Microsoft Works in Windows 7

[jddavis]

After creating a new data set (data base OR work processor) and selecting the
proper folder I want it saved in, I give it a name, select save and hit enter.  Now the trouble begins:  whenever I go back to retreive the new data set - it isn't where I
put it and I have to search the whole computer to find it.  And sometimes I can't
find it anywhere in the computer, but if I go back into the Works software that
created it, there it is an the last used data set. 
Real Screwey if you ask me.  Can you tell me what's going on and how to make it
save the data set where I tell it to

Thanks for your time

Jerry
[email protected]

EMail addy removed to prevent SPAM.

[jkolak]

When you choose your Save folder, what folder are you choosing?

When you find your file with Search, what folder are you finding it in?

You can double check this by clicking "Save As" instead of "Save". "Save As" will bring up a dialog box showing you the path it is saving it to.

[sagebrush]

I'm guessing you are saving within Works and not where you think you are. Check where it saves before you hit save

[jddavis]

First:  Thanks to jkolak - I have a separate folder set up uner my name that I use to store my personal whatevers in.  I've been doing this since windows 95 with no
problem - until windows 7.
When I do find my saved file, there seems to be no logic in where it was saved to.
All I can say is - here and there and a couple of times a search turned up nothing, yet when I went back into works wp - there was 2 of my last data sets that couldn't be found!
And yes, on a n ew data set I always do 'save as'.
To sagebrush - thanks to you too.  But as you can see from above, bad guess but thanks anyway.

jdd

[patio]

Win7 has "libraries'...
Did you check these for the missing files ?
On your user account in the Start menu open Documents...i'll bet you find them here.

[jkolak]

What is the path of your folder?

What is the path of the Works folder where you have found your files?

[jddavis]

What is the path of your folder?  C:\Windows\Desktop\My Dataset

What is the path of the Works folder where you have found your files?
C"\Microsoft Work (I don't know - the Word Processor)

[jkolak]

Did you find anything in the location Patio advised?

It's not a good sign that you cannot find things, yet you do not know the path that MS Works saves to.

[jddavis]

Yes, I have found some of my dataset in the 'libraries' but not all.
And as far as I know, when in Works, if it's and old dataset that is
being saved - in goes back to wherever it came from ( different places for different
datasets) but if it's a NEW dataset and you do a 'save as' it should be saved
wherever you tell it to be saved at, not some arbitrary folder that you never
heard of before.

[jkolak]

That's correct. Unfortunately, misplaced data is more likely to be a consequence of forgetting to change the default path when saving, or not noticing the path displayed before hitting save than any unreliability of Windows.

This is especially true when I am tired or in a hurry. Over many years of experience fighting Windows and being stubborn about wanting to use my own storage paths, I have learned that it is easier to go with the flow and use the operating system the way it has been designed. This makes backups much less of a headache too.

As far as finding your missing files, I have also experienced your issue of Windows Search not being able to find files that I know are there, and when I follow the path with Explorer, they are indeed there, but for some reason Search could not find them. If you have enough idle time available on the computer, I would suggest allowing Index Service to index your entire computer. Then you can search for your missing files by file extension.

[patio]

Actually the index service does not need to be running for a complete search...
Use the *. method in the search window...
For example *.jpg will turn up all instances of .jpg files...

Be prepared for it to take awhile if you have lots of them.

[jddavis]

Many thanks to both jkolak and patio.  I'll press on from here and see if
I can let the system do what I don't want it to do?  I know that's not right
but you get the drift of it (I hope).  I do appreciate your help.
Jerry

[jkolak]

Best of luck.