Vista - Windows Explorer Folder View settings

Irvdk and Dudelidu,

This tutorial will show you how to change a the folder template of a Windows Explorer window to what you want it to be instead.

Windows Explorer - Folder Type Templates

The main difference is that when you use the Apply to Folders option, it applies the folder view settings to all Windows Explorer windows with the same folder template as you are using the Apply to Folders option in. It will not change the ones with different folder templates.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Shawn,
In the link you provided all of the views are with the Navigation Pane Layout showing...What I want is for that not to be showing in some of the layouts, but showing in others! I understand how to do all of these things. Simple put I want to be able to use the same template with and without the Navigation Pane.
Thanks,

Irvdk,

That would be nice, but unfortunately that is not an option in Vista. What you do in one folder template with the panes happens to all of the same folder templates. I have found no way around this other than changing templates.

Sorry,
Shawn

"Warning: The exact cause of Vista losing its memory on your folder view settings has not been found yet."

My inference is that someone at Microsoft has NO IDEA how to code a ****dam*** hash table. Seriously, let's list some symptoms here (some you've mentioned, some I've observed):

• The problem often happens after a lot of folders have had their settings remembered or changed.
• A common instance is Program Files et. al. suddenly looking like Music Icons or Music Details - both of which are often assigned to MANY folders.
• (My observation) occasionally, the problem will mysteriously revert itself.
• (My observation) sometimes changing the type of one folder will alter the type in another <-- this is a damning one
• The problem is alleviated but not solved by increasing the number of folders Explorer remembers.
• (My observation) sometimes when a folder is accessible via two different paths, it looks different depending on which path you used.

All of this just screams to me that Explorer is hashing the pathname and using that as an index into a hashtable to store the settings, and isn't checking for collisions!

I really want to stab someone at MS for making a mistake that would get you a failing grade on a highschool-level compsci assignment.

Hi Kuciwalker, and welcome to Vista Forums.

I agree that it should have been written just a bit better.

These listed items that may also help you keep it from reverting back.

• If you use the Apply To Folders option, it will change the folder view settings in all Windows Exporer windows with the same folder template that you used the Apply To Folders option in.
• Folders like the user folders use a junction point (symbolic link) to have them in two locations but are still the same folder without them being a shortcut. Because of the two locations, each location will have it's own folder view settings for the same folder.
• Some utilty programs have various options to clear some of the different folder view settings. (Ex: Window Size/Location Cache, Custom Files and Folders, etc...)

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

I've been wanting to do the same since I launched Vista for the first time about a week ago. Believe me I know how you feel. What seams to be the ONLY solution is for you to program different folder templates to appear with/without the navigation pane. I do this with the preview pane and it's working pretty good. Basically what you do is:

1. Step 1-7 method 1, step 1-7 and 25-28 method 2 in this tutorial. Maybe that's too much, but that's what I did.
2. Then you go to the folder you want the navigation pane visible in.
3. Then you right click and choose customize folder, then choose a different folder type i.e. music icons and click ok.
4. Then adjust this folder exactly the way you want it (with/without navigation pane, with/without preview, what details in the "sort by" columns etc.).
5. Then you click "alt" and choose "Tools" and then "folder options". Inside folder options click "View" and then "Apply to folders", accept/agree the warning message.
6. Now when you want another folder to look the same as the one you just made, do step 2 and 3 over again and in step 3 you choose the same folder templates as the one you saved.

This way you can make about 5 templates which you can use as templates, and then change the content and save each folder the way you want simply by exiting them (i.e. size of icons, what "sort by" values etc., not for the layout such as navigation pane, for that you must choose the template you now have made through step 2 to 5 or simply make yet another template with the different layout).
This workes for me. Now I have some folder with navigation and preview. Some with only preview, some with big icons, some with details list etc. Try it and see if it solves your problems.

I feel you pain!!!!!!!!! The last 7 days I've spent talking trash about Microsoft 24/7 until my mouth'd gone dry! Seriously, what the hell? But I'm not gonna blow out too much steam here in this thread. My friends have to be that valve for now. I seriously freaking hate Vista, and most likely I will never ever feel it any different unless some freakishly big updates is available for download which changes the one gazillion things I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CHOICE WHETHER I WANT IT LIKE THIS OR NOT (where "not" in most cases means the way they've done it in every single OS since Gates was the skinny nerd sit'n in his garage, only in Vista it's different and unchangeable). Did someone say maximized windows????

I bought a Mac 6 months ago to try to see if I could accept the differences in the OS. At that time I thought PC OS was smarter in many ways. Now I really regret my choice of delivering that Mac back to the shop. I definitely would have kept the Mac if I knew the things about Vista which I know today. Not a doubt in my mind. Hell, I even tried selling my new PC to my mum so I could just forget about it all and get me a Mac

*pulling hair out of head*

My friend,
I have been using Vista for 18 months now. I started out with the business edition and then bought Ultimate. With some of its flaws I still think its great!! I would NOT go back to XP. There is a learning curve with every new operating system as there is with everything in life.
There are lots of other choices when it comes to operating systems, so why make yourself so crazy and upset. Find one of the many other ones out there that you would enjoy using.

Never said I was going back to XP.

Learning curve? Of things that you can't learn? Things that are just like this and which you can't change? That's learning material!? Nope....sorry....that's just flaws and functions impossible to understand and which will keep me annoyed for a long time. I've been waiting for this operating system for 5-6 years. You've had it for 18 months, I haven't even had for 18 days. So my anger is fresh in mind. In 18 months I too probably is going to be laid back and totaly in harmony with the functions which makes me have to double the number of clicks to perform many of the tasks I want.

The many other OS out there? Please.....if you count earlier versions of MS then yes it's many. if not, then my options is extremely limited. But one of the reasons I longed to upgrade from XP was the constant instability in XP. Vista is more stable but more stupid. Simple as that. So it's not like it's an easy choice. It's just not. Thats why I'm so upset. But hey, maybe I'm lucky and get rid of my PC and swap OS once and for all. Fingers crossed.....

You could always go to Linux....talk about options.....I run that as a virtual machine and have four of those running. So I really think that you have many options to chose from. I have 3 machines that run XP SP3 and have 0 problems with stability. One of them is Overclocked and still no stability problems.

I wish you good luck in whatever you decide to do.