HTT files in WinXP? 1

[Feathered1]

I upgraded my system to WinXP a few months back, and I'm generally thrilled with it (upped from 98 - nuff said) but I really miss the ability to customize folders via HTT files. I know Win2000 has this feature... does anyone know how to enable it in XP?

While on the subject, does anyone know how to force particular folders to ALWAYS open in thumbnail view, ALWAYS in tiles, ALWAYS in detail view?

 

[mithrilhall]

I'm not sure about your first question but on my XP box whenever I change my view preferences via the Views button and I close the window. When I open it back up it's the same view that it had when I closed it. I think it's setup by default this way.

 

[Feathered1]

Mithrailhall:
yes, that usually is the case, but for example I've got a folder of mp3 files that includes some customized details settings that I have to reset every time. Could there be a [DetailsView] section in the folder.ini or anything handy like that? Something tells me the solution to both questions will be found in the same place...

 

[linney]

If you click on Tools/Folder Options/View there is a drop down list where one option is "Remember each folders view settings"

If you type "Customize Folders" in the Search Box of the Help and Support program it will show you what is available in XP.

 

[Feathered1]

The trouble with the help files is that they tend to focus on the things that are the least technical. It wouldn't be so bad, if the "Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base" feature in Help actually worked... Help has no idea what thumbs.db is, or folder.ini. It contains next to no information on editing the registry (besides the obvious "be careful" instructions), and I get the feeling that I could read every last help topic that came with WinXP, and, with the exception of some administrative tasks, not learn a thing I didn't figure out in the first week of using it.

That's why I posted my question *here*... Programmers and power users seem to be able to find ways around these things...

 

[linney]

Sometimes windows XP forgets it's folder view settings.

Here is a possible solution.

Backup these RegKeys.

1:[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]

2:[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

After that you must delete them.

Restart windows to take effect.

Now you can change each folder and the setting will stay.



Courtesy of

http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/default.asp

Ps. The Help file is only for simpletons like me.

 

[Feathered1]

Let's say, hypothetically, that I wanted to use an HTT file as a folder view. If WinXP does not support this, what would happen if I tried to run a copy of Explorer.exe from a Win2000 system under XP? Is there any way that could work?

Frankly, though, that's the only part of XP explorer that I don't like... but why would microsoft lose a great functionality like that? I think it's just hidden. Could there be some way to, say, use the Folder.ini file and PersistMoniker=?

I'm thinking of writing a simple program that would associate the active folder with a menu-specified HTT file under XP, possibly by appending the PersistMoniker line to the Folder.ini file - if indeed that has anything to do with anything. This would be useful for pre-determined details views in document folders, and maybe even a sort of ACDSee-like Thumb+Details view in image folders.

Friends, Romans, MIS dudes... any ideas?

 

[rjkrash]

I think you need to look at desktop.ini files and I think this is what you are looking for. (At least a starting place)

Customizing Folders with Desktop.ini

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...hell_basics/shell_basics_extending/custom.asp

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[rjkrash]

Feathered1 -
BTW, if this functionality is what I think it is could you tell (assist) me how I might create a template that would allow me to set a different background for all explorer windows on a system.

I know how to do it one background at a time using the desktop.ini file but would like to do it system wide.

TIA,

Dik ----
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[Feathered1]

EXCELLENT link, rjkrash! I can even tell by the graphics that it's meant to work with WinXP! and, yes, you're right -counterintuitive though it may be, it is "desktop.ini", not "folder.ini". Thanks a million. I don't know how I missed that page.

 

[Feathered1]

rjkrash:
I'm not entirely sure that WinXP can do what you suggest... I suppose that one could write a script that placed a desktop.ini file in every folder, or perhaps (as would be more efficient) writing an add-in that extended the Folder file system object to refer to a template desktop.ini (as was apparently the case in Win9x with folder.htt) but I'm not even sure there's a legal way to get at that code.