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re: Windows File Sorting is Very Annoying Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 4:05 pm Posted by normanw (1284 messages posted) In Windows Explorer, click the 'Type header. ‘There’s always tomorrow. At least, there always has been, so far.’ – Keith Waterhouse On Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 2:28 pm, chinagreenelvis wrote: >I don't know how I've never noticed this after using Windows for eighteen years, >but now that I have it's killing me. Windows will list file.ext after file1.ext, >even if it's set to list them in the Windows 2000 style (file1.ext, file11.ext, file2.ext). >Even when intuitive file sorting is on (file1.ext, file2.ext, file11.ext), Windows >still lists file.ext after all of them. This is stupid. In my opinion, file.ext should >come before file1.ext or file blah blah.ext or file_blah_blah.ext. What the fudge? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Windows File Sorting is Very Annoying Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 5:12 pm Posted by NigelHH (1324 messages posted) Yes a pain, but the way Windows sorts includes the "." in the filename, which comes after any number when sorted by character value. I know its a compromise, but if you tick the folder option to hide known extensions, the files will sort as they should. (unless the extension is not recognised, in which case you still have the same problem) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Windows File Sorting is Very Annoying Friday, November 6, 2009 at 8:43 am Posted by chinagreenelvis (45 messages posted) Actually... turning off intuitive file sorting does fix the problem, but apparently not if the file structure is file.ext, file(2).ext - In Windows 2000 mode, the folders still list file(2).ext first. Also if you put spaces at the end of the filename... like file.ext, file 2.ext, number two will continue to be listed first. I seem to have gotten it working only with file.ext, file2.ext and file.ext, file_2.ext. Windows is so bizarre. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Windows File Sorting is Very Annoying Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 6:14 pm Posted by MartinM (7551 messages posted) Not bizarre at all. There are numerous ways you can sort names and the one that MS has chosen doesn't suit you, that's all :-) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Windows File Sorting is Very Annoying Monday, November 9, 2009 at 9:55 am Posted by chinagreenelvis (45 messages posted) Surely there must be some kind of hack to fix it so that Windows prioritizes spaces and periods over all other characters? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Windows File Sorting is Very Annoying Monday, November 9, 2009 at 1:34 pm Posted by MartinM (7551 messages posted) You are wishing for something which doesn't exist. The sorting functionality is coded in the executable for explorer. Its hard enough hacking that just to change the title of the start button (and heaven knows why anyone would want to spend effort doing that !) and your proposition is a significant re-write, so contravenes the EULA as well as being extremely hard. The sort order is controllable to an extent - read this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319827 - but that's truly all you can do. Why not take a look at alternatives to Windows Explorer ? There are lots of them out there, some very good. [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows XP Discussion Forum