesting suggestion!

    Can you explain a little more precisely what you mean? Are you suggesting nested libraries or something? I can't quite envisage an implementation of your suggestion that will result in 50 alphabetized state-level folders (drawn from 4 regional folders).

    Thanks!

    Jay
    Ya, main library will be called America, inside will be a folder called Regions with the 4 Regions with the states of those regions listed inside.
    Then another folder in America with the folder titled States with all the states inside.

    It will look like this
    America - Region - List of Regions - List of states inside selected region
    .......... - States - List of the states.
    this is how I see it, but I will try and see if it can be implemented.

    EDIT: I can't seem to get it to work like I want it to.
    I can get it to work, but you will end up with a copy of all the states, one copy in the Regions folder and one copy in a States folder, with both of those folders included in the America Library.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Library Question: Can I integrate the "Arrange by Folder" view?-america-library.jpg  
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  11. Zepher
    Posts : 2,164
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
       New #8

    I just tried a test using Shortcuts to the States in a State Folder shared in the America library and it works to a point but it seems to work better using actual folders than shortcuts.

    here is the Library with 2 Folders, Regions and States.
    There are 2 copies of each state on the hard drive, 1 in Region and 1 in States.
    Region is added to the America Library and States is added to the America Library.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Library Question: Can I integrate the "Arrange by Folder" view?-america-library2.jpg  
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  12. JayUSA
    Posts : 8
    Win 7 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    TWO great solutions!!!


    Zepher and Kado,

    Thank you both!!!! You both came up with interesting solutions and, impressively, they both work!!!

    I had really begun to think it would not be possible!!

    Infinite thanks to you both -- and I hope that many others are able to learn from your contributions here!

    Thanks again,

    Jay
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  13. kado897
    Posts : 10,455
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
       New #10

    You are most welcome.
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