Do you use Libraries and / or Saved Searches?

By Ian W,
in Windows

 Share

Libraries or Saved Searches?  

17 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

Ian W
Posted

Do you use the Libraries feature introduced in Windows 7 and / or the Saved Search (otherwise known as Virtual Folder) feature introduced in Windows Vista? If so, do you have a preference for either feature?


While I like both features I, as you probably expected, prefer the Saved Search feature. Both Libraries and Saved Searches consolidate content from multiple locations in a single view, and both allow users to customize their viewing experience based on the content displayed. Libraries, however, only allow users to display content based on folder locations (e.g., they cannot reference content based solely on dates, file attributes, et cetera), and users must manually add folders to a library before their content will appear.

In contrast, Saved Searches can reference multiple locations simultaneously—or an individual folder(s) if that is what a user desires—based on a user's criteria such as specific names, dates, metadata, types, and words or phrases within files themselves. Also unlike Libraries, users can refine their Saved Search results with Boolean operators, natural language search (in Windows Vista and Windows 7), query composition, and / or the options offered by the column headers in File Explorer.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Vince800
Posted

I've used Libraries near enough since they were introduced. I have different folders for similar items & I have also turned on Indexing so I can add network shares as libraries, really useful feature. The fact that it's been hidden by default since Windows 8.1 has had me thinking that they might have removed it but they don't seem to have touched it yet, even as far as giving it new icons in 10 so that's something. I guess you could achieve the same using NTFS junction points but it's not as user friendly & I doubt it works with network shares.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Reverse Engineer
Posted (edited)

i tried to vote, but couldn't.

 

1. Do you use Libraries or Saved Searches?  i don't use either.

 

2. Which do you prefer?  there's no option that i can choose, as i don't use either, so i can't possibly have a preference.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Ian W
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, Vince800 said:

I've used Libraries near enough since they were introduced. I have different folders for similar items & I have also turned on Indexing so I can add network shares as libraries, really useful feature. The fact that it's been hidden by default since Windows 8.1 has had me thinking that they might have removed it but they don't seem to have touched it yet, even as far as giving it new icons in 10 so that's something. I guess you could achieve the same using NTFS junction points but it's not as user friendly & I doubt it works with network shares.

Windows 8 did introduce the ability to change the icon of a library from within the UI.

1 hour ago, Reverse Engineer said:

i tried to vote, but couldn't.

 

1. Do you use Libraries or Saved Searches?  i don't use either.

 

2. Which do you prefer?  there's no option that i can choose, as i don't use either, so i can't possibly have a preference.

My apologies. This has been fixed.

Link to post
Share on other sites
zhangm
  • Supervisor
Posted

I currently stick with libraries.

 

Saved searches is an interesting feature. I'll try them out more extensively.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Ian W
  • Author
Posted
On Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 4:38 PM, zhangm said:

I currently stick with libraries.

 

Saved searches is an interesting feature. I'll try them out more extensively.

Please share your experience after you do. It is very useful, but many users are not aware of its existence and / or do not appreciate it.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
LimeMaster
Posted (edited)

Lazily taken from a post I made on Ian's status. Still applies to this thread though, which is why I'm posting it here:

Quote

Used to use Libraries, but after Windows Updates constantly restoring ones I never used, I pinned everything to Quick Access instead. While it functions quite differently, it doesn't seem to get messed with. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
TAZMINATOR
Posted

None for me. 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
zhangm
  • Supervisor
Posted

I think Saved Searches would have been useful for me if Microsoft had continued developing it seriously. I think it offers a pretty flexible way of selecting files and offers more options for specificity than we see in the current implementation of Libraries. What breaks this feature for me is that I need any "virtual" directory or folder to work everywhere - not just in the file browser and some Win32 programs. I don't want to try opening a file in a saved search and see that the program that I'm using can't view the saved search as a directory.

