Windows Vista Question

[mattpg1]

I don't remember if it was for a survey or I found it on the Microsoft website or what, but some time ago they had a thing asking if I had any suggestions for Windows and I entered my suggestion.

You know how if you try to paste a folder into a directory that already has a folder of the same name it asks if you want to overwrite it or abort the copying, my idea was for a third option to merge the contents of the two folders.

Does Windows Vista have that?

[The Dude]

Thats an interesting idea!!!!!!

I dont think ANY OS's have that option...........

[AnnMarie]

Does Windows Vista have that?

Nope. :D

[smurfy]

Score another point for Linux -
When I copy a folder using KDE's Konqueror file browser to a location that already has a folder of the same name and I tell it to "overwrite", it will automatically "merge" the folders - that is -
File in source directory but not in destination = adds file
File in source directory and in destination directory = overwrites file from source
File in destination directory but not in source directory = leaves destination directory file intact.

so I will end up with one directory containing all the files.

[AnnMarie]

You know how if you try to paste a folder into a directory that already has a folder of the same name it asks if you want to overwrite it or abort the copying. My idea was for a third option to merge the contents of the two folders

Sorry, I should have elaborated instead of clowning around. Windows does already do this Matt.

[degsy]

I've always thought that was the default method when copying folders.

[oracle128]

Correct, that is the default behaviour (sort of). What Windows actually says is:This folder already contains a folder named <whatever>

If the files in the existing folder have the same name as files in the folder you are moving or copying, they will be replaced. Do you still want to move or copy the folder?

{Yes} {Yes to All} {No} {Cancel}
No and Cancel do the same thing: abort the operation. Clicking Yes overwrites files with the same name, copies files that don't exist, and leaves all other files in the destination intact; though it's technically not a 'merge', because your classic merge would ignore files which have the same name, instead of overwriting them by default (which may be a problem if they aren't the same file, but just share the name). Point-for-point, this is the same behaviour smurfy describes Linux's Konqueror as doing.

I'm not 100%, but I believe Yes to All will apply the same behaviour to any sub-directories that could potentially fall under the same condition (sub-directories in the source folder with the same name as sub-directories in the destination).

[mattpg1]

Thanks