[referee07]

I wasn't sure in which foreign to pose my question and since I'm using Windows 7, I thought I would pose it here. I have several documents folders within documents folders and I'm wondering how I can combine them all into one folder. For instance, if I click on something on my computer desktop and choose send to "documents," and then click on the documents folder in the tray on the bottom of the screen, I find my saved item there. However, within this documents folder there is a folder called "My Documents" and within this folder there is another folder entitled "Documents." Is there a way to combine all of these documents folders? Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

[DaveA]

Is this system using libaries?
If so post what entries are in the library

[Elvandil]

Look at the contents of the "other" folders. Some of them are actually the same folder as the original Documents folder. Put a file in one, for example, and see which folders the file then appears in. If you delete one of those folders that is the same as another, you also delete all the ones that have the same contents. There are multiple junctions, DeLorean Copies, hardlinks, and symbolic links involved with the Docs folder. The music folder in Docs, for another example, is the same folder as the one outside of Docs.

The Documents folder is also the same as My Documents.

[referee07]

Dave, thanks for the reply. Yes, I saw that when I clock on the "Documents" tab on the bottom tray, "Libraries" comes up with "Documents," "Music," "Pictures" and "Videos" libraries as choices being available. When I click on the "Documents" library, "My Documents" is showing along with "My Scans," "My Pictures" and other folders showing. When I click on "My Documents," there is another folder entitled "My Documents" there. When I click on this "My Documents" folder, a lone folder "Documents" appears. And, when I click on this folder, many more document folders appear including "My Scans" and "My Received Files" along with many individual Word .docs. Wow, a lot of documents with a lot of folders, many of which appear to be the same! Is there a way to combine all of these documents folders/files and delete the duplicates? Thanks again for you reply.

[referee07]

Elvandil, I created a folder on my computer desktop entitled "Example" and saved it to "Documents." When I clicked on the "Documents" icon in the bottom tray, "Example" appeared in the first "Library" screen, but I couldn't find it in any other subsequent screen. When I copied it to the "My Documents" folder, it appeared there but not in the two subsequent files.

[DaveA]

referee07,
Have a look at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...ures/libraries

You need to get a very good understanding on how "Libraries" work if you are going to use them.

You will fined that with Windows 7, when you are seeing "My Documents" in the Library, you are really looking at "Documents" from your User folder.

[Elvandil]

OK. So the folder My Documents is the real deal. Any other folder that has the same contents is the same as My Documents. So that folder will be your frame of reference.

Any other folder that does not have the same contents can have its contents moved to the My Documents folder and then the folder deleted.

The Libraries are useful, but they are just another way of getting to your folders which are all still in the same places. Libraries aren't located anywhere - they are just shortcuts to the folders that are listed in them.

[referee07]

Dave A and Elvandil, thanks. I viewed the video on Windows 7's libraries which was useful. I also was able to delete the contents of the other "Documents" folders and the folders themselves after I determined that the contents was in the "My Documents" folder. Thanks again.

[Elvandil]

You'll find a folder called just "Documents" sometimes that is the same as My Documents. Whenever you see duplicates in 7, you really need to be careful that they really are duplicates. For example, if you unhide folders, you'll see the old "Documents and Settings" folder just like in XP. That is exactly the same as the Users folder. By having both, people used to XP and command lines for admins, that were designed for XP will still work in 7. Just like ProgramData is the same as the All Users application data folder for compatibility.

It gets crazy sometimes. If you look at a file in system32, like example.dll, it looks like a file. But it's really a hard link to a file in the WinSxS folder. Not only that, but which file it links to depends on which version and language the program using the dll requires. So that link, example.dll, may actually be 100 completely different files with exactly the same names. That's why SFC needs no source in 7, and also why it is almost impossible for a file to get "corrupted" because the all links that lead to the file would have to all be corrupted simultaneously, a highly unlikely thing to happen.

[referee07]

Elvandil, after reading your post was obvious to me that you are light years ahead of me regarding the inner workings of Windows 7 (which probably explains why you are a Moderator at Techguy.org.) :> Anyway, thanks for the explanation but the really "take-away" for me was when your wrote, "...you really need to be careful that they are duplicates...." I have taken that suggestion to heart and have taken the stance of "When in doubt, don't delete anything." :> In any event, thanks again for your help. It was invaluable. Take care and wishing the best to you and yours.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by referee07

Elvandil, after reading your post was obvious to me that you are light years ahead of me regarding the inner workings of Windows 7 (which probably explains why you are a Moderator at Techguy.org.) :> Anyway, thanks for the explanation but the really "take-away" for me was when your wrote, "...you really need to be careful that they are duplicates...." I have taken that suggestion to heart and have taken the stance of "When in doubt, don't delete anything." :> In any event, thanks again for your help. It was invaluable. Take care and wishing the best to you and yours.

That was basically what I wanted to get across. Symbolic links in NTFS mean that a single file or folder can have more than one "address", kind of like a house that borders 2 or 3 streets. It's still the same house, and if you burn it down at 1 address, it will also be gone when you drive up from the other directions. Don't expect to have a nice fire and then go home to your other house, which you have noticed is strangely identical to the one you just burned down.

Originally Posted by referee07

which probably explains why you are a Moderator at Techguy.org.

Actually, "smarts" is not one of the main things they look for in moderators. You don't really even need to know computers that well. You just need to know how to "moderate". Many people assume the moderators are the smartest people here, but that is not really true. It's nice if mods can also help with problems, but that is not part of the job. If smarts mattered that much, I may not be here! We're here more to just keep the peace, enforce rules, and assure the flow of the forums. Sheriffs without guns.

[referee07]

Elvandil, thanks for the reply. And, thanks for breaking it down into very simple terms. (I like the analogy of the "house." :-) Also, it may not take "smarts" to be a Moderator, but I think that most people who read your replies would agree that you are extremely smart regarding computers and Microsoft applications. And if you are a "sheriff" on TG.org, I for one, as Cartman of South Park might say, "respect (your) 'authori-tie.'" :-) Thanks again for all the help with this issue and all the help that you have given me on other issues in the past.