Windows Server

Mark Vogt · Guest

Greetings esteemed Sharepointers,

Even as of SPS2003, document libraries still appear to be quite clunky
regarding moving already-uploaded files into new folders - arguably an
extremely common task.

Does anyone know if an improvement to this nearly-missing functionality
exists?

Explorer view lets you (slowly) perform a cut/paste operation - and the
files appear to move successfully when you use the "All Documents"
view. However, the original organization of the files & folders still
appears when viewed in the "Explorer" view - it's as if nothing
happened.

This is one of the most common complaints our Sharepoint users have
with Doc Lib web parts. It's very normal for them to create a doc lib,
upload a number of docs, realize they need to organize the lib with
folders....
.... and then find out how very unintuitive and aggravating it is to
accomplish this.

Then they go back to organizing things on their hard drives, and
abandon doc lib web parts.

Anyone heard of any improvements? Any good, function-filled 3rd party
web parts?

I'm all ears,

Mark Vogt | Sharepoint Consultants | VOGTLAND | mark_vogt@vogtland.ws

Rob · Guest

Hi

We have the same problems, I have been testing this web part for the past
week or so its not perfect but its an improvement.

http://www.professionalsharepoint.com/dle/

Cheers

Rob

"Mark Vogt" wrote:

FriscoSoxFan · Guest

Agreed. I've used it on a couple of projects. The only problem I've
found is if you extend the drop-down menu using a custon js script.
But, that may be my code and not thier web part.

Hollis D. Paul · Guest

In article <1131461024.609163.26000@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>, Mark
Vogt wrote:

Mark Vogt · Guest

Greetings Rob,
Thanks for the lead - I already like what I've been reading... and
their licensing looks quite realistic as well.
I'm about to install it in my dev environment, and see how it works
as-is.

Cheers,
- Mark

Mark Vogt · Guest

Hi Hollis,

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I'm struggling to agree with the Sharepoint Design Team's philosophy of
folders/subfolders being a "waste of time"...
.... but the metaphor of folders and subfolders for organizing content
is simply too natural to discard. Not fake columns-as-folders metaphors
- the real (well, electrons are real) folders we're all used to...

The physical world still uses cabinets (folders), drawers (subfolders)
and folders (subfolders) to organize content. Period.
The Windows OS (and ALL other OSes for that matter) still uses the
folder/subfolder metaphor as well. Period.

I don't see anyone out there with 12,543,459,999 files all stored at
the root level of their "C:" drive - and with "views" to provide them
with pseudo-organized views...
.... instead I see folders - even from Microsoft. "C:\Program Files\" is
a waste-of-time folder, not a view, is it?

It's a lot easier to believe the design team just hasn't figured out
how to do it yet...
;-)

I'm checking out the Document Library Explorer web part suggested by
another responder to my thread. And waiting for better folder-related
functionality to come with the Longhorn version of Sharepoint.

Cheers,
- Mark Vogt, Sharepoint Consultant | VOGTLAND | mark_vogt@vogtland.ws

Rob · Guest

Hi

Hard to understand how the Team could have come up with them being a waste
of time. After installing share point and rolling it out moving/viewing files
and folders and the lack of functionality in this area has been the most
reported irritant in the organisation. The tests I have done with some users
with the DLE web part has demonstrated that the functionality is wanted at a
user level. When changing systems for people and the way they work is hard
enough, don't change eveything they do all at once, it causes massive
problems, new systems with familiarity for certain tasks is the key. Besides
which, new systems should make life easier not harder.

Cheers

Rob

"Hollis D. Paul" wrote:

Edward Lee · Guest

Another cool app: http://www.knowledgelake.com/connect/default.asp

Also, assuming you're using XP, you can create a network place that points
to the library. I think there are even some apps that will let you map a
network drive to a library.

--
Edward Lee
Microsoft MVP - Sharepoint Portal Server

"Mark Vogt" <mark_vogt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131461024.609163.26000@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

Hollis D. Paul · Guest

In article <1131481894.629544.179030@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, Mark
Vogt wrote:

Mark Vogt · Guest

Greetings Hollis,

Thank you for your detailed comments. Amazing how two rational,
reasonable people can look at the same object yet see something
different.

Here's start of your response:
"...get out of your comfy chair at your desk and go visit the main
library in your city, or the research library at a major university.
You will find big rooms, their walls lined with shelves and volumes of
books. On the main floor, of a city library, will probably current
events gallery, in which the magazines and newspapers are shelved, and
reference materials."

Here's my response to YOUR example:
Libraries are often dedicated to a particular specialty: Law (folder)
libraries, Chemistry (folder) libraries, Engineering libraries (yikes
-another folder!), etc etc. These libraries are separate containers, so
the "folder" metaphor is much stronger than the "label" or "column"
metaphor. Libraries themselves are then divided into several sections
(folders) like "Adult", "Fiction", "Non-Fiction", "Reference",
"Periodicals", "Childrens",etc, etc. These labels are clearly marked
even in the example I'm sure you yourself are visualizing....
;-)
You go "into" these sections, again reinforcing the "container"
metaphor, of which a folder is the superior analogy...

Your "big room" is a CONTAINER - a FOLDER. It's not just a column or a
label.
Your "floor" is a CONTAINER - a FOLDER (think of your alma mater's
"stacks", and you'll have to agree here)
Your "gallery" is a CONTAINER - a FOLDER.

Even in the Adult>Nonfiction (we're already 2 folders deep, aren't we?
Or is it 3 folders deep?) section there are further divisions -
"Music", "Hobbies", "Self-Help", "Computers", "History", the list goes
on and on and on... Inside the subsection "History", there are
sub-sections (read "folders") like "American History", "European
History", and that best seller "History of the Self-Effacing Consulting
Philosophies"

When was the last time you went into a Borders or Barnes&Noble looking
for the latest Sharepoint references, and actually went to the CARD
CATALOG first?
Nope. Sorry.
You walked in the door.... and looked around for the SECTION (folder)
marked "Computers"
Then you walked "into" that section (a container or "folder"), and
looked around for the shelf (folder) marked "Microsoft" or "Reference"
So, you went INTO a book store (folder), INTO a section (folder), INTO
a row (folder), INTO a shelf (folder), INTO a part of the shelf
(folder)... and found your book.

I think I've made my point even as you are convinced you have made your
own.

The only difference I perceive is that my point comes as the voice
representing the USERS - the ones who're supposed to be the REASON we
do this stuff, right?
It appears (that's all I can say) that your point comes from somewhere
other than your users...

I've yet to hear anyone in any forum cite an anecdote where their users
cried "Give us LABELS! Give us COLUMNS!"...
They're asking for folders, Hollis. We, the unclean, unwashed,
unenlightened...but then again, we ARE the USERS, aren't we? Aren't WE
supposed to DRIVE the solution?

Seems like another case of Microsoft trying to "spin" its way out of
actually providing the functionality its customer base wants

Please don't think I don't value your comments - I do indeed. But to
think that asking for something as natural as folders (they're
ubiquitous in the computer and physical world - even in your own
example attempting to debunk them!) is unreasonable or even "backward"
of users is not a mindset I can agree with...

The very nature of a portal is that it should NOT matter what
method/strategy/technique you use to find content - you still can FIND
it.
If we consider "find via columns" and "find via folders" as options,
then who are we to deny or LIMIT our users of the CHOICE? Doesn't that
miss the point?

Thank you to the rest of the forum participants who provided me with
real options. It is most appreciated.

Cheers,
- MV

RFI - Moving files between folders in doc libraries - any im

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