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The Extract Folders command deletes the selected folders, after having moved all the files and sub-folders in those folders into the parent folder (the folder that contains the folder being deleted).
This command will not appear if only files have been selected in File Explorer.
One example where this command is useful is after having extracted an archive file such as a zip. Often, you end up with the name of the archive repeated at two levels in the hierarchy.
- Parent Folder
- MyArchive.zip
- MyArchive
- MyArchive
- <files & folders from the archive>
By right clicking on one of the "MyArchive" folders and selecting the Extract Folders command, it will be eliminated from the hierarchy to give:
- Parent Folder
- MyArchive.zip
- MyArchive
- <files & folders from the archive>
Extract Folders uses the Windows functions to move files and delete folders, so provided the recycle bin is enabled you can use the Undo command in Windows File Explorer to undo the change made by Extract Folders. However, note that Extract Folders makes the change in two steps, first it moves the files and sub-folders out of the folders it is about to delete, then it deletes the now empty folders. This means you need to use the Undo command twice to undo one Extract Folders action.
Before making any changes, the Extract Folders command checks if any files or sub-folders that are about to be moved will clash with each other or any other existing files. This can happen if the parent folder already contains a file with the same name as a file in the folder to be extracted, for example.
If any clashes are detected, a dialog will be shown that shows which files would clash. In this case you will not be able to use the Extract Folders command unless you fix these clashes by either renaming. moving or deleting files until there are no clashes.