Documents and My Documents look like contents got swapped.

Question

Question

Documents and My Documents look like contents got swapped.

by seeker1234 Sep 20, 2016 6:48PM PDT

Using windows explorer for this, win7 pro x64...
My friend deleted everything from Documents folder because of many redundant file names, thinking she had accidentally multi-copied stuff.

Normally, you see only document filenames under Documents while My Documents displays both folders and files. After restoring the recycle bin, Documents folder contains both folders and files (but incomplete) and My Documents folder shows only files. Rt Clk on My Documents-properties shows the number of files plus 66 folders, about right numbers, but the folders are not visible.

It looks as if Documents and My Documents functions are reversed.... no backups either. Any help will be greatly appreciated. tom

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thanks

by seeker1234 Sep 21, 2016 12:12PM PDT

Tried that, thanks. However, problem is that there are folders showing in Documents. None of my other systems does this. Documents seems to be just a view of all documents existing in the libraries, without identifying the source. My Documents is different. It shows document files stored directly in the main folder My Documents and all sub-folders under My Documents, and all are located in or under My Documents. But if there are files in a sub-folder, unlike Documents, the files are not extracted for viewing, only the folders are shown. That being said, and hopefully at least marginally correct, if a file was hidden, why would its folder appear in Documents, and why would no folders be seen under My Documents, only files?
Best description remains, Documents and My Documents views are opposite of what they ought to be as seen in windows explorer.
Thanks, I always learn from others.

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You May Need to Reset Libraries to Defaults Like This

by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Sep 22, 2016 11:16AM PDT

Go to C:\Users\Your Username, right-click the Documents folder, and choose "Include In Library: Documents". Do the same thing for the public folder. Or...just right click the Library, select Properties, and click the Restore Defaults button near the end.

Here, we make it so there is no difference between the two mentioned. There are files and folders listed in both locations. Simply create a shortcut on your desktop to the "Documents" folder and call it "My Documents".

Hope this helps.

Grif

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what I learned in kindergarten I forgot in first grade. thx!

by seeker1234 Sep 22, 2016 5:35PM PDT

Thanks. What I learned from this trip is that either by right click or using the mini-menu at upper right of screen, what gets displayed is controlled by the selection in arrange-by. If folders, then folders and files will appear, if name, then no folders, only files are shown. I totally missed this and went ranting off in left field. Got that corrected and now back to 'normal-ish'.
thanks for the guidance. tom

Back to Windows 7 forum

Grif Thomas · Answer 1 · Sep 21, 2016 9:35AM PDT

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Answer

Tried "Unhiding" Them?

by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Sep 21, 2016 9:35AM PDT

My first question is: If these files are so important, WHY no backups? I guess some lessons are learned the hard way but at our office, backups were a required portion of the duties. If not, reprimands were made because losing important documents means money and time. That aside...

Maybe those file and folders were restored in a "hidden" format. Try unhiding them. Open the Control Panel, then "Folder Options", then the "View" tab and UNCHECK boxes next to : "Hide protection operating systems and files" and place dot/tick next to "show hidden files, folders, and drives", then "Apply", then OK. Do they now show up in the "Documents' or "My Documents"?

Hope this helps.

Grif

Documents and My Documents look like contents got swapped.

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