In Windows 7, do you use Libraries?

[TheGamerZ]

LIbraries is one of my favorite features. That, and Homegroups. God, I love homegroups.

 

[Forceman]

Only problem I've seen is that it seems really slow to update the Library (if it is sorted by date modified, for example). Normal folder display is much faster.

 

[Grentz]

I don't use them because most of my stuff is sorted quite well in folders on one of my hard driver's partition. I suppose I may use them in the future if need be, but for now I am just too organized to actually get any functionality out of them.

Same here.

 

[SYN ACK]

Same here.

same here as well..

when i first installed win7, i didnt like how the libraries took up space in the nav pane.

i found a registry hack to remove / disable all library functions.

i have all my music stored on a single drive / parent folder...except i have a separate folder for flacs, and another for mp3s.

i just re-enabled the library feature after reading this thread just to give it a shot (i bitched about the superbar at first, too

and now im going to see how i like it...even though i only have 2 folders to list (/flacs, and /mp3s)...but at least it can grow in the future as need be.

i also used it just to group my movie and tv folders together. one less click

 

[lord_citan]

I love the library.

 

[drizzt81]

I am having a hard time understanding the value of libraries. My impression is that they eliminate a couple of clicks when saving a file, since they aggregate multiple locations into a single namespace. I already do this with shortcuts and it works quite well.
Additionally, they add the folders to the indexing/searching database. This is a nice feature, but apparently does not work with linux file servers. As such I cannot benefit from it, worse I cannot add any of my network locations to a library.

What am I missing that makes libraries so great? I really want to like them and use them, but I don't understand how they help me.

 

[Arainach]

worse I cannot add any of my network locations to a library.

You can, the Indexing service just has to be running on the computer providing the share.

What am I missing that makes libraries so great? I really want to like them and use them, but I don't understand how they help me.

They help because they aggregate media from different locations into one location and index it, providing constant easy access. It's not that hard to understand.

 

[djgizmo]

How does one set the default save to directory for different file types?

 

[msny]

How does one set the default save to directory for different file types?

These might help, explains it top to bottom

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd861346.aspx?ppud=4

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd797952(VS.85).aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee449433(WS.10).aspx
Notice the "arrange by" control in here.

Since this thread started, I've read these articles and learned much.

 

[Cmustang87]

I still don't understand enough about them to utilize them. Some demonstrations posted in this thread kind of cleared a little of that up though.

It would be like...

Uses XP as an Example

If you click on Start, and click on "My Pictures", it would take you to your My Pictures of that local profile. (C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My Pictures).

However, in Windows 7, it takes you to the Library of your pictures (if you have it setup). And you can set the library up that links to multiple locations. Rather then having to have all your pictures on one partition, network drive (I think libraries work on network drives), seperate physical disks, you can just point each location of pictures to that library.

Hope that helps.

 

[Mr. Bluntman]

Yes. It makes organizing my photos, mp3s, and other files a bit easier.

 

[malih]

I don't use them because most of my stuff is sorted quite well in folders on one of my hard driver's partition. I suppose I may use them in the future if need be, but for now I am just too organized to actually get any functionality out of them.

Exactly what I thought at first, but since my Music, Video and Picture folders are on different partitions, Libraries help extend the mouse life expectation by clicking a lot less

 

[firas]

It&#8217;s a nice feature, but like some mentioned, I&#8217;m very organized, I even change the folder icon to something that matches the contents, I don&#8217;t need to re-arrange everything again somewhere else.

 

[keenan]

You can, the Indexing service just has to be running on the computer providing the share.

I don't want or care about indexing. I never use it. And the Indexing Service won't run on the computer providing the share - or the poster's you're replying to...