 

I see that Saved Searches don't seem to be supported by at least several of the built-in apps, e.g. they are seen as an invalid file rather than displayed as a directory. I'd like to see the specificity in this feature bundled into libraries as advanced options, since there are cases where it is useful to collect files by some attribute other than what their parent directory is.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Noir Angel
Posted

Libraries, yes. Saved searches, no.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
MS Bob 10
Posted

Use Libraries since Classic Shell can show them as an expanding menu. Saved searches are powerful but unfortunately open in Explorer, so not so fast access to files.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Mando
Posted

i use neither, im so oldschool and have all data of the same types in the same storage location where possible :) (all on nas tbh) 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Ian W
  • Author
Posted
On Wednesday, March 02, 2016 at 0:49 PM, zhangm said:

I think Saved Searches would have been useful for me if Microsoft had continued developing it seriously. I think it offers a pretty flexible way of selecting files and offers more options for specificity than we see in the current implementation of Libraries.

Your comment is a few weeks old, but I wanted to respond.

I realize that you were referring to other desired features when you made the quoted comment, but I also wish that Microsoft would have included the rich functionality as described in this topic.

On Wednesday, March 02, 2016 at 0:49 PM, zhangm said:

What breaks this feature for me is that I need any "virtual" directory or folder to work everywhere - not just in the file browser and some Win32 programs. I don't want to try opening a file in a saved search and see that the program that I'm using can't view the saved search as a directory.
 

I see that Saved Searches don't seem to be supported by at least several of the built-in apps, e.g. they are seen as an invalid file rather than displayed as a directory. I'd like to see the specificity in this feature bundled into libraries as advanced options, since there are cases where it is useful to collect files by some attribute other than what their parent directory is.

That is really unfortunate. If you do not mind me asking, would you be willing to share the name of a program(s) that does not work with the virtual directories?


Thank you for taking the time to respond to this topic.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

  • Similar Content

    • Here are some details you might not know about Windows 365
      By Usama Jawad96
      Here are some details you might not know about Windows 365
      by Usama Jawad

      Microsoft finally announced the general availability of Windows 365 just a couple of days ago to much fanfare. It also allowed users to enroll in free trials for the service and in fact, the option became so much popular that the company recently announced that it is temporarily halting trials due to capacity constraints.

      While most of us following this space know about the major details of Windows 365. In a nutshell, it allows organizations to stream from Windows hosted on the Microsoft Cloud. This is a full Windows experience for each employee with personalized settings, apps, and data. You do not need any special hardware to run it, and just have to choose from the multiple pricing tiers ranging from $20 all the way up to $162 - which nets you a Cloud PC with 8 vCPUs, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.

      However, there are some other details about the service that are worth knowing as well. Microsoft has listed all of them in a very lengthy FAQ here, but we have highlighted some of the major ones here for brevity.

      While this may be obvious to some, it is important to note that a Cloud PC cannot be shared between multiple users. Windows 365 only allows one user per license. And although it is possible to upgrade your configuration to resize RAM, vCPUs, and storage based on your needs, it is impossible to downgrade currently. In the same vein, Business licenses cannot be converted to Enterprise. As such, if you end up canceling your Windows 365 subscription, you should keep in mind that Microsoft will temporarily retain your data according to Microsoft 365 data retention standards before eventually deleting it. You may also be entitled to a partial refund depending upon when you cancel your subscription.

      A perk that Microsoft is offering to organizations is Windows Hybrid Benefit, which allows them to save up to 16% on subscriptions with a Business license. Simply stated, if you are the primary user on a Windows 10 Pro machine running Windows 365 business, you are eligible for this benefit. To ensure that your discounted pricing is active, you are still required to sign in to the Windows 365 service at least once during the period of your subscription.

      Microsoft has noted that network usage costs may apply if you use Windows 365. For Enterprise users, all network traffic is routed through the Azure virtual network so the associated cost for that will be applicable. Similarly, the following outbound limits will apply to Business users:

      The company has emphasized that Windows 365 is geared towards individual productivity rather than use-cases such as website hosting and content streaming. The Redmond tech giant has cautioned that it may limit your bandwidth usage if you proceed beyond these limits to ensure high quality of services for other subscribers as well.

      One of the main selling points of Windows 365 is that it can run on any device with an internet connection and an HTML5 browser, but Microsoft recommends mouse- and keyboard-based input. We already discussed in detail about how Microsoft has extended its App Assure program to cover Windows 365. Through it, the company works directly with you and third-party app vendors if you face app compatibility issues on the service. It comes at no additional cost if you're eligible for Microsoft's FastTrack program.

