Finding and sorting items in your library

Links to content in your library are automatically grouped into categories such as All Music, All TV, and All Video. The content is further grouped and displayed in subcategories based on the media information about the content. Even if the media information is unknown, the content is added to the appropriate category based on the file type and file name extension for the file. For example, a file with a .wma extension is a Windows Media Audio file and is displayed in the All Music category. A file with a .dvr-ms extension is a Microsoft Recorded TV Show and is displayed in the All TV category.

By default, in both the Contents pane and the Details pane, content is displayed in alphabetical order, with "Unknown" characters (such as an ellipsis) and numeral content names preceding letters. Content is generally sorted in ascending order.

If you have an extensive audio, video, or picture collection available in your library, finding items may prove more difficult when you are scrolling through the categories. You may want to sort the content in a different way, display more or fewer columns, or search for content. You can sort, find, and organize your content in the following ways:

• Click a column heading to sort the content in ascending or descending order for that column heading.
• Choose which columns you want to display (not applicable to the Title column).
• Select a particular artist or album and then find other items by that artist.
• Use the Search button to find items containing a specific word or phrase.
• Create an auto playlist that automatically finds items matching the criteria that you specify.

Notes

• Different columns are displayed by default in the Details pane, depending on the category that you are viewing. For example, the columns that are displayed in the Details pane for the All Music category are different from the columns that are displayed in the Details pane for the All Video category.
• Links to DVDs are not stored in your library, because most DVDs cannot be copied.

This section covers:

• To sort items using a different column heading in your library
• To choose which columns are displayed in your library
• To find other items with the same artist or album in your library
• To search for items in your library

Related topics

• Organizing your files
• Setting general Player options