Libraries Yes/No

markg2 · 07 Nov 2009

I've read an explanation of why libraries and the best I can understand is that it's a place to stick a copy of your most used stuff for the purpose of indexing.

That a lot of folks, me included, have used their own paths to store stuff (mine has been C:\My_Data\... since W2K) and hence have been out of the index loop.

However, when I checked on the W7 index options I saw the 'preload C' was being indexed. To me, that would mean that my C:\My_Data is already being indexed as a subset of the C drive. The only change I made was to include stuff inside the file for a more complete index.

What is it that I'm missing here?

Mark

Disk4mat · 07 Nov 2009

I dont think your missing anything really. Think of librarys as folders to collect files and other folders to display them in one place. AFAIK any file/folder included in a library will automaticaly be indexed.

I wouldnt say that the purpose of libraries is for indexing.

There are allot of good tutorials and info for libraries located here
Windows 7 - Tutorial Index

Another good read for indexing can be found here
Index Locations - Add or Remove

satchmo · 07 Nov 2009

I think of libraries as folders that contain shortcut links to a collection of real folders and files.

Why are they useful? I have both photos and videos of my son, and I store them in separate folders. However, I put those collections of folders in the same libraries so I can quickly access them in one place.

Barman58 · 07 Nov 2009

I would prefer to think of the Libraries as a convenience for the less organised user rather than those who have already worked out a system that works for them.

If you have a lot of folders scattered all over the disk structure then although by adding these folders to the search index they may be easily found, browsing the files is extremely difficult.

The library system allows you to bring all the scattered files into one place that may be browsed simply.

It also assists those who although organised work in an environment that is spread over multiple machine location or user folders (this depends on indexing of the remote data but is still a valid option)

pparks1 · 07 Nov 2009

Libraries are ways of organizing multiple data, stored physically in different locations, to logically all look like they are in the same place.

For example, I might keep a documents folder for personal things and a folder for work things. Now, i can go into 1 library if I want and see everything all in 1 place...even though they are in 2 locations and I want to keep them physically separated.