Ghost Files

Bryan K

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask...

I cannot see my SketchUp 7 files in the Vista files explorer. I can see them and open them just fine in SketchUp, but Vista doesn't see them at all. It doesn't even see the folder I keep them in.

Anybody know what this is?

I have tried Google forums, but didn't see anything related.

Thanks.

honoluludesktop

Did you "hide" the folder by properties selection?

thomthom

And what is the path to your file and folders?

Dan Rathbun

@honoluludesktop said:

Did you "hide" the folder by properties selection?

In the File Explorer, go to menu Tools > Folder Options...
In the Folder Optionsdialog go to the View tab.
Make sure Show hidden files and folders is selected under the Hidden files and folders feature.
You might also UNCHECK the following settings:
Hide extensions for known file types
Hide protected operating system files

The latter setting will hide folders (anywhere) if they were set to be a system folder (by accident or by copying a current system folder and then renaming it.)
To see if your models folder is a system directory, you can open a command window (StartMenu > Run "cmd") and then use the shell command:
attrib folderpathname

Once you have set the Folder Options to show hidden files, their icons will be semi-transparent (ghostlike,) in the Windows File Explorer.

Bryan K

Thanks for the suggestions, but I'm using Vista and it has a slightly different way of doing things.

That might be where I'm running into problems. The file and folder permissions are easy enough to find, but the changes don't take. I am the owner and master admin of my PC.

Bryan K

Thanks to all. I didn't quite figure what the problem was, but I managed to do what I had set out to do in the first place (move my models to another folder) and everything is resolved.

honoluludesktop

Good to see you found a solution. Don't know vista, but on a WinXP, if you right click any file or folder and select properties, you are given the option to change its attribute by "Read-only and Hidden" check boxes.

TIG

Vista has this weird thing where it looks like you moved some files into a folder, BUT then because of permissions etc it puts them into a parallel 'compatibility files' folder - maybe that's where they went ?
When you go back they are not there - they exist but in this other folder - there should be an indication of this on you window top-bar.

Dan Rathbun

Did they keep this nutty thing for Windows 7 ??

Sometimes a solution is to put files in the Shared Documents folder (sometimes called "All Users".)

Builder Boy

I know this picture is in Windows 7, but does it help?

thomthom

@dan rathbun said:

Did they keep this nutty thing for Windows 7 ??

Sometimes a solution is to put files in the Shared Documents folder (sometimes called "All Users".)

I belive so. But I've never experienced it myself. Maybe because I run as an administrator with UAC off.

Chris Fullmer

Compatibility files is something that made so many tech-geeks so happy, about finally having a safe place for windows to put files it did not authorize. I believe it is similar to a system that Mac employs.

Everything I've ever seen of it just sucks. It has caused me much pain with my script writing (until I finally figured out how to force it to not make a Compatibility folder for my SketchUp installtion folder). But it still creeps up and causes compatibilty problems for people who try to install a script, not realizing they already had an odler version installed, "safely" tucked away in the compatibilty folder, where its completely out of sight. And yes, the two files can co-exist with the same name even though the system sort of considers them to be in the same location.

Anyhow, I dis-like the silly thing.

Chris

Dan Rathbun

@chris fullmer said:

Compatibility files is something that made so many tech-geeks so happy, about finally having a safe place for windows to put files it did not authorize. I believe it is similar to a system that Mac employs.

I consider myself a tech-geek, and it sounds like a nightmare!

I hate having 2 files of different versions around.

honoluludesktop

Here is an explanation, and "partial" solution.

Thomas, When UAC off and as administrator, have you ever experienced a program having problems saving files?

Dan Rathbun

Reading about this, it makes me want (when I do get Win7,) to install Sketchup in C:\Google instead of the Programs folder. I wonder if that would work?

thomthom

@honoluludesktop said:

Here is an explanation, and "partial" solution.

Thomas, When UAC off and as administrator, have you ever experienced a program having problems saving files?

Nope.