Microsoft Windows question

[Jamie Buxton]

When I open a folder in XP Home, I see subfolders and files. I'd like to order them so that the subfolders are at the top of the display, and files below them. I'd also like them ordered so that the most recently changed are at the top. Can I do this? Can I do this globally, so all folder views open this way?

[Jim Tobias]

Jamie,
I believe you can do it by going to "View" and then "Choose Details". That will let you move your priorities up and down.

Jim

[Mitchell Andrus]

Jim's got it... don't be afraid to click around.

[Jamie Buxton]

I can see how to open a specific folder, and get it to list contents by date, with the most-recent at the top. However, when I do that, it lists the files at the top and subfolders below. I want it the other way around. Furthermore, changing the view on one folder only affects that one folder. I'd like to do it globally, for the hundreds of folders on my machine.

[Paul Atkins]

After getting my Mac I learned a few thing that will work on Pcs. I just tried this on my pc to test this out for you. XP pro. I went to Windows explorer and set the view to 'details'. That gives you a bar at the top with 'folders,name,size,type,date modified'. Next to name is a gray arrow (up/down) click this for changing file/folder order. You can click on 'size, type, or date modified' to change the order also. Hope this is what you needed.

[Bob Vavricka]

Jamie,
Once you get one folder like you want it, click on tools--> Folder Options--> View tab--> Apply to all folders button. This dialog box also has options for customizing your view.
P.S. I generally work from the Windows Explorer view which you can get to from (Windows Key + E) or right click on start button and choose explore or Start-->right click on My Computer --> explore {Don't you love having options}
Bob V.

[Jamie Buxton]

Thank you all for the attempt to help. Maybe I'm not explaining myself clearly. I want the subfile folders to appear at the top of the view, and I want them ordered so that the most-recently-modified ones are at the top.

I can tweedle the column headers which Paul mentions, but I can't quite get it to do what I want. If I fiddle with the Date heading, I can get it to order by date, but the files are at the top of the window. If I fiddle with the Type heading, I can get the folders at the top of the window, but they're ordered alphabetically, not by date.

[Tom Veatch]

Jamie, I'm certainly no expert, but unless there's some register tweak that can be made, I don't think you're going to be able to get an Explorer window to sort the contents in inverse date order (newest first) with the subfolders grouped at the top. A simple click on the "Modified Date" heading will get the sort the way you want it, but as you've already found, that positions the subfolders at the bottom of the list. I'd suggest submitting the question to one of the computer oriented forums to get it in front of a higher concentration of computer geeks.

[Curt Harms]

Windows Explorer made me pull my hair out and I don't have enough hair for that. I downloaded this-it's free and somewhat crippled but STILL WAY better than explorer IMO. Version 6 doesn't work well with Vista so I went with the Pro version. (I use Vista for "foreign" networks in hotels & such. If Vista gets trashed I don't care-I'll just reinstall the image) The Pro version supports viewing a bunch of different file formats, has a directory synchronizer and some other goodies. Probably my most frequently used piece of software.

PS I think Powerdesk, at least the Pro version will do precisely what you want to do if I understand you correctly. View->arrange icons->by date. Folders on top, files below and you can open 2 panes and drag files between them.