How do I create a folder name that starts with a dot in Windows 7?

Question

I'm on a Windows 7 machine and need to create a new folder whose name starts with a dot. To be specific, I need to create the folder "C:\USERS\theusername\.ec2" because that is the default location that the AWS plugin for Eclipse likes to find certain configuration files.

Windows 7 gives me an error message whenever I try to create a folder that starts with a dot:

You must type a filename

Seriously? There are already subfolders in this folder that start with a dot!

How can I tell Windows 7 to just shut up and create my folder?

Answer 1

This behavior is based on a "feature" of dos 8.3 where it was forbidden to have a file without a name.

Name the folder .name.

So the Explorer thinks you will create a file with a name but no extension(which is allowed). The explorer will then delete the dot at the end because it is unnecessary.

Answer 2

1. From the folder above the parent for the new folder, shift-right click on the parent, choose "Open command prompt here".

2. Type mkdir .ec2 (enter)

3. Close the command prompt

Answer 3

From here.

To create/rename on windows explorer, just rename to .name.

The additional dot at the end is unnecessary, and will be removed by Windows Explorer.

In windows 8 (possibly 7) you can also type directly into the navigation bar "mkdir .name" without needing to open a command prompt

Answer 4

One solution to this is:

1. Start > Run > cmd > OK

2. Enter:

   mkdir .yourfoldername
   

Answer 5

Use the command line. Hold shift and right click in the directory you'd like to create a subdirectory in. Choose the "Open Command Prompt here" (or something like that) item. In it, type:

md .ec2

Answer 6

You can do this from CMD. Navigate to where you need then

mkdir ".folder"