Can't select multiple files in my computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eran
  • Start date Start date
E

Eran

Hi,

I can't select multiple files in "my computer (explorer)" using the ctrl and
shift keys.
I can't even multiple select with the mouse.

Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks,

Eran
 
It's a quirk that's been showing up on some machines. Don't know what
causes it. Can you think of what apps you accessed this folder with or
anything you did differently with it?

Here's a bare-bones script that should fix the problem. Right-click the
link & select 'Save to Disk'

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/FixSingleSelect.zip

Close all explorer windows before running the script. Log off & back on
after running the script before you open any Explorer windows.
 
FWF_SINGLESEL
Do not allow more than a single item to be selected. This is used in the
common dialog boxes.

typedef enum {
FWF_AUTOARRANGE = 0x00000001,
FWF_ABBREVIATEDNAMES = 0x00000002,
FWF_SNAPTOGRID = 0x00000004,
FWF_OWNERDATA = 0x00000008,
FWF_BESTFITWINDOW = 0x00000008,
FWF_DESKTOP = 0x00000020,
************************************************
FWF_SINGLESEL = 0x00000040,
************************************************
FWF_NOSUBFOLDERS = 0x00000080,
FWF_TRANSPARENT = 0x00000100,
FWF_NOCLIENTEDGE = 0x00000200,
FWF_NOSCROLL = 0x00000400,
FWF_ALIGNLEFT = 0x00000800,
FWF_NOICONS = 0x00001000,
FWF_SHOWSELALWAYS = 0x00002000,
FWF_NOVISIBLE = 0x00004000,
FWF_SINGLECLICKACTIVATE = 0x00008000,
FWF_NOWEBVIEW = 0x00010000,
FWF_HIDEFILENAMES = 0x00020000,
FWF_CHECKSELECT = 0x00040000,
FWF_NOENUMREFRESH = 0x00080000,
FWF_NOGROUPING = 0x00100000,
FWF_FULLROWSELECT = 0x00200000,
FWF_NOFILTERS = 0x00400000,
FWF_NOCOLUMNHEADER = 0x01000000,
FWF_NOHEADERINALLVIEWS = 0x02000000,
FWF_EXTENDEDTILES = 0x01000000,
FWF_TRICHECKSELECT = 0x02000000,
FWF_AUTOCHECKSELECT = 0x04000000,
FWF_NOBROWSERVIEWSTATE = 0x08000000,
FWF_SUBSETGROUPS = 0x10000000,
FWF_USESEARCHFOLDER = 0x40000000
} FOLDERFLAGS;

Used by IShellFolderView

Whoich I think is this under bags

FFlags

If it is, a random documents folder had settings of;

FWF_AUTOARRANGE (which I use)
Automatically arrange the elements in the view. This implies LVS_AUTOARRANGE
if the list view control is used to implement the view.
FWF_FULLROWSELECT (dunno - maybe stacking)
Windows Vista: When an item is selected, the item and all its sub-items are
highlighted.
FWF_USESEARCHFOLDER (dunno I not ever stacked anything)
Windows Vista: Use the search folder for stacking and searching.

So perhaps common dialogs mistakenly write to the shell. Or the shell if it
can't find a shell bag uses the common dialog bag.


Keith Miller MVP said:
It's a quirk that's been showing up on some machines. Don't know what
causes it. Can you think of what apps you accessed this folder with or
anything you did differently with it?

Here's a bare-bones script that should fix the problem. Right-click the
link & select 'Save to Disk'

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/FixSingleSelect.zip

Close all explorer windows before running the script. Log off & back on
after running the script before you open any Explorer windows.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Eran said:
Hi,

I can't select multiple files in "my computer (explorer)" using the ctrl
and
shift keys.
I can't even multiple select with the mouse.

Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks,

Eran
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
That's the flag my script toggles. I wrote it in a hurry to take care of the most common
manifestation of the problem -- the flag getting set & saved with a folder view. I need to add a
little more to the script to take care of those instances where the user used 'Apply to Folders'
with this flag applied.

Haven't been able to find out what's causing it. I've been asking users who post with the problem
for info but haven't gotten any feedback <Grrrrrrr>


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


FWF_SINGLESEL
Do not allow more than a single item to be selected. This is used in the common dialog boxes.

typedef enum {
FWF_AUTOARRANGE = 0x00000001,
FWF_ABBREVIATEDNAMES = 0x00000002,
FWF_SNAPTOGRID = 0x00000004,
FWF_OWNERDATA = 0x00000008,
FWF_BESTFITWINDOW = 0x00000008,
FWF_DESKTOP = 0x00000020,
************************************************
FWF_SINGLESEL = 0x00000040,
************************************************
FWF_NOSUBFOLDERS = 0x00000080,
FWF_TRANSPARENT = 0x00000100,
FWF_NOCLIENTEDGE = 0x00000200,
FWF_NOSCROLL = 0x00000400,
FWF_ALIGNLEFT = 0x00000800,
FWF_NOICONS = 0x00001000,
FWF_SHOWSELALWAYS = 0x00002000,
FWF_NOVISIBLE = 0x00004000,
FWF_SINGLECLICKACTIVATE = 0x00008000,
FWF_NOWEBVIEW = 0x00010000,
FWF_HIDEFILENAMES = 0x00020000,
FWF_CHECKSELECT = 0x00040000,
FWF_NOENUMREFRESH = 0x00080000,
FWF_NOGROUPING = 0x00100000,
FWF_FULLROWSELECT = 0x00200000,
FWF_NOFILTERS = 0x00400000,
FWF_NOCOLUMNHEADER = 0x01000000,
FWF_NOHEADERINALLVIEWS = 0x02000000,
FWF_EXTENDEDTILES = 0x01000000,
FWF_TRICHECKSELECT = 0x02000000,
FWF_AUTOCHECKSELECT = 0x04000000,
FWF_NOBROWSERVIEWSTATE = 0x08000000,
FWF_SUBSETGROUPS = 0x10000000,
FWF_USESEARCHFOLDER = 0x40000000
} FOLDERFLAGS;

Used by IShellFolderView

Whoich I think is this under bags

FFlags

If it is, a random documents folder had settings of;

FWF_AUTOARRANGE (which I use)
Automatically arrange the elements in the view. This implies LVS_AUTOARRANGE if the list view
control is used to implement the view.
FWF_FULLROWSELECT (dunno - maybe stacking)
Windows Vista: When an item is selected, the item and all its sub-items are highlighted.
FWF_USESEARCHFOLDER (dunno I not ever stacked anything)
Windows Vista: Use the search folder for stacking and searching.

So perhaps common dialogs mistakenly write to the shell. Or the shell if it can't find a shell bag
uses the common dialog bag.


Keith Miller MVP said:
It's a quirk that's been showing up on some machines. Don't know what
causes it. Can you think of what apps you accessed this folder with or
anything you did differently with it?

Here's a bare-bones script that should fix the problem. Right-click the
link & select 'Save to Disk'

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/FixSingleSelect.zip

Close all explorer windows before running the script. Log off & back on
after running the script before you open any Explorer windows.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Eran said:
Hi,

I can't select multiple files in "my computer (explorer)" using the ctrl and
shift keys.
I can't even multiple select with the mouse.

Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks,

Eran
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Keith, it worked.

I am not sure exactly what I did that caused it, but I have been trying to
get explorer to stick with the "List View" Setting. I can't stand it
changing for every folder. However, regardless of unchecking "Remember each
folder's view settings" and clicking the "Apply to all Folders" button, I
cannot get the "List View" to stick. Perhaps playing with these settings
caused the problem.

Any ideas on how I can get the "List View" to stick to all folders?

The article that Alexsey referenced suggests that if one was to delete all
subkeys of
HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags,
then it would reset all folder settings. The script you provided did update
these subkeys to fix the problem.

Thanks again,

Eran

It's a quirk that's been showing up on some machines. Don't know what
causes it. Can you think of what apps you accessed this folder with or
anything you did differently with it?

Here's a bare-bones script that should fix the problem. Right-click the
link & select 'Save to Disk'

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/FixSingleSelect.zip

Close all explorer windows before running the script. Log off & back on
after running the script before you open any Explorer windows.
 
Thanks for the link.
I actually ran the script that Keith posted. It basically automates what the
article says to all folders (bag entries).

It now works.

Thanks for the reply,
Eran

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_registry_bags.htm
???
Have the same problem (don't know why and how it has appeared...)
Couldn't fix it (System Restore helped)... this link find only later.
Try it... and tell, please, about results! :-))
 
You're welcome. Glad it's fixed.

If you happened to use 'Apply to Folders' from a folder that had the
SingleSelect problem, it may have gotten saved in another part of the
registry. I'm going to add repair functionality for that as well -- it's
just that I wrote the script in a hurry before leaving on a trip.

In Vista, 'Apply to Folders' now works on a per-template basis: All Items,
Documents, Pictures, Music Icons, Music Details, Videos & Contacts can each
have
different default settings. So you'll need to use 'Apply to Folders' once
for each folder type. Namespace folders such as Desktop, Computer, Control
Panel, etc are each their own type as well -- so they won't pick up the
default setting you have set. But they should remember their view once you
have changed it to your liking.

I know it seems like a hassle, but a lot of XP users were bothered by the
universal 'Apply to all folders' -- they may have wanted Artist & Album
columns in all their music folders, but those columns make no sense for
Pictures or Documents.

I'm trying to wrap my head around a way to script what users such as
yourself want -- a quick way to set some general view preferences. But no
promises on when I'll have that :-)


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Eran said:
Thanks Keith, it worked.

I am not sure exactly what I did that caused it, but I have been trying to
get explorer to stick with the "List View" Setting. I can't stand it
changing for every folder. However, regardless of unchecking "Remember
each
folder's view settings" and clicking the "Apply to all Folders" button, I
cannot get the "List View" to stick. Perhaps playing with these settings
caused the problem.

Any ideas on how I can get the "List View" to stick to all folders?

The article that Alexsey referenced suggests that if one was to delete all
subkeys of
HKCU\Software\Classes\Local
Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags,
then it would reset all folder settings. The script you provided did
update
these subkeys to fix the problem.

Thanks again,

Eran

It's a quirk that's been showing up on some machines. Don't know what
causes it. Can you think of what apps you accessed this folder with or
anything you did differently with it?

Here's a bare-bones script that should fix the problem. Right-click the
link & select 'Save to Disk'

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/FixSingleSelect.zip

Close all explorer windows before running the script. Log off & back on
after running the script before you open any Explorer windows.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Eran said:
Hi,

I can't select multiple files in "my computer (explorer)" using the ctrl
and
shift keys.
I can't even multiple select with the mouse.

Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks,

Eran
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I can't select multiple files in "my computer (explorer)" using the ctrl and
shift keys.
I can't even multiple select with the mouse.
Click to expand...
Any ideas how to fix this?
Click to expand...

Good news, bad news.

Good I've read about this and I know there's a fix

Bad I can't remember where...

Basically, what happens is that a particular bitmapped flag is
inappropriately set, so that all of Windows Explorer behaves as if it
were a "select one" dialog box, as is appropriate in various contexts
(e.g. "select Temp directory..." must get 1 and only 1 result).

There's a /kb article that enumerates these flags, as well as a how-to
apply this via RegEdit. But there's nothing in my browser favorites
or saved files, and I can't even remember whether it was in newsgroups
or private elists, let alone which :-(


--------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
Click to expand...
Saws are too hard to use.
Be easier to use!
 
Scroll down to Kieth Miller's posts.

Or is it Keith Miller's posts.

K isn't C - what is happening here.
 
'I' before 'E'
Except after 'C'
Or when sounding as 'A'
As in neighbor and weigh

Or in proper names that don't follow the rules! :-s
 
On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:25:49 +1100, <.> wrote:

Yep, I see it's been posted since my last gulp - that is indeed the
flag I was looking for. Perhaps something (ill-advisedly) changes
global behavior "for a while", and if that "while" (critical period)
gets interrupted by a bad exit, the state persists?
Scroll down to Kieth Miller's posts.
Or is it Keith Miller's posts.
Click to expand...
--------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
Click to expand...
Saws are too hard to use.
Be easier to use!
 
An updated version of the script was just uploaded -- same link. The first
one only cleared entries under Bags -- the new one fixes entries under
Streams\Defaults as well.
 
LOL. Thanks a lot, man. You're welcome.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Soong said:
You kick ass!

Thank you for the time and effort I know must have gone into
researching, creating, and testing this!!!
An updated version of the script was just uploaded -- same link. The
first
one only cleared entries under Bags -- the new one fixes entries under
Streams\Defaults as well.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

in
message news:[email protected]...
On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:25:49 +1100, <.> wrote:

Yep, I see it's been posted since my last gulp - that is indeed the
flag I was looking for. Perhaps something (ill-advisedly) changes
global behavior "for a while", and if that "while" (critical period)
gets interrupted by a bad exit, the state persists?

Scroll down to Kieth Miller's posts.
Or is it Keith Miller's posts.


Good I've read about this and I know there's a fix
Bad I can't remember where...



--------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
Saws are too hard to use.
Be easier to use!
--------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


--
Soong

Certifications Currently Held: '*CompTIA A+*'
(http://certification.comptia.org/a/)*, 'MCDST'
(http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcdst/default.mspx) (70-272)*
Next Up: ('70-270'
(http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-270.mspx))
Click to expand...
 
old XP tricks didn't work for me. but...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934548/en-us

On a Windows Vista-based computer, you cannot use keyboard shortcuts
to select more than one item in Windows Explorer

View products that this article applies to.
Article ID : 934548
Last Review : April 24, 2007
Revision : 1.0

SYMPTOMS
On a Windows Vista-based computer, you cannot use keyboard shortcuts
to select more than one item in Windows Explorer. For example, you
cannot use the CTRL+A keyboard shortcut to select all the items in a
Windows Explorer window. Also, you cannot select multiple items in a
Windows Explorer window by holding the SHIFT key or the CTRL key while
you click the items.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, use the Reset Folders command. To use the Reset
Folders command, follow these steps:
1. In the Windows Explorer window where this issue occurs, click
Organize, and then click Folder and Search Options.
2. On the View tab, click Reset Folders.



That's the flag my script toggles. I wrote it in a hurry to take care of the most common
manifestation of the problem -- the flag getting set & saved with a folder view. I need to add a
little more to the script to take care of those instances where the user used 'Apply to Folders'
with this flag applied.

Haven't been able to find out what's causing it. I've been asking users who post with the problem
for info but haven't gotten any feedback <Grrrrrrr>

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

FWF_SINGLESEL
Do not allow more than a single item to be selected. This is used in the common dialog boxes.
Click to expand...
typedef enum {
FWF_AUTOARRANGE = 0x00000001,
FWF_ABBREVIATEDNAMES = 0x00000002,
FWF_SNAPTOGRID = 0x00000004,
FWF_OWNERDATA = 0x00000008,
FWF_BESTFITWINDOW = 0x00000008,
FWF_DESKTOP = 0x00000020,
************************************************
FWF_SINGLESEL = 0x00000040,
************************************************
FWF_NOSUBFOLDERS = 0x00000080,
FWF_TRANSPARENT = 0x00000100,
FWF_NOCLIENTEDGE = 0x00000200,
FWF_NOSCROLL = 0x00000400,
FWF_ALIGNLEFT = 0x00000800,
FWF_NOICONS = 0x00001000,
FWF_SHOWSELALWAYS = 0x00002000,
FWF_NOVISIBLE = 0x00004000,
FWF_SINGLECLICKACTIVATE = 0x00008000,
FWF_NOWEBVIEW = 0x00010000,
FWF_HIDEFILENAMES = 0x00020000,
FWF_CHECKSELECT = 0x00040000,
FWF_NOENUMREFRESH = 0x00080000,
FWF_NOGROUPING = 0x00100000,
FWF_FULLROWSELECT = 0x00200000,
FWF_NOFILTERS = 0x00400000,
FWF_NOCOLUMNHEADER = 0x01000000,
FWF_NOHEADERINALLVIEWS = 0x02000000,
FWF_EXTENDEDTILES = 0x01000000,
FWF_TRICHECKSELECT = 0x02000000,
FWF_AUTOCHECKSELECT = 0x04000000,
FWF_NOBROWSERVIEWSTATE = 0x08000000,
FWF_SUBSETGROUPS = 0x10000000,
FWF_USESEARCHFOLDER = 0x40000000
} FOLDERFLAGS;
Click to expand...
Used by IShellFolderView
Click to expand...
Whoich I think is this under bags

If it is, a random documents folder had settings of;
Click to expand...
FWF_AUTOARRANGE (which I use)
Automatically arrange the elements in the view. This implies LVS_AUTOARRANGE if the list view
control is used to implement the view.
FWF_FULLROWSELECT (dunno - maybe stacking)
WindowsVista: When an item is selected, the item and all its sub-items are highlighted.
FWF_USESEARCHFOLDER (dunno I not ever stacked anything)
WindowsVista: Use the search folder for stacking and searching.
Click to expand...
So perhaps common dialogs mistakenly write to the shell. Or the shell if it can't find a shell bag
uses the common dialog bag.
Click to expand...
Keith Miller MVP said:
It's a quirk that's been showing up on some machines. Don't know what
causes it. Can you think of what apps you accessed this folder with or
anything you did differently with it?
Here's a bare-bones script that should fix the problem. Right-click the
link &select'Save to Disk'
http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/FixSingleSelect.zip
Close all explorer windows before running the script. Log off & back on
after running the script before you open any Explorer windows.
--
Good Luck,
Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Hi,
I can'tselectmultiplefilesin "my computer (explorer)" using the ctrl and
shift keys.
I can't evenmultipleselectwith the mouse.
Any ideas how to fix this?
Thanks,
Eran
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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