Solved How to sort the contents of Libraries > Documents?

I've added some folders to Libraries > Documents, using:

Right-click > Include in library > Documents

Everything works exactly as I expected.

However, it's obvious that the sequence in Windows Explorer is the sequence in which I added the folders.

How do I sort the folders?

See if this helps: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4299-windows-explorer-auto-arrange-disable-windows-8-a.html

Thanks for your response

I've created my Windows Restore. I looked at the statement in your link:

To enable or disable auto arrange for a specific folder, you can right click or press and hold on an empty area in the folder, click/tap on View, then click/tap on Auto arrange to uncheck (disable) or check (enable) it for that specific folder.

If I open View, the ribbon opens.

In Current View > Group by, there is no "Auto Arrange" option.

Am I doing something wrong?

Hello OldGrantonian,

Unfortunately, you will not be able to disable auto arrange inside a library folder. That's only for normal folders in File Explorer instead.

You might see if this may be able to help you to arrange by, group by, and sort by the files in your library folders instead.
Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn,

Thanks for your response.

I worked through both options of your link, and learned a lot in passing. Unfortunately, neither of these options relate to what I'm trying to do (screenshot).

Since there are only 3 folders at issue, I can easily "Remove location from library", and then re-insert the folders in the correct sequence. However, it would be nice to be know whether there's a better way.

Best regards.

You can do it in W7

I'm not sure if this is what you mean.

In W7:

• Right click on the Library category/description (e.g. Documents)
• You can drag the folders around inside the "Library locations:" window to set the order.
• Click the "Apply" button to set your choice.

Maybe Libraries in W8 have had that feature removed.

Thanks for your response.

I tried drag and drop, but no luck.

As I said earlier, I unlinked the three folders and then relinked them.

I'm sure M$ will reinstate drag and drop in Windows 9, 11, ...

I'll mark this thread as solved.

I forgot about that lehnerus. Thank you for the reminder. This is going to be a tutorial project for tonight.

@OldGrantonian:
I'm able to drag and drop to arrange from within the library properties to be the same in the navigation pane in Windows 8.1 Preview.

Found it

1. Highlight "Libraries".
2. Click the "Home" tab.
3. In the ribbon, click "Properties". The "Documents Properties" dialog appears, showing the folders under "Libraries".
4. Drag and drop the folders to persistent locations.

New tutorial:

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/28566-libraries-arrange-included-folders-any-order.html

Thanks for your efforts.

Note that my configuration conflicts with the statement in your tutorial:

7. You will now notice that the order of the included folders of the library has changed to what you arranged them in step 4 for the navigation pane and in the library (if grouped by folder).

Here are the reasons:

• My screenshot above shows that the folders at the left are in the order in which I inserted them from Users\<myusername>. But the folders at the right are in ascending ASCII sequence.
• I then manually unlinked the three folders at the left, and re-inserted them in the sequence that I wanted.
• I then discovered the Home > Properties dialog. As an experiment, I dragged the left folders to some different sequence. The right folders did not change in sympathy.

A possible reason for the conflict is that I have never been able to find the option that will "enable or disable auto arrange", as is mentioned by other posters to this thread. I suspect that if I could find this setting, it might be the converse of your setting.

Anyway, I've achieved my objective, so all's well that ends well

It appears that when you disable auto arrange, it will no longer auto arrange the order of the included folders in the library, and only in the navigation pane.

I've made a note in the tutorial for this.