      Finally, Windows 365 is available globally, except in China. Your network performance and overall experience on the service is governed highly by your proximity to an Azure region since the OS is being streamed from the cloud.

    • SwiftKey now allows users to sync Windows 10 clipboard with their Android device
      By anmol112
      SwiftKey now allows users to sync Windows 10 clipboard with their Android device
      by Anmol Mehrotra

      With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced a new cloud clipboard that kept a record of the items you copied so you can refer them in the future or copy and paste multiple items at once. The feature also allowed users to sync their clipboard to different Windows devices and now the company is bringing clipboard sync to Android devices.

      Recently, Microsoft updated the SwiftKey Beta app with support for clipboard sync. The new update will allow users to sync their Windows 10 and Android clipboards together so copied items are available across devices. If you are using SwiftKey Beta on Android, you can follow the steps below to enable clipboard sync:

      Open SwiftKey Beta and navigate to Rich input > Clipboard Enable 'Sync clipboard history' to sync your clipboard with your Windows 10 device On your Windows 10 PC, go to Settings > System > Clipboard Enable 'Clipboard History', 'Sync across devices' and select 'Automatically sync text that I copy' Once done, you should be able to access your clipboard history across devices. Remember that the cloud clipboard will sync your most recent copied item and it will retain it for an hour. The feature currently works on SwiftKey Beta version 7.8.5 and above. Microsoft further notes that the feature will work only with Microsoft Account (Outlook.com or Hotmail.com) and that the user needs to be on Windows 10 October 2018 Update or later. Currently, only Android devices are supported and the feature is not available for iOS. Lastly, the company noted that the clip data is encrypted and will not be associated with the Microsoft account.

      Do note that Microsoft already allows Samsung Galaxy owners to sync clipboard via 'Link to Windows'. The new SwiftKey update will bring the feature to all Android devices that support the SwiftKey app. If you are eager to try the new feature, you can get the SwiftKey Beta app from the Google Play Store.

    • Microsoft's App Assure program expands to support Windows 365
      By Usama Jawad96
      Microsoft's App Assure program expands to support Windows 365
      by Usama Jawad

      Yesterday, Microsoft announced the general availability of Windows 365 and revealed price tiers starting from $20, going all the way up to $162 for varying configurations. With this new service, Windows is hosted on Microsoft Cloud and customers can securely stream the full Windows experience, including their apps, data, and settings, to personal and corporate devices. For organizations looking to transition infrastructure to Windows 365, Microsoft has announced an expansion of its App Assure program to support its latest offering.

      For those unaware, Microsoft's App Assure was launched in 2018 is designed to ensure that your business won't have any app compatibility issues. If you do encounter them, Microsoft actually works with your organization to fix the issues. Since its inception, Microsoft has added support for various flavors including Windows 10 on ARM as well as Windows 11.

      With the general availability of Windows 365, Microsoft is extending the same promises to its users once again. If a business encounters issues related to app compatibility on Windows 365, it can get in touch with Microsoft to identify the root cause, receive guidance for remediation, and work with the company to fix potential bugs in its products. In some cases, the Redmond tech giant may even reach out to the third-party provider of a certain incompatible app on your behalf and work with them to resolve the issue. This will all be done at no extra cost provided that you are eligible for Microsoft's FastTrack program.

      While Microsoft says that apps that work on Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 will ideally continue to function on Windows 365, unforeseen issues can arise sometimes and that is where businesses with App Assure will benefit. Since its launch in 2018, the App Assure program has evaluated 809,729 apps, identified 3,116 broken apps, and unblocked 89.5 million devices. This has resulted in estimated cost savings of $7.54 billion and prevented 43.6 million help desk escalations.

    • WinSlap 1.6
      By Copernic
      WinSlap 1.6
      by Razvan Serea



      WinSlap is a tiny tool that provides you with control over which functions in Windows 10 you choose to use and how far data gets shared. Using a very simple interface, you decide how Windows 10 should respect your privacy by making recommendations and giving tips for which unwanted functions should be deactivated. There are a lot of options to browse, but WinSlap tries to make life easier by organizing them in several tabs: Tweaks, Appearance, Software and Advanced. No Installation required. Once downloaded, WinSlap is a standalone, portable application that doesn’t even need installing to work.

