Windows 10 / RCT3 - Unable to use billboards

[Tonyde]

RCT3 looks for custom images for use on Billboards within the game in the folder C:\Users\(Username)\Documents\My Pictures. When I try to create the new folder called My Pictures in the documents folder I get do you want to merge this folder with the existing My Pictures folder Yes / no. If you say no it doesn't create the folder, if you say yes it merges it (it seems) and the new folder is not created. It seems impossible to create the folder because of this issue. can you help ? My Son is autistic and doesn;t understand why he can't use Bill boards.....

 

[CountMike]

If you have two folders with same name and you merge them, it doesn't create new folder but one merged to now contains files of both folders in same one. You can't have two folders/subfolders/files of same name in same folder.

 

[Tonyde]

Hi Thanks for this - but I am not trying to create folders/subfolders/files of the same name in the same folder. I can see why the error might make you think this is what I am trying to do though.

What I am trying to create is

C:\Users\(Username)\Documents\My Pictures where My Pictures as a folder does not exist in this path but get the merge message anyway.

Does this mean that you can't have two folders of the same name but under different folders - i.e. the folder name has to be completely unique across the whole computer?

So to test this I successfully created a new folder under pictures called My Pictures which worked just fine.

So then I checked my documents folder shows all hidden folders / files and it does and there is no My Pictures folder.

When I try to create the new sub folder My Pictures under the Documents folder I get the merge message.

Have I found a bug in the file system or am I missing something here?

Thanks in anticipation

 

[Tonyde]

I think I have now resolved this after a lot more digging. I highlighted documents folder and clicked on view and options.

Changed the settings to show all hidden folders etc. unchecked the boxes to hide extensions of known file types and Hide protected operating systems files.

Pressed apply / ok etc. then restarted file explorer.

This then shows that a folder already exists called My Pictures under the documents folder that has its permissions set with a deny rule to avoid access (found this out through properties, security, advanced). This explains why the merge folders option appears when trying to create a new My Pictures folder.

I changed the rule to allow instead of deny and allowed full control and then all the files that appear under the separate default Pictures folder appeared.

If you delete or add something to the Documents\My Pictures folder the same change happens to the separate Pictures folder. I proved this by deleted a picture then restoring it. Windows is therefore making the same changes in both folders at the same time when an action takes place in only one.

I can only assume this is part of Microsoft working to tidy up everyone's files into a standard structure (a good thing) but bad if you need a folder accessible for an old game that has a hard coded path to it.

I did this on my computer, I am hopeful if I remove this deny rule on my sons computer it will mean the folder will be accessible to his game - it will work and will not mess anything else up as the actions act on both folders they will stay in step if this is important for some reason.

Well that was fun - will try it on Tuesday and see if it works - can't see why it wouldn't now.

If anyone thinks this is wrong or I am doing something that will have other consequences can you please let me know.

Thanks Guys.

 

[CountMike]

My Pictures is same folder but appears in two places, Users (normally visible folder) and Documents and Setting (normally hidden folder).