Guest TC Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in My Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows folders out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want them. I'm very happy with my organization, and I don't want anything to disrupt it. That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it creates its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've managed to keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, or uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been fighting a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering programs that generate folders under My Documents, and don't let you move them. Two recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SyncToy. I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've also tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become visible unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? -TC
Guest BillW50 Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Re: Reclaiming My Documents In news:19550e71-1d6e-4bcc-a46a-35a8be047c57@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com, TC typed on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:25:12 -0700 (PDT): > I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. > > I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in My > Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used > Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows folders > out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want them. I'm very > happy with my organization, and I don't want anything to disrupt it. > > That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it creates > its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've managed to > keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, or > uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been fighting > a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering programs that > generate folders under My Documents, and don't let you move them. Two > recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SyncToy. > > I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My > Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows > Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special > folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've also > tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become visible > unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. > > Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? Well I made my own document folder and let those programs have the other one. But it sounds like you don't like that idea. Another idea that you just might not like either is making a C:\My Documents folder and don't add anything to it yet. Then use Computer Management (compmgmt.msc) on an unused partition and mount that drive/partition into that folder. So let's say that drive/partition is drive E. Then your documents could be saved to either to C:\My Documents or E:\ and it is all the same place. -- Bill Gateway Celeron M 370 (1.5GHZ) MX6124 (laptop) w/2GB Windows XP Home SP2 (120GB HD) Intel® 910GML (64MB shared)
Guest RMD Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Re: Reclaiming My Documents On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:25:12 -0700 (PDT), TC <golemdanube@yahoo.com> wrote: >I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. > >I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in My >Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used >Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows folders >out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want them. I'm very >happy with my organization, and I don't want anything to disrupt it. > >That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it creates >its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've managed to >keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, or >uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been fighting >a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering programs that >generate folders under My Documents, and don't let you move them. Two >recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SyncToy. > >I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My >Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows >Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special >folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've also >tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become visible >unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. > >Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? > > >-TC I have a folder named "My Documents archive" where I keep my own particular idiosyncratic file system. Things go initially into "My Documents" and every fortnight or so I move everything into the archive folder files. I also copy the archive file to another drive so it is safely backed up too. Works for me. :) Ross
Guest Gerry Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Re: Reclaiming My Documents TC I share your frustration. Your post just might stir me up enough to try to work out a solution. In my situation I use Sage, an Accounts Package, to send data to Excel 2000. The data is put into a template, which if renamed and saved is placed in My Documents. However, you can change the Default Location for the template in Excel by selecting Tools, Options, General, Default File Location. Similarly in Word 2000 the option to change can be found at Tools, Options, File Locations. -- Hope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TC wrote: > I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. > > I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in My > Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used > Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows folders > out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want them. I'm very > happy with my organization, and I don't want anything to disrupt it. > > That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it creates > its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've managed to > keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, or > uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been fighting > a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering programs that > generate folders under My Documents, and don't let you move them. Two > recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SyncToy. > > I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My > Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows > Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special > folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've also > tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become visible > unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. > > Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? > > > -TC
