How do you manage and organize your files? (scripts, repos, downloads, pdf's, etc)

Question

Like many of you, I have to deal with a large amount of files: source code, binary downloads, spreadsheets, pdf's, word docs, images, note files, quick scripts, and more.

These files can fall into many categories:

• Temporary files that should eventually be deleted
• Important or useful references files that should be archived
• Files tied to specific projects at a specific employer
• General employer documents such as holiday schedules, healthcare plans, travel request forms, etc
• Professional documents not tied to any specific employer
• Side projects
• Personal documents (taxes, important receipts, notes, etc)

I'd like to avoid huge folder hierarchies, especially for the files I access via commandline on a frequent basis

For archived files, an indexed, tag-based categorization system would seem to be a better fit than the folder approach.

Are there any recommended tools or systems for managing files effectively? I'm considering turning my Downloads folder into a sort of "Inbox" and taking a GTD approach. Also, programs like Hazel might be able to help.

My focus is on Mac software, but I'm interested in hearing all approaches.

What folder structures, systems, and tools do you use to manage your files?

Answer 1

I highly recommend PersonalBrain (see thebrain.com) for references, URLs, notes etc that don't easily fit into rigid hierarchies (which in my case is most things - I hate deep hierarchies). It runs on MacOS, Windows and Linux, and the free version is pretty functional (though I did cough up for the 'core' version as it has additional features that I like).

It can also link into OS folders and OS managed files, so you can mix and match old school folders with things that you file in PersonalBrain itself. It doesn't really help with command line things, however.

Stuff I don't know what to do with yet, I file under a thought called 'unfiled', and then from time to time I categorise things I find there.

I also use voodopad on Mac OS X (a kind of desktop wiki), but any desktop wiki will do instead (tomboy, tiddlywiki, etc)...also PersonalBrain can also be looked on as a sort of wiki.

Answer 2

I have found that computers and hard drives are so fast that I just throw everything in c:\ or ~/ and I never have to go far to find anything. But that's me. Most will probably disagree.

Answer 3

Instead of having a huge hierarchies of folders, I categorize my files and organize them in either one of the following folders:

Work, Personal, Archive, Misc

And then use Google Desktop to manage my files.

Answer 4

I go for the deep hierarchy approach. The biggest problem was my email archive, where many messages needed more than one classification, but could only be stored in one place. We got migrated to Notes, which means that long-term memory is lost - I hate that.

I try to keep stuff organized by projects - in the loosest sense of the term. I have top-level directories like:

• bin - executable commands
• inc - headers (I program in C a lot)
• lib - libraries (with sub-directories for the source of different libraries)
• src - main source archive (a myriad sub-directories, some two or three levels deep, ignoring artefacts like RCS sub-directories)
• etc - mainly configuration files and associated scripts
• tmp - nominally temporary files (the oldest resident has passed the decade mark, but that was imported from elsewhere; the oldest residents I created or downloaded date from late 2000)

I then have a miscellany of semi-purposeful sub-directories, such as:

• work - laden with sub-directories related to work
• pdf - full of PDF files in sub-directories
• papers - full of non-PDF file
• doc - more documentation (need to work on this bit)

Since this machine is physically 1500 miles from me, and is running Solaris 10, I'm not sure how I'd use a tool such as Google Desktop to manage it.

On the Windows laptop I use, I have a C:\Filing Cabinet\ directory which has a hierarchy of sub-directories under it. I don't like the way Windows scatters my files around; I much prefer to be in charge of scattering my own files around the way I want to.

My Mac at home parallels my main work machine - minus the work-specific stuff.

Answer 5

One possible approach is to organize your files:

• by projects (like Jonathan's suggestion: loose term for "coherent groups of files" for a common purpose)
• by packaging type, meaning:
  • simple collection of files (loose and custom organization), or
  • predefined structure of directories (always the same structure for every project, works well for development projects), or
  • zip files (for easy synchronization / backup)

I have a zone where I put all important files/projects in compressed file in order to synchronize that directory with its mirror between my different computers (compressed files means less files to synchronize, means a quicker synchronization process. Works for backup too)