How to merge or see multiple folders into one folder


  1. Posts : 46
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #1

    How to merge or see multiple folders into one folder


    Hello,
    I have 2 folders located on different hard drives
    I wish I could see them in one folder, I mean merged into one
    Not libraries (because libraries looks like 2 shortcuts, they do not look as merged folder)

    Somebody know how I could do it?

    I have found nothing by googling
    thanks
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #2

    The answer would be to copy the contents of both both folders into a a new one.
    But it seems that you want to keep them as they are and see its contents on a single link and that I don't think it's possible.
    Could you give more details in what you want?
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 46
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    @Megahertz07
    Hi, thanks for the reply
    I have 2+ hard drives and I have some folders that have the same material in them
    I want to create folders that can have multiple (similar) folders in them
    but on different hard drives

    For example:

    folder "movies" on disk D (containing merged folders from D and E)
    + folder "music" on disk E (containing folders from D and E)
    etc.

    So that I can see the (for example) folder "movies" not in separated folders but as one "merged"(?) folder

    There must have a third party software that can do this, right?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,788
    win 8 32 bit
       #4

    You could look at mounting a folder or you could try Subst
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  5. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #5

    I still don't understand what you want to do.
    - A folder is a physical place where files and sub folders are stored. You can combine (merge) one folder into another, that is, a folder with files from disk1 and disk2.
    - A Folder link (like the ones you see in libraries) isn't a physical place. A library can have more than one folder link, but they are dedicated, each link to a folder, they aren't merged.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 31,249
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #6

    Libraries were designed to do exactly what you wish to do, the unfortunate way that libraries are set up as default cause a lot of confusion amongst users.

    The default is to set the grouping as "By Folder", and also to order alphabetically so the ;library just looks like a top level folder containing the other folders - But, there are other group and sort options. I've seen it most used in grouping by file type and an alphabetical file sort - This would for example a library of Office files from all the folders in the library grouped as Docs, Spreadsheets and Presentations, with each group ordered alphabetically. Obviously this method of working is not as elegant, I would be liked, but it can be useful
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 46
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    I search for something like libraries in windows 7 (function:folder link) but better looking , with more options

    is there a third party software that can do this?



    I don't like libraries, because there is only "arrange by folders" that I like in libraries but this is not showing the folders in the same folder, but separated. And the other view options I totally don't like them
    And it takes a lot of resources if you put 12TB in libraries and you modify them constantly
    (Sorry my english may be approximate)
    Last edited by zpoison; 26 Sep 2018 at 01:12.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1,851
    Windows 7 pro
       #8

    You can use a junction. NTFS junction point - Wikipedia
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 46
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #9

    @townsbg
    Seems very interesting !

    Is is safe? I mean I don't want my files to be erased or deleted
    I've tried to google for this, about if it's safe but have not found anything

    I've found a page on "howtogeek" about symbolic links, do you think it's a good tutorial page?
    https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/1622...dows-or-linux/
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,851
    Windows 7 pro
       #10

    Yes they are safe as long as you don't move what's listed in the wiki. I've done that myself. As for your link, a junction is a hard link and shortcuts such as those on your desktop, or especially your start menu, are soft links. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. For your purposes it sounds like a junction would be more effective but they are trickier to create. Now the wikipedia page lists a program that'll do that. It wouldn't surprise me if there are others but I haven't tried any of them. I've only used the command line. Now when using the command if your path has any spaces in it you have to put the path in quotes or the command line won't know what to do with it. To be safe it might just be easiest to put the paths in quotes.
      My Computer


 

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