BUG: Explorer, can't rename a folder to ".config"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gernot Frisch
  • Start date Start date
G

Gernot Frisch

Found a bug in Explorer:

you cannot create a new folder and name it ".config" (w/o quotes, of
course)

Also exists on XP.
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Gernot Frisch [mailto:[email protected]]
Posted At: Thursday, November 09, 2006 3:01 PM
Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Conversation: Explorer, can't rename a folder to ".config"
Subject: Re: Explorer, can't rename a folder to ".config"
No bug that is, config is a reserved name.
Click to expand...

the name is ".config" (see the dot) and with mkdir I can create it.
Click to expand...

AFAIK you cannot create a folder or file with *any* name starting with a
dot in XP using GUI.
 
Alexander said:
AFAIK you cannot create a folder or file with *any* name starting with a
dot in XP using GUI.
Click to expand...

That is correct. A strange limitation of Explorer as folder names that
begin with a dot (.) are perfectly legit.
 
Tom Porterfield said:
That is correct. A strange limitation of Explorer as folder names that
begin with a dot (.) are perfectly legit.
Click to expand...

Probably it does something to do with default Explorer behaviour of hiding
file extensions.
 
When an item starts with a "." it usually is followed by a file type. Now, if
you want to create a folder calles "config" you can, then you have a config
folder. But you can not name anything ".config" because it would make it a
config file, not just a folder named config. .config, if I remember right is
a configuration setting.
Windows thinkd you are playing with the structure of windows, and doesn't
like it.
 
Here's a bug. I have noticed in an Explorer Window, that when you select a
folder with a period in the name, that the new Explorer Bar (just below the
old Menu Bar, if you have it showing) shows the Explore icon incorrectly.
E.g., the Config.Msi folder shows the Windows Installer icon, the
$RECYCLE.BIN folder shows the generic icon, as does Windows.old, a folder
named xyz.txt shows a Notepad icon, etc. Otherwise, a folder selected
without a period in the name always has the same Explore icon.

Dean
 
Gene said:
When an item starts with a "." it usually is followed by a file type.
Now, if you want to create a folder calles "config" you can, then you
have a config folder. But you can not name anything ".config" because it
would make it a config file, not just a folder named config. .config, if
I remember right is a configuration setting.
Windows thinkd you are playing with the structure of windows, and doesn't
like it.
Click to expand...

It is perfectly legit to have a folder with a dot (.) in the name. Explorer
will even allow you to do it, just not if the name starts with a dot. But
you can create folders where the name starts with a dot at the command
prompt.
 
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