MyDocuments folder is useless and hard to locate

  • Thread starter Thread starter mrmagoo
  • Start date Start date
M

mrmagoo

How painful. Windows has a painfully-badly designed feature of sticking
"MyDocuments" way the hell down a folder structure.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents

Why on earth did they decide to do this? That path is something a computer
should get to, not something a human should navigate to. Over the years I
have wasted hours searching for this stupid folder. I never use it, ever,
yet so many freaking applications default to that that so many files have
been stuck there automatically and I have to find them and stick them in my
easy to get to D:\Data.

I would understand C:\Docs\ or something easy to get to, but that path above
is just too stupid to comment on anymore.

Does anybody know if MS addressed this in their new OS?
 
mrmagoo said:
How painful. Windows has a painfully-badly designed feature of sticking
"MyDocuments" way the hell down a folder structure.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents

Why on earth did they decide to do this? That path is something a computer
should get to, not something a human should navigate to. Over the years I
have wasted hours searching for this stupid folder. I never use it, ever,
yet so many freaking applications default to that that so many files have
been stuck there automatically and I have to find them and stick them in my
easy to get to D:\Data.

I would understand C:\Docs\ or something easy to get to, but that path above
is just too stupid to comment on anymore.

Does anybody know if MS addressed this in their new OS?
Click to expand...

You need to be careful when calling a design "stupid".
There may be considerations that you are not aware of.
Placing "My Documents" into "C:\Docs" is fine if a single
person uses the PC. When it is used by several people then
your innovative suggestion just will not work: Everyobody
will see everybody else's documents!

To cater for people like you, Microsoft made a provision
to move the "My Documents" folder to a different location.
Just right-click it on the desktop, then specify a folder of
your choice. Windows will even move the original folder
for you! Not so stupid after all!
 
I get your point, and understand why the folder is user-specific.

C:\User999\Docs\

is much much easier to locate <and type in> than:

C:\Documents and Settings\User999\My Documents

"Documents and Settings"? Seriously, that is a boneheaded name with 2
spaces. And there is no point in burying it so deep.

However, I like your solution, but that folder is no longer on my desktop. I
don't see an option to point it elsewhere.

May I ask where that is documented?

Not in Documents and Settings...is it? :)
 
You could try Start / Help. The method I described in my
previous reply is a fundamental Windows method: To modify
the properites of an entity, right-click that entity and see what
you get. It works just about everywhere!
 
Oh, Start -> Help. Great. Thanks a lot. I guess we have no need for the MVP
program. I am fully in support of dropping the MVP program and allowing
Microsoft to take it over.
 
You speak in riddles.


mrmagoo said:
Oh, Start -> Help. Great. Thanks a lot. I guess we have no need for the MVP
program. I am fully in support of dropping the MVP program and allowing
Microsoft to take it over.
Click to expand...
 
Documentation for the move is here:

Configuration of the My Documents Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221837&sd=RMVP

To restore the My Documents icon to the Desktop goto Control Panel > Folder
Options > View, then scroll down to "Show My Documents on the Desktop" and
enable it.

--
Hope this helps,
Newt


"mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message | I get your point, and understand why the folder is user-specific.
|
| C:\User999\Docs\
|
| is much much easier to locate <and type in> than:
|
| C:\Documents and Settings\User999\My Documents
|
| "Documents and Settings"? Seriously, that is a boneheaded name with 2
| spaces. And there is no point in burying it so deep.
|
| However, I like your solution, but that folder is no longer on my desktop. I
| don't see an option to point it elsewhere.
|
| May I ask where that is documented?
|
| Not in Documents and Settings...is it? :)
|
|
|
|
| | >
| > "mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message
| | > > How painful. Windows has a painfully-badly designed feature of sticking
| > > "MyDocuments" way the hell down a folder structure.
| > >
| > > C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents
| > >
| > > Why on earth did they decide to do this? That path is something a
| computer
| > > should get to, not something a human should navigate to. Over the years
| I
| > > have wasted hours searching for this stupid folder. I never use it,
| ever,
| > > yet so many freaking applications default to that that so many files
| have
| > > been stuck there automatically and I have to find them and stick them in
| > my
| > > easy to get to D:\Data.
| > >
| > > I would understand C:\Docs\ or something easy to get to, but that path
| > above
| > > is just too stupid to comment on anymore.
| > >
| > > Does anybody know if MS addressed this in their new OS?
| >
| > You need to be careful when calling a design "stupid".
| > There may be considerations that you are not aware of.
| > Placing "My Documents" into "C:\Docs" is fine if a single
| > person uses the PC. When it is used by several people then
| > your innovative suggestion just will not work: Everyobody
| > will see everybody else's documents!
| >
| > To cater for people like you, Microsoft made a provision
| > to move the "My Documents" folder to a different location.
| > Just right-click it on the desktop, then specify a folder of
| > your choice. Windows will even move the original folder
| > for you! Not so stupid after all!
| >
| >
|
|
 
You're welcome.

