Can libraries be deleted?

DeaconFrost said:

You've deleted Libraries and had them return? That's an interesting one, we should look into.

Like the OP, I don't have a use for libraries either. Not sure whether his libraries literally reappear, but I do recall that once in a blue moon I'd have an app which defaulted it's "File->Open" or "File->Save" options to the standard Win7 libraries.

IMO they are a typical MS idea.
B+ for imagination.
C- for execution.

They'd be more useful:

• If more programs linked to them properly (or could be easily associated with them).
• If they were easier to control.
• If you could add folders in bulk, instead of one-at-a time.

Some examples.
Even though I have a Music Library, when I try to save a playlist (in Winamp) the default save location is the Documents Library.

Also there was a problem with WMP12.
It constantly loaded in all Library locations, despite being told not to.
I don't need 10,000+ pictures being loaded, when I just want to play a mp3.
That's one of the reasons that I use Winamp.

If you have Indexing disabled, you can't perform searches in the Library on local folders.
You have to go to the folder itself.


I have placed Shortcuts (to my most used folders) in the associated Library locations.
When trying to open/save a file, Windows Explorer opens the Document Library, I just use the Shortcut to go to the folder I want, instead of swapping to the "correct" Library location.

IMO, Libraries work best for disorganised people, who scatter their folders about their HDDs at random.
Unfortunately they probably can't use them anyway (they aren't organised enough).

I found this free utility handy for setting what I want in the Explorer Navigation Pane:

Windows 7 Navigation Pane Customizer: Show, Hide, Rename Items In Windows Explorer Navigation Pane | door2windows

You can do everything it does, without using it. But because I have it I don't have to bother remembering the settings. Just check the boxes.

garza said:

Britton30 - She later emigrated to the U.S. and was elected to Congress. How do you make a library point to a single folder? That would make it a sort of shortcut, and that would not be so bad.

Ahh, I know 235 like her.

You can create a new library two ways, first this tutorial will add the Add to Library to the right-click context menu of any folder/drive. That will give you a Create Library in a fly-out menu.

Or, open Libraries and click New Library near the top of the window. A New Library will appear awaiting a new name. Double click on it and it will open a dialog asking for item(s) to include and you can browse to them.

garza said:

Brink - The system continues to want to use libraries, though now when I open folders I do get the actual folders. But the library files won't go away.

Example: I have a shortcut in Quick Launch that points to a blank docx file. When I have text prepared and ready to assemble into a formatted document I open that blank docx file, copy/paste my text, and save the docx file with a new file name in a folder created for the project the document belongs to. With every version of Windows through XP this was a dirt simple way of working. I always knew where my files were. Now when I try to save the file he system will only open a library folder. I have to hunt around to find where I want it put and sometimes lose track of the file.

Garza,

That's where a library could be most helpful for to help keep track of everything easier by allowing you to see everything in the library instead of having to hunt for the individual folders.

A library is just a access point where you can see all the files and subfolders that you have in folders that you have included to be displayed in the library. For example, you could included all folders that you have documents saved at in your "Documents" library to be able to see them all in one location (library) instead of having to open each folder to see them.

If you like, you can set one of the included folders as the default save to folder for whenever you save anything in the library folder itself, it actually gets saved into the default save to folder.

While in a library folder, you can also right click on a file or folder and click on "Open file location" or "Open folder location" to open and see that file's or folder's actual location.

I have a separate partition on my internal hard drive for all my personal data and every Save location is pointed to that drive, bypassing Libraries altogether.

That is where I find libraries of particular interest. I also keep all my user data in a seperate partition (and on my desktops even on a seperate HDD). But rather than moving the default folders to that partition, I created new folders that I "Include" into the respective library.

That has the added advantage that my own folders and those created by the system or some program are clearly seperated - e.g. in the Documents default folder you accumulate quite a lot of program folders over time that are created by various programs.