folder sorting (sub-sorting)...

this may be a tired question, (and if ever there was a previous reference to the same issue, i'm not able to find it here) but i wonder if the Explorer folders in Vista can be sub-sorted. meaning, i want to primarily sort my files by date modified, AND THEN by file name, INCLUDING the sub-folders. am i able to do that?

what i'm working on right now is a particular folder, with sub-folders and around 3-4 file types. i have file types and folders with the same file name, and i want to sort them first by descending date (so i can see which file was last edited), and then sub-sort them by file name (including the sub-folders, so i can easily group the like together).

e.g.
SAMPLE_02.PML 15/4/2012 8:00AM
SAMPLE_02 (sub-folder) 15/4/2012 8:00AM
SAMPLE_02.TXT 10/4/2012 6:00PM
SAMPLE_01.PML 05/01/2011 8:00AM
SAMPLE_01 (sub-folder) 05/01/2011 8:00AM
SAMPLE_01.TXT 05/01/2011 7:45AM

right now, i can't seem to get it past the "sort by file type" thingy. i can sort my files either by date OR by file name, all but the sub-folders. these, they either stay on top or at the bottom, depending on whether it's ascending or descending. the file type seems to be primary sort option.

btw, i've tried the CTRL/SHIFT/CLICK and the Group By options, but it still not getting to how i want to organise my files. although, Group By seems the closest.

thoughts, anyone? if not possible, please recommend some third-part apps. thank you.

What you are asking it to do is create an index, as in a database. I can't find anything in either Vista or Win 7 which will let you do what you're asking. Maybe someone else knows how.

Have Details view in folder view selected.
Right click the menu bar and click more.
Select the items you want to sort by and what order you want them to show
Then you can sort by the first thing you want by clicking on it then hold shift and sort by the other item you want

thank you. i followed your steps and it's getting there, almost. however, the sub-folders stay either on top of all the other files, or on the bottom (ascending, descending).

is there a way to include the sub-folders with the other files when sorting, instead of being grouped together at the top (or bottom)??

ilikefree said:

Have Details view in folder view selected.
Right click the menu bar and click more.
Select the items you want to sort by and what order you want them to show
Then you can sort by the first thing you want by clicking on it then hold shift and sort by the other item you want

Click to expand...

When you click either heading clicking again will reverse the order they are displayed
Click first list heading if they are the wrong way aroung click again then hold shift and click second heading and if they are the wrong way around keep holding shift and click again.
As far as I know it only works for two headings. It could be more but I have never tried.