FWIW, Microsoft offers a free but unsupported utility called TweakUI. One of its
options allows one to easily move most of the special folders to other
locations. If you don't have this utility, here's a link:

The TweakUI utility for Windows 2000 can be downloaded from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp

--
Hope this helps,
Newt

"mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message | Thank you.
|
|
| | > Documentation for the move is here:
| >
| > Configuration of the My Documents Folder
| > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221837&sd=RMVP
| >
| > To restore the My Documents icon to the Desktop goto Control Panel >
| Folder
| > Options > View, then scroll down to "Show My Documents on the Desktop" and
| > enable it.
| >
| > --
| > Hope this helps,
| > Newt
| >
| >
| > "mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message
| | > | I get your point, and understand why the folder is user-specific.
| > |
| > | C:\User999\Docs\
| > |
| > | is much much easier to locate <and type in> than:
| > |
| > | C:\Documents and Settings\User999\My Documents
| > |
| > | "Documents and Settings"? Seriously, that is a boneheaded name with 2
| > | spaces. And there is no point in burying it so deep.
| > |
| > | However, I like your solution, but that folder is no longer on my
| desktop. I
| > | don't see an option to point it elsewhere.
| > |
| > | May I ask where that is documented?
| > |
| > | Not in Documents and Settings...is it? :)
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > | | > | >
| > | > "mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message
| > | | > | > > How painful. Windows has a painfully-badly designed feature of
| sticking
| > | > > "MyDocuments" way the hell down a folder structure.
| > | > >
| > | > > C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents
| > | > >
| > | > > Why on earth did they decide to do this? That path is something a
| > | computer
| > | > > should get to, not something a human should navigate to. Over the
| years
| > | I
| > | > > have wasted hours searching for this stupid folder. I never use it,
| > | ever,
| > | > > yet so many freaking applications default to that that so many files
| > | have
| > | > > been stuck there automatically and I have to find them and stick
| them in
| > | > my
| > | > > easy to get to D:\Data.
| > | > >
| > | > > I would understand C:\Docs\ or something easy to get to, but that
| path
| > | > above
| > | > > is just too stupid to comment on anymore.
| > | > >
| > | > > Does anybody know if MS addressed this in their new OS?
| > | >
| > | > You need to be careful when calling a design "stupid".
| > | > There may be considerations that you are not aware of.
| > | > Placing "My Documents" into "C:\Docs" is fine if a single
| > | > person uses the PC. When it is used by several people then
| > | > your innovative suggestion just will not work: Everyobody
| > | > will see everybody else's documents!
| > | >
| > | > To cater for people like you, Microsoft made a provision
| > | > to move the "My Documents" folder to a different location.
| > | > Just right-click it on the desktop, then specify a folder of
| > | > your choice. Windows will even move the original folder
| > | > for you! Not so stupid after all!
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
cool..thanks!

Newt Ownsquare said:
You're welcome.

FWIW, Microsoft offers a free but unsupported utility called TweakUI. One of its
options allows one to easily move most of the special folders to other
locations. If you don't have this utility, here's a link:

The TweakUI utility for Windows 2000 can be downloaded from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp

--
Hope this helps,
Newt

"mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message | Thank you.
|
|
| | > Documentation for the move is here:
| >
| > Configuration of the My Documents Folder
| > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221837&sd=RMVP
| >
| > To restore the My Documents icon to the Desktop goto Control Panel >
| Folder
| > Options > View, then scroll down to "Show My Documents on the Desktop" and
| > enable it.
| >
| > --
| > Hope this helps,
| > Newt
| >
| >
| > "mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message
| | > | I get your point, and understand why the folder is user-specific.
| > |
| > | C:\User999\Docs\
| > |
| > | is much much easier to locate <and type in> than:
| > |
| > | C:\Documents and Settings\User999\My Documents
| > |
| > | "Documents and Settings"? Seriously, that is a boneheaded name with 2
| > | spaces. And there is no point in burying it so deep.
| > |
| > | However, I like your solution, but that folder is no longer on my
| desktop. I
| > | don't see an option to point it elsewhere.
| > |
| > | May I ask where that is documented?
| > |
| > | Not in Documents and Settings...is it? :)
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > | | > | >
| > | > "mrmagoo" <-> wrote in message
| > | | > | > > How painful. Windows has a painfully-badly designed feature of
| sticking
| > | > > "MyDocuments" way the hell down a folder structure.
| > | > >
| > | > > C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents
| > | > >
| > | > > Why on earth did they decide to do this? That path is something a
| > | computer
| > | > > should get to, not something a human should navigate to. Over the
| years
| > | I
| > | > > have wasted hours searching for this stupid folder. I never use it,
| > | ever,
| > | > > yet so many freaking applications default to that that so many files
| > | have
| > | > > been stuck there automatically and I have to find them and stick
| them in
| > | > my
| > | > > easy to get to D:\Data.
| > | > >
| > | > > I would understand C:\Docs\ or something easy to get to, but that
| path
| > | > above
| > | > > is just too stupid to comment on anymore.
| > | > >
| > | > > Does anybody know if MS addressed this in their new OS?
| > | >
| > | > You need to be careful when calling a design "stupid".
| > | > There may be considerations that you are not aware of.
| > | > Placing "My Documents" into "C:\Docs" is fine if a single
| > | > person uses the PC. When it is used by several people then
| > | > your innovative suggestion just will not work: Everyobody
| > | > will see everybody else's documents!
| > | >
| > | > To cater for people like you, Microsoft made a provision
| > | > to move the "My Documents" folder to a different location.
| > | > Just right-click it on the desktop, then specify a folder of
| > | > your choice. Windows will even move the original folder
| > | > for you! Not so stupid after all!
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
Click to expand...
 
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