windows explorer

Hi,

I'm new to W7 (from XP) - my old machine just got too creaky for proper use.

My new machine runs fast - but I have one big gripe about Windows 7, and it goes like this ...

I'm a semi-organised individual, and kept most documents under (the old, XP) "My Documents". Many of these are in folders ("tax", "car", etc), but I have lots just lying "loose". In XP, I could open Explorer and select organise by "type" and then by "name" and I would then see all the folders grouped together and all file types (PDF, JPG, etc) likewise.

In W7, I can't get this. I can select organise by "folder", I see all folders together, everything else alphabetical - if I then select "type", it mixes up types from all folders.

It's driving me bonkers - is there anyway to recover the "old style" way of doing things, or do I have to go for a completely "folder-driven" means of storage?

(or go back to XP??)

Ztruker said:

Just click on Type, not Name. That works for me. I then see all folders first then all files organized by type, as expected.

Thanks for replying.

For me, the results are different.

Selecting "sorting by folder" shows folders followed by files in alpha order. Selecting "type" removes all folders and shows different file types from all folders grouped together.

b*gger

To be honest, I am not sure where can you select "sorting by folder". My experience is more similar to what Ztruker is talking about.

I use Details View almost exclusively. Above file names I have column headers. Sorting amounts to clicking on the column header. Typically, I have it sorted by name alphabetically, in fact, I don't even show the "type" column. However, if I reinstate the column "Type" and click on its header, then I have the folders listed first followed by all files organized by their extensions.

<<In XP, I could open Explorer and select organise by "type" and then by "name" and I would then see all the folders grouped together and all file types (PDF, JPG, etc) likewise.>>

That's how it is for me. Try right clicking on a blank space and then choose 'type'

Thanks for the responses - all very helpful. Sorry I didn't respond sooner - I was out all day yesterday.

I failed to mention that my version of W7 is French (don't ask!) and I was getting doubly confused by the new look and unfamilar foreign-language jargon (not to mention the AZERTY keyboard).

I must say though, that the option to "sort by" (trier in my version) is not exactly up-front.

Now - how to figure out showing PDF files as proper thumbnails.

PDF files show up with mini-previews by default with any version of Adobe Acrobat or Reader I've installed on any Windows 7 system.