XP Explorer doesn't display folders/files in "alphabetical" order

[rewar]

Recently got a new machine with XP installed. When I copied some data folders and files from my old setup (95), I found they were no longer listed in the same order. The folders and files all have numerical titles representing the date of the data,i.e,
folders for any given year use the month and day numbers as title (mmdd format} and the data files in a given folder use the time as title (hhmm 24hr format). The problem is that XP Explorer ignores any leading zeros in the title, i.e., it sorts the list numerically. My data collection program drops all trailing zeros to save storage space so files for the sequential times 0230, 0630, 2100 are named 023, 063, 21 and then are listed in the numerical order of 21, 023, 063 by XP Explorer.

I figured I have to add the trailing zeros to the old file names and, perhaps, modify the data collection program. But then I noticed that in the Temporary Internet Files folder files are _not_ ordered numerically but "alphabetically" like in 95.

My question then is - Can XP Explorer be set to sort a file list in the same way it does for the Temporary Internet Files folder?

Bob Warren

 

[JJJecj71]

Originally posted by rewar:
Recently got a new machine with XP installed. When I copied some data folders and files from my old setup (95), I found they were no longer listed in the same order. The folders and files all have numerical titles representing the date of the data,i.e,
folders for any given year use the month and day numbers as title (mmdd format} and the data files in a given folder use the time as title (hhmm 24hr format). The problem is that XP Explorer ignores any leading zeros in the title, i.e., it sorts the list numerically. My data collection program drops all trailing zeros to save storage space so files for the sequential times 0230, 0630, 2100 are named 023, 063, 21 and then are listed in the numerical order of 21, 023, 063 by XP Explorer.

I figured I have to add the trailing zeros to the old file names and, perhaps, modify the data collection program. But then I noticed that in the Temporary Internet Files folder files are _not_ ordered numerically but "alphabetically" like in 95.

My question then is - Can XP Explorer be set to sort a file list in the same way it does for the Temporary Internet Files folder?

Bob Warren

Just right click in any empty space and scroll down and click on
View or Arrang Icons By
but maybe because of it being win95 given a different way of seeing these files, just rename them to way you like. It's been a long time since I've used win95 so sorry little help.

• 
  Under view you will see
  
• Thumbnails
• Tiles
• Icons
• list
• Details------The one I think you want
  
  Under arrang Icons by you will see
  
• Name
• size
• type---------The one I think you want also
• Modified

Hope this helps

 

[rewar]

---------------------------------
Just right click in any empty space and scroll down and click on
View or Arrang Icons By
but maybe because of it being win95 given a different way of seeing these files, just rename them to way you like. It's been a long time since I've used win95 so sorry little help.
-----------------------------------

Still, it seems passing strange that 95 files/folders, 98SE files/folders and XP/Temporary Internet Files all sort file/folder names by simple ASCII order while the rest of XP sorts files/folders by a hybrid CHARacter/INTeger scheme. Before starting to rename my 1000+ data files, I think I'll see if I can find a switch in the registry files which will accomplish what I want.

Thanks for the reply

Bob Warren