Is there a way to "label" individual files by color in XP like you can on the Mac?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff Ingram
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff Ingram

Hello,

Is there a way to "label" individual files by color in XP like you can on
the Mac? I've got files all over my drive that I need to backup to DVD+R,
but not all will fit on one disc. It would be nice if I could somehow
mark/label the files that still need to be backed up to disc. I know the
MacOS has a way to do this. You could change the color of the icon, but
does XP have this same or similar capability? Or is there a File Manager
out that can do this? I've not seen this in PowerDesk 6.

Any others out there that could?

Thanks,

Jeff
 
4DOS is a COMMAND.COM replacement that many folks used in the old days of
MS-DOS. One of its neat features was the ability to color-code files by
extension. That way, when you were working at the C:\> prompt you could
display files with many colors.

Since XP eliminated the need for MS-DOS and COMMAND.COM (even though CMD.EXE
and COMMAND.COM are still used for compatibility) the folks that wrote 4DOS
came up with command processors that work under XP; they are 4NT and Take
Command. You can download the trial versions from http://jpsoft.com

There is also free version of 4DOS on that page.
 
Jerry said:
4DOS is a COMMAND.COM replacement that many folks used in the old days of
MS-DOS. One of its neat features was the ability to color-code files by
extension. That way, when you were working at the C:\> prompt you could
display files with many colors.

Since XP eliminated the need for MS-DOS and COMMAND.COM (even though CMD.EXE
and COMMAND.COM are still used for compatibility)
Click to expand...
<snip>

Really? I thought that cmd.exe (the command processor) is a key
component of WinXP, not just kept for compatibility as you
suggest.
 
<snip>

Really? I thought that cmd.exe (the command processor) is a key
component of WinXP, not just kept for compatibility as you
suggest.
Click to expand...

Ah, hem... Last I heard, being an old DOS user myself,
"command.com" and "cmd.exe" are separate executables.

note the "exe" on the end of "cmd.exe", and the "com" on the
end of "command.com"

I am NOT a tekkie, so don't nail my hide to the wall.

However, in 25 years, I HAVE seen this very confusion arise
before.

Which brings us back to

can you color-code files for backup and moving/removal?


Tallahassee
 
Hello,

Is there a way to "label" individual files by color in XP like you can on
the Mac? I've got files all over my drive that I need to backup to DVD+R,
but not all will fit on one disc. It would be nice if I could somehow
mark/label the files that still need to be backed up to disc. I know the
MacOS has a way to do this. You could change the color of the icon, but
does XP have this same or similar capability? Or is there a File Manager
out that can do this? I've not seen this in PowerDesk 6.

Any others out there that could?

Thanks,

Jeff
Click to expand...

I don't know how to color-code, but how *I* have resolved
this issue-- and admittedly, it's a bit simplistic, but it
WORKS--

is to make a folder into which you put COPIES of all the
files you want to backup and delete (bear with me before you
jump in.)

Put COPIES of the files you want to backup into the folder.
Label the folder something likek "To be backed up".

Make a 2nd folder, which you call 'Backed up"

As you backup the files onto CD, 2nd hard drive, jump drive,
zip drive... ?

put the backed up files into toe folder you have called
"backed up'.

When you are "done", your "To be backed up" will be EMPTY,
and your "backed up" folder will be full.

You then DELETE the full "backed up" folder, your originals
stay intact, and you now KNOW you have a COMPLETE backup.



Yes, it's a little cumbersome, but then there are times when
yuo need to know you got all 2,354 files!

If you even missed ONE of those 2,354 files, you're SCREWED!

My way, you KNOW.

Also, before you delete the originals, you can create two
windows, your originals, and your "Done", you can go to the
LIST view, and you can do a spot check, every 100th file, to
be sure that 100th file's name matches on both folders.

10, 20, 30 checks, and you'll know you have an exact backup!

I actually created this sytem for an accounting firm years
ago.

They called me a genius.

I thought they were all stupid.

Good luck!


Tallahassee


aY
 
Talahasee said:
Ah, hem... Last I heard, being an old DOS user myself,
"command.com" and "cmd.exe" are separate executables.

note the "exe" on the end of "cmd.exe", and the "com" on the
end of "command.com"

I am NOT a tekkie, so don't nail my hide to the wall.

However, in 25 years, I HAVE seen this very confusion arise
before.

Which brings us back to

can you color-code files for backup and moving/removal?


Tallahassee
Click to expand...

command.com is the legacy command processor from the
old Win9x days. It should not be used under WinXP.

cmd.exe is the current command processor. It is an essential
component of WinXP.
 
Jeff,

As a mac user for the last 11 years, I can say that unfortunately, I have
not come across a way to 'label' files under windows like you can in any of
the Mac systems (OS 7.5 through OS X.4). I have discovered what I feel is the
perfect backup tool for the PC however... and it's called BackItUp 2 by nero.
You can learn more about it by reading the PDF user's manual linked below. If
you have data that won't fit on one disc, be it a CD or DVD, BackItUp
automatically spreads the material over several discs for you. I highly
recommend it.

ftp://ftp6.nero.com/user_guides/nero7/backitup/NeroBackItUp_ug_eng.pdf

Good luck!

Barry
 
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