Can I get XP Explorer to always show folders tree on the left?

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insert your name here

Hi :)

I've got XP Pro with the 'show common tasks in folders' set.

By default this has options like 'Rename This File' and so on on the
left. There's a 'Folders' button on the toolbar which changes this to a
much more useful (for me, at least) tree of all the drives and folders.

Is there a way of setting XP so this folder tree automatically appears
every time I open an Explorer window?

Thanks :)
 
Edit the shortcut's "Target" to read
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,C:\
Where C:\ is the drive or directory you wish to expand.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Hi :)
|
| I've got XP Pro with the 'show common tasks in folders' set.
|
| By default this has options like 'Rename This File' and so on on the
| left. There's a 'Folders' button on the toolbar which changes this to a
| much more useful (for me, at least) tree of all the drives and folders.
|
| Is there a way of setting XP so this folder tree automatically appears
| every time I open an Explorer window?
|
| Thanks :)
 
Dave said:
Edit the shortcut's "Target" to read
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,C:\
Where C:\ is the drive or directory you wish to expand.
Click to expand...

Huh?

What shortcut? And I won't know what folder I want to expand until I
open it in Explorer!
 
Edit the shortcut's "Target" to read
Huh?

What shortcut?
Click to expand...

The one you're going to have to have to create and double-click on from now
on to start Explorer showing the folder tree. AFAIK, there's no other way
to tell Explorer to *always* show it (despite the otherwise promising 'Apply
to All Folders' button in Folder Options). I don't know what MS has against
it--Vista seems to go out of its way to try to hide it at every opportunity
with things like that annoying 'favorite folders' section that covers the
area the tree normally occupies (which you can't get rid of); as a heavy
tree user since Win95's Explorer, I find this frustrating to no end. I'd be
perfectly happy if they had it as a sidebar gadget--I'd actually *love* to
have it permanently on the screen somewhere...it would save space on one of
my triple monitor setup (one of them is *always* showing Explorer just so
the tree is easily accessible).

Sorry for going on a tangent here. :-)
And I won't know what folder I want to expand until I open it in Explorer!
Click to expand...

Dave just meant to pick a default. If you always end up navigating to
c:\documents and settings\<profile>, or My Documents, use that to save
yourself a couple of clicks...
 
How do you now open it?

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Huh?
|
| What shortcut? And I won't know what folder I want to expand until I
| open it in Explorer!
 
Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types -> hi-lite 'Folder' -> click 'Advanced' -> hi-lite
'explore' -> click 'Set Default'.
 
Dave said:
How do you now open it?
Click to expand...
Click on the 'My xxx icons' - but I've just discovered that START+E
seems to open with folders view already set :)
 
Keith said:
Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types -> hi-lite 'Folder' -> click
'Advanced' -> hi-lite
'explore' -> click 'Set Default'.
Click to expand...
Brilliant :D

Thanks for the advice Keith - works perfectly.

I'd never have guessed to look there.
 
You can edit the shortcut as above.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Click on the 'My xxx icons' - but I've just discovered that START+E
| seems to open with folders view already set :)
 
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