My folder structure, share yours.

[alek2407]

Hi so i was reading this old post about folder structures and got lots of good ideas. I really find it interesting how people organize their files.

Here's my way:

First of all i have changes my home folder to have 9 sub folders (using lots of symlinks and ghost.app). They are:

Archive- i use it as a downloads folder and where things go from the desktop if unused. It has a stack in the dock for quick access. old stuff from here moves to the "stuff" folder after a week

Databases- this is where folders that are managed by applications and or generally not good to touch. It includes my itunes, iphoto, imovie event/projects, final cut document, etc.

Desktop - try to keep it empty. only put stuff on it if i am working on it. Stuff that get unused moves to archive (i use hazel)

Documents- No structure to it. I use list view by date of creation. Only things that are closely related and chronologically linked get a folder (for example an essay and a report on the same topic). Only iwork/office documents (some rtf) go in here. Each file/folder has tags in the comments. They are @school, @work and so on. Most have more then 4 tags. I use spotlight to search them.

Dropbox- i only have a 2gb account and use it as a virtual flashdrive. In it is also my public folder the get's shared on the network (although i never use it)

Library

Media- things that i 'consume' Sub divided into films, books, television. Stuff gets put in here automatically with hazel from different sources. I like to organize my own movies/shows and don't use itunes for it.

Projects- multimedia work that i do. It is divided into projects and has all different files in it. This folder is for websites, apps, final cut, garageband and things like that.
Sometimes i can't decided wether to put something in "Documents" or "Projects" if it is a massive keynote or a info-video for school.

Stuff - this is where stuff from the "Archive" goes after a week. Bunch of stuff i don't want to organize.
At the top there is folder "Clips" where i sort significant things like funny videos, random pictures, random songs that i don't want to put in my 'main apps' like itunes.

apps i use (to help with sorting):

Spotlight - i disabled the icon in the bar. I only use it in folders to search for things. Have not found a use for smartfolders

alfred - an app similar to quiksilver. Use mainly as an application launcher but it can search spotlight and navigate files. Use it instead of spotlight and even mapped the hot key to cmd-space.

hazel - it's a preference pane that lets you make rules to have it move files. Helps automate stuff.

Thats a my way, share yours i'm really interested.

 

[CaptMurdock]

I tend to stick with the standard configuration (e.g. Documents, Downloads, Pictures) although I will definitely have subfolders in each of these (e.g. Projects and Reference folders in Documents). I did make a folder called Disk Images on the Home directory for .dmg files I download and want to save to archival storage.

 

[Lostanddamned]

Most of my folders have a structure to them, or at least a predetermined function.

• Desktop is kept empty, things are dragged from the internet to here, then immediately moved on to a relevant location.
• Documents - Has three subfolders
  • Uni, has subfolders:
    • Biol2004 - papers subfolder
    • Biol2112 - papers subfolder
    • Biol2114 - papers subfolder
    • Biol2409 - papers and coursework subfolders
    • Biol2414 - papers and coursework subfolders
  • Work, currently only contains my CV
  • Hobby, has subfolders
    • Comics - subfolders for each title with subfolders for each storyline
    • RPG - game dependant subfolders
    • Warhammer - Army specific subfolders
    • Writings - Subfolders for fiction and in progress code
• Pictures Has three subfolders (separate to iPhoto)
  • Self - photos of me
  • Doodles - stuff I drew myself
  • <girlfriends name> - The photos of her that I like to be able to bring up when I feel low - happy memories etc
• Downloads is kept empty as quickly as possible, used as a staging post for moving documents to other places.
  
• Movies folder is just straight into my DVD rips as I keep my TV shows on an external HDD.
  
• Music is just my iTunes folder, all of my bands stuff is kept in iDisk so we can all access it.
  
• Public is used for household based sharing, so its just whatever gets dumped in there for a short amount of time.

I think my File system works pretty well. It would also appear that I think in tree structures pretty easily.

 

[Scylax]

I set up a separate folder called 'My Files' and put it in the sidebar in place of the Documents folder so that I don't have my files mixed in with app files.

I have two folders in that one: 'OU' for my Uni work, and 'Personal' for everything else. Within the OU folder there are 3 files, 'Current', 'Archive' and 'Library'. The first two have individual folders for each course I've done, and the library has PDF files etc to read.

The personal folder has folders for 'Writing' and 'Reference' so far, although more will be added as I need them. Most stuff goes in the reference folder. Within 'Writing' are 'NaNo', FanFic' and 'Other'. Again each is divided: NaNo by year, FanFic by subject and other by each work.

I also have an extra folder for 'Icons' since each folder is represented by an appropriate image.

I'm really interested to see how everyone else organizes their files, and I'm gathering ideas!

 

[coops]

I put all my data in a folder My Data straight under the Mac HD root - then subfolders within it....

Like this....

That's shown using TotalFinder, very nice dual pane Finder mod which also sorts Folders first - hurrah, for that (and you can choose not to sort that way if you like )

Coops