Guest TC Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Re: Reclaiming My Documents On Aug 14, 12:24 am, "Gerry" <ge...@nospam.com> wrote: > TC > > I share your frustration. Your post just might stir me up enough to try > to work out a solution. > > In my situation I use Sage, an Accounts Package, to send data to Excel > 2000. The data is put into a template, which if renamed and saved is > placed in My Documents. However, you can change the Default Location for > the template in Excel by selecting Tools, Options, General, Default File > Location. Similarly in Word 2000 the option to change can be found at > Tools, Options, File Locations. > > -- > > Hope this helps. > > Gerry > ~~~~ > FCA > Stourport, England > Enquire, plan and execute > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > TC wrote: > > I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. > > > I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in My > > Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used > > Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows folders > > out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want them. I'm very > > happy with my organization, and I don't want anything to disrupt it. > > > That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it creates > > its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've managed to > > keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, or > > uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been fighting > > a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering programs that > > generate folders under My Documents, and don't let you move them. Two > > recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SyncToy. > > > I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My > > Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows > > Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special > > folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've also > > tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become visible > > unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. > > > Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? > > > -TC Thanks for the replies. I think I'll just have to settle for a less- than-ideal solution, and replace My Documents with my own root folder. Is there any way to make file dialogs default to the folder I choose? -TC
Guest BillW50 Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Re: Reclaiming My Documents In news:ae2f19de-15c3-4afc-8ee0-5aecdd97f40b@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com, TC typed on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:16:49 -0700 (PDT): > On Aug 14, 12:24 am, "Gerry" <ge...@nospam.com> wrote: >> TC >> >> I share your frustration. Your post just might stir me up enough to >> try to work out a solution. >> >> In my situation I use Sage, an Accounts Package, to send data to >> Excel 2000. The data is put into a template, which if renamed and >> saved is placed in My Documents. However, you can change the Default >> Location for the template in Excel by selecting Tools, Options, >> General, Default File Location. Similarly in Word 2000 the option to >> change can be found at Tools, Options, File Locations. >> >> TC wrote: >>> I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. >> >>> I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in >>> My Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used >>> Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows >>> folders out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want >>> them. I'm very happy with my organization, and I don't want >>> anything to disrupt it. >> >>> That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it >>> creates its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've >>> managed to keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, >>> or uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been >>> fighting a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering >>> programs that generate folders under My Documents, and don't let >>> you move them. Two recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and >>> Microsoft SyncToy. >> >>> I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My >>> Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows >>> Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special >>> folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've >>> also tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become >>> visible unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. >> >>> Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? > > Thanks for the replies. I think I'll just have to settle for a less- > than-ideal solution, and replace My Documents with my own root folder. > Is there any way to make file dialogs default to the folder I choose? You mean through Explorer? Or through other means? Like through a shortcut? Or you can make a folder on the desktop and that pops up in Explorer and it is only another click or two to get there. -- Bill Black Asus EEE PC 4GB 2GB SoDIMM Adata 16GB Windows XP SP2 and Xandros Linux
Guest Gerry Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Re: Reclaiming My Documents TC Please read my earlier post. -- Hope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TC wrote: > On Aug 14, 12:24 am, "Gerry" <ge...@nospam.com> wrote: >> TC >> >> I share your frustration. Your post just might stir me up enough to >> try to work out a solution. >> >> In my situation I use Sage, an Accounts Package, to send data to >> Excel 2000. The data is put into a template, which if renamed and >> saved is placed in My Documents. However, you can change the Default >> Location for the template in Excel by selecting Tools, Options, >> General, Default File Location. Similarly in Word 2000 the option to >> change can be found at Tools, Options, File Locations. >> >> -- >> >> Hope this helps. >> >> Gerry >> ~~~~ >> FCA >> Stourport, England >> Enquire, plan and execute >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> TC wrote: >>> I'm fed up with programs that put application data in My Documents. >> >>> I keep my files extremely well organized. All my data is stored in >>> My Documents in a folder structure that makes sense to me. I've used >>> Tweak UI to move "My Music", "My Pictures", and other Windows >>> folders out of My Documents and into the subfolder where I want >>> them. I'm very happy with my organization, and I don't want >>> anything to disrupt it. >> >>> That's why it makes me mad when I install a new program and it >>> creates its own folder under My Documents. Until recently, I've >>> managed to keep My Documents fairly pure by reconfiguring, hacking, >>> or uninstalling programs that abuse it. Unfortunately, I've been >>> fighting a losing battle. More and more often, I'm encountering >>> programs that generate folders under My Documents, and don't let >>> you move them. Two recent examples are Microsoft Visual Studio and >>> Microsoft SyncToy. >> >>> I haven't found a solution to this problem. I've tried replacing My >>> Documents with my own root folder, but I've found that Windows >>> Explorer won't let you replace My Documents (It is the one special >>> folder which always appears at the top of the folder list). I've >>> also tried hiding the errant folders, but they seem to become >>> visible unexpectedly in file dialogs and other places. >> >>> Has anyone found a good way to deal with this? >> >>> -TC > > Thanks for the replies. I think I'll just have to settle for a less- > than-ideal solution, and replace My Documents with my own root folder. > Is there any way to make file dialogs default to the folder I choose? > > -TC
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