File types in Libraries

Dandoodle · 20 Oct 2012

Advance apologies because this may have been asked before.
Window 7 Libraries seem to work by including certain folders rather than file types despite the fact that the default library names are by type (eg Videos)
On my hard disc I have a folder called My Pictures. Several of the folders in that Folder contain video clips. If I click on 'Pictures' in Libraries, it brings up those videos as well as the pictures. But when I select 'Videos' in Libraries it brings up a blank page.
If I create for example a holiday folder (eg Rome 2012) containing photos, videos scanned maps and word documents, is there any way that I can click on a corresponding library category and only show that type of document in the Rome folder without having to do a sub search. If I want to view all items, I can go to the folder called Rome.
Is there any way that I can make the Libraries search ONLY file type (eg for Photos - jpg, tiff etc. and for the Movies library - avi, mov, etc) so when I click on the Videos library it brings all of the videos on my hard disc and nothing but videos without having to go into the particular library and then do a sub search.
Sorry this is long winded but wanted to explain myself.

Thanks for your patience

whs · 20 Oct 2012

You can fix that easily. Right click on the Library (in the left pane), go to Properties. There you can add/delete folders (not files) any way you like.

If there is one you don't want, just highlight it and 'Remove' it. And don't forget APPLY > OK.

Library - Include a Folder

Library - Remove a Included Folder

Dandoodle · 20 Oct 2012

Thanks whs but I obviously did not make myself clear - apologies
I do not want to add or delete a folder. I want to be able to click on a library (say Documents) and find all of the documents on my hard disc. Similarly I do not want videos to show up when I click on Pictures and vice versa. By only sourcing from folders, the Libraries become a nonsense. They should search on file types regardless of the folders that those files are in. If in XP I put photos in the 'My Documents' folder then, if I wanted to just look at photos, I would have to filter myself. Windows 7 has this wonderful item called libraries which allegedly finds all of your photos which are scattered around you hard disc, only it doesn't. You have to point to the folder and include it which means that when you click on the Photos Library it brings everything else in that folder as well.
It seems it is beyond Microsoft abilities to pre-filter its libraries with file extensions (regardless of folders) that only relate to the particular Windows 7 library folder title..... or am I missing the point.

whs · 20 Oct 2012

But this is all under your control. If you click e.g. on the Documents library, the folders and files in the default folder show up. And set you can set in Properties.

The files that are in the individual folders - pictures or videos, etc. is a matter on how you stored them. But they are easy to move if not right.

This is not XP. But the library system has far superior capabilities than what was in XP. You just have to make proper use of them.

boohbah · 20 Oct 2012

the libraries feature in win 7 does not search for all your file types then display them in the correct library section, you have to tell it what folders to add to the library ,it by default will add the default folders for docs and pictures in your users folder but additional folders will have to be added by you,
can you imagine a scenario where you have certain movies you wouldn't want your family to notice in the library , by adding the folders you control what is on display in your movie library.

Dandoodle · 21 Oct 2012

whs and boohbah - many thanks to you both. You are very supportive of the system and I must confess that I do use the Libraries function on an almost daily basis. It is however a little less functional than I think it could be but maybe like many things in life I am expecting too much.
It does seem however like going into a public library and finding gardening books in amongst the cookery section and when enquiring why, being told that they all arrived in the same box and as the majority in that box were for cookery, they all get put on that shelf. Too much trouble to segregate the individual books.
Good point about private movies boohbah - although I would like to think that anything of that nature anywhere on my hard disc is encrypted or otherwise hidden. Maybe I had better take another look and check........