IamMitul

If you create files on your harddisk
on a daily basis, consider using
date-based folder names to help you
keep your data organized. While
manually creating folders with the
current date as the name really isn't
much of a hassle, wouldn't it be cool

if you couldautomate the
procedure? Well you can by
changing the short date format and
addinga special command to
Windows XP's context menu.
Here's how to change the date
format:

1. Open the Control Panel and
double-click Regional And
Language Options. and access
the Regional And Language
dialog box.

2. In the Regional And Language
Options dialog box, click the
Customize button on the
Regional Options tab.

3. Inthe Customize Regional
Options dialog box, select the
Date tab.

4. Inthe Short Date panel, take
note of the current Short Date
Format setting incase you want
to change it back.

5. Selectthe Date Separator drop-
down field and select a dash (-)
because Windowsdoesn't
allow slashes in file and folder
names.

6. Clickthe Apply button.

7. Click OK twice to close both
the Customize Regional
Options and Regional And
Language Options dialog
boxes.

You canactually use any of the
settings on the Short Date Format
drop-down menu or acustom format
as long as you use a dash as the
separator. Keep in mind that
anychange you make to the Short
Date Format setting will affect the
way the dateis displayed throughout
the entire operating system.
Here's how to create the special
command on the context menu:

1. LaunchWindows Explorer and
select Tools | Folder Options.

2. Inthe Folder Options dialog
box, select the File Types tab.

3. Inthe Registered File Types list,
select Folder, and click the
Advancedbutton.

4. Inthe Edit File Type dialog box,
click the New button.

5. Inthe New Action dialog box,
type New Date-Based Folder in
the Action text box and
CMD.EXE /CMD "%1\%%DATE
%%" in the Application Used
To PerformAction text box.

6. ClickOK twice. Click Close to
close the three dialog boxes.
Now, whenever you want to create a
new date-based foldername in
Windows Explorer, simply right-click
on the folder in which you want
tocreate the folder and select the
New Date-Based Folder command
from the context menu. Keep in mind
that on any given day you won't be
able to create two identical date-
based folder names within the same
folder.

Note: This tipapplies to both
Windows XP Home and Windows XP
Professional.