      Goals:

      Apply tweaks to a fresh installation of Windows 10 after using a clean retail image (if you're looking to apply tweaks during installation, check out image creation tools) No bloat. WinSlap does what it's features list says and nothing else. Tweaks:

      Disable Shared Experiences Disable Cortana Disable Game DVR and Game Bar Disable Hotspot 2.0 Don't include frequently used folders in Quick access Don't show sync provider notifications Disable Sharing Wizard Show 'This PC' when launching File Explorer Disable Telemetry Uninstall OneDrive Disable Activity History Disable automatically installing Apps Disable Feedback dialogs Disable Start Menu suggestions Disable Bing search Disable password reveal button Disable settings sync Disable startup sound Disable autostart startup delay Disable location Disable Advertising ID Disable Malware Removal Tool data reporting Disable sending typing info to Microsoft Disable Personalization Hide language list from websites Disable Miracast Disable App Diagnostics Disable Wi-Fi Sense Disable lock screen Spotlight Disable automatic maps updates Disable error reporting Disable Remote Assistance Use UTC as BIOS time Hide network from lock screen Disable sticky keys prompt Hide 3D Objects from File Explorer Remove preinstalled apps except Photos, Calculator, Store Update Windows Store Apps Prevent preinstalling apps for new users Unpin preinstalled apps Disable Smart Screen Disable Smart Glass Remove Intel Control Panel from context menus Remove NVIDIA Control Panel from context menus Remove AMD Control Panel from context menus Disable suggested apps in Windows Ink Workspace Disable experiments by Microsoft Disable Inventory Collection Disable Steps Recorder Disable Application Compatibility Engine Disable pre-release features and settings Disable camera on lock screen Disable Microsoft Edge first run page Disable Microsoft Edge preload Install .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 Enable Windows Photo Viewer Uninstall Microsoft XPS Document Writer Disable security questions for local accounts Disable app suggestions (e.g. use Edge instead of Firefox) Remove default Fax printer Remove Microsoft XPS Document Writer Disable clipboard history Disable cloud sync of clipboard history Disable automatic update of speech data Disable handwriting error reports Disable cloud sync of text messages Disable Bluetooth advertisements Appearance:

      Add This PC shortcut to desktop Small taskbar icons Don't group tasks in taskbar Hide Taskview button in taskbar Hide People button in taskbar Hide search bar in taskbar Remove compatibility item from context menu Hide OneDrive Cloud states in File Explorer Always show file name extensions Remove OneDrive from File Explorer Delete quicklaunch items Use Windows 7 volume control Remove Microsoft Edge desktop shortcut Disable Lockscreen Blur Hide Meet Now icon in taskbar Software:

      Install 7Zip Install Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Install Audacity Install BalenaEtcher Install calibre Install CPU-Z Install DupeGuru Install EarTrumpet Install Epic Games Launcher Install FileZilla Install GIMP Install GPU-Z Install Git Install Google Chrome Install HashTab Install Inkscape Install Irfanview Install Java Runtime Environment Install KDE Connect Install KeePassXC Install League Of Legends Install LibreOffice Install Minecraft Install Mozilla Firefox Install Mozilla Thunderbird Install Nextcloud Desktop Install Notepad++ Install OBS Studio Install OpenVPN Connect Install Origin Install PowerToys Install PuTTY Install Python Install Slack Install Speccy Install StartIsBack++ Install Steam Install TeamViewer Install TeamSpeak Install Telegram Install Twitch Install Ubisoft Connect Install VirtualBox Install VLC media player Install WinRAR Install WinSCP Install Windows Terminal Install Wireshark Install Zoom Advanced:

      Disable Background Apps Precision Trackpad: Disable keyboard block after clicking Disable Windows Defender Disable Link-local Multicast Name Resolution Disable Smart Multi-Homed Name Resolution Disable Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Disable Teredo tunneling Disable Intra-Site Automatic Tunnel Addressing Protocol Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux Uninstall Internet Explorer WinSlap 1.6 changelog:

      new feature: Disable notifications on the lock screen new feature: Disable reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen new feature: Disable Windows welcome experience new feature: Disable Aero Shake new feature: Enable Storage Sense new feature: Disable suggestions in timeline new feature: Disable typing insights new feature: Disable spell checker new feature: Disable text suggestions on the software keyboard new feature: Disable SafeSearch new feature: Disable suggested content in settings app new feature: Disable automatic login after finishing updates new feature: Disable Windows Defender submitting sample files new feature: Disable fast startup new feature: Disable mouse pointer acceleration new software: AnyDesk new software: Wireguard Download: WinSlap 1.6 | 829 KB (Open Source)
      View: WinSlap Home Page | Screenshot

      Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware

    • Winaero Tweaker 1.30
      By Copernic
      Winaero Tweaker 1.30
      by Razvan Serea



      Winaero Tweaker is an an all-in-one customization utility that helps you to tweak Windows in just a few simple clicks. The program includes tweaks for every version of operating system from Windows 7 to Windows 11. Winaero Tweaker automatically detects the version of Windows OS you’re running and shows tweaks and customization options accordingly. The software can be installed as a portable app so you can take it with you as you move from one computer to another.

      Here's a partial features list:

      Information - View information about your PC hardware and OS. Aero Colors - Change all Windows Aero settings including those which can't be changed with Control Panel. Aero Lite - Activate the hidden Aero Lite theme. Alt+Tab Appearance - Change hidden secret options of the Alt+Tab dialog. Colored Title Bars - Enable colors for window title bars in Windows 10. Dark Color Scheme - Here you can enable the dark color scheme for Windows 10 system settings and apps. Inactive Title Bars Color - Change the color of inactive title bars in Windows 10. Disable Aero Shake - Disable or enable the Aero Shake feature. Disable Driver Updates - Turn off driver updates in Windows Update. Disable Web Search - Disable Web Search in taskbar and Cortana in Windows 10. Disable Action Center - Disable or enable the Action Center feature in Windows 10. Disable Live Tiles - Disable Live Tiles all at once for Universal(Metro) apps. Activate Windows Photo Viewer - Activate Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10. Auto-update Store apps - Disable or enable auto-update of Store apps in Windows 10. Disable Cortana - Disable Cortana in Windows 10. Disable Windows Defender - Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10. Microsoft Edge Download Folder - Change the default download folder in Microsoft Edge. Stop Unwanted Apps - Stop unwanted apps Windows installs automatically. Windows Defender Tray Icon - Show or hide Windows Defender tray icon. App Switcher Hover Timeout - Change the App Switcher hover timeout delay. Charms Bar Hover Timeout - Change the Charms Bar hover timeout delay. Modern App Closing Options - Speed up closing time of Metro apps for mouse and touch. Start Screen Power Button - Show or hide the Power button on the Start screen. Disable Telemetry - Prevent Windows 10 from spying on you. ... and many more. Winaero Tweaker 1.30 new features:

      You can add Task Manager to the Desktop context menu (this works in all supported Windows versions). You can add Group Policy to the Desktop context menu (in all supported Windows versions). You can add "Restart Explorer" to the Desktop context menu in all supported Windows versions. Added two new tools:

      You can create desktop shortcuts to Shut down, Restart, Hibernate and Sleep actions in all Windows versions. Save your time using such shortcuts. For "shut down", you can create both the full shut down shortcut (turns off the OS without the hibernation data, next start is cold start) and hybrid shut down shortcut (next start will be done with Fast Startup).

      If you tray icons (notification area/taskbar corner overflow) look broken, you can now reset their cache using Winaero Tweaker.

      Windows 11: Added a number of improvements to the "Classic Taskbar" feature. After enabling it, you can quickly turn on the clock, network, and sound icons. There is a link for that. Windows 11: Added a dedicated option to restore the Ribbon in File Explorer. Windows 11: You can now move the taskbar to the top, left or right side of the screen. The left and right side taskbar is still half-baked, as Microsoft doesn't officially support the taskbar moving. Fixes

      Fixed Windows 10 version 21H2 detection. It was reported as 21H1. Fixed the context menu\ remove default entries\ pin to start removal. The "Pin to Start" command was only removed for files. Now it also disappears for folders. Fixed the Shell Folder shortcut option. Once you create a shell folder shortcut, the option used to appear in the "Recently changed" list. That's wrong; this doesn't change anything on your computer. Download page: Winaero Tweaker 1.30 | 2.4 MB (Freeware)
      View: Winaero Tweaker Home Page | v1.30 Release Notes